Honey is often known as ‘the superfood’ but not all honey is equal. For thousands of years, honey has been used as both food and cure in many cultures. But much of the packaged honey we see on supermarket shelves is not as pure as the medicinal honey historically used. To reap all of honey’s superfood benefits, you need to pick the right type! Here’s what to look for and where to shop for this sweet delight in Parnell.
Raw Honey
Like most foods, you want to opt for unprocessed, raw honey. This comes straight from the honeycombs of the hive, then the honey is poured over a mesh or nylon cloth to separate out impurities. Once strained, the raw honey is ready to consume in its most pure form. Look for honey that is labelled as ‘raw’ to avoid missing out on its nutritional value!
Unfiltered Honey
Another essential label to look for on your honey packaging is ‘unfiltered’. The process of filtering honey removes impurities and debris like air bubbles so that the honey stays as a clear liquid for longer, which is more aesthetically pleasing for selling purposes.
Manuka Honey
While all honey has been used medicinally for thousands of years, Manuka honey is much newer to the wellness scene and comes with its own unique list of health benefits. Most notably, Manuka honey has next-level antimicrobial benefits that keep your immune system in check. Native to New Zealand, Manuka honey is produced by bees that pollinate the flowers of the Manuka bush. While raw honey’s reputation as a medicinal aid is largely due to its antimicrobial activity that stems from its hydrogen peroxide content, Manuka honey contains additional compounds – methylglyoxal (MGO), dihydroxyacetone (DHA) and a few others – that make it even more beneficial for both internal and topical use. These special compounds originate from the nectar of the Manuka flower.
Parnell is very fortunate to have three amazing stockists of top quality honey – bee sure to pop into one of these stores close to you for your next sweet treat: Colony, Health+Pharm & GoodFor.
Some of Colony’s rare Pohutukawa Honey was also recently gifted to Prince Charles & Camilla on their recent New Zealand visit. You can read the full news article here.
