Forest honey, also referred to as honeydew honey or oak honey, is the healthy alternative to regular commercialised honey with numerous health benefits. While it may not be part of your weekly shop, there are many reasons why forest honey is better for you than regular honey. But what does forest honey taste like?
The taste of forest honey depends on where it is harvested. In general, forest honey is described as tasting fairly sweet with weak acidity and no bitterness. Normally darker in colour than regular honey, forest honey is also described as having a slightly salty taste and is considered more savoury than regular honey.
Read on to find out more about what forest honey tastes like, and what beneficial properties it has.
What is the difference between Forest Honey and Regular Honey?
Regular honey that you would often see in a supermarket goes through a number of processing stages before it reaches the shelves. For example, pasteurisation destroys the yeast in raw honey while simultaneously removing the natural antioxidants. Regular honey is also thought to contain trace amounts of pesticides, and is filled with additives, sugars and artificial sweeteners.
Harvesting process
Forest honey was first harvested in the 1700s by a French naturalist that realised it was being produced by aphids. Whereas regular honey is produced from blossom nectar, forest honey is made by plant sucking insects collecting sugary solutions from the leaves of trees. The honey can then be harvested from many different tree types such as fir, spruce, pine, and oak, hence why forest honey is sometimes referred to as ‘oak honey’.
Taste difference
Unlike regular honey that has been produced and sold at enormous volumes, forest honey is far less processed, and consequently contains all of the natural minerals that were in the honey to begin with. This means that while forest honey may not taste as sweet as regular honey that is full of additives, sugars and artificial sweeteners, it does contain vital vitamins and minerals providing numerous health benefits.
What are the benefits of eating Forest Honey?
Forest honey is organic and high in nutritive elements such as sucrose and fructose, and contains naturally occurring enzymes, minerals, and antioxidants. It is also full of vitamins such as C and B6, and contains minerals including phosphorus, calcium, sodium, zinc, iron potassium and magnesium.
Examples of some of the health benefits of eating forest honey include:
- Reduces and sometimes even cures the symptoms of respiratory illnesses
- Contains phytonutrients with antioxidant, antifungal and antibacterial properties
- Healthy alternative to other sugary products, with a glycemic index below 60
- Lowers cholesterol, subsequently reducing the risk of heart disease
- Helps to maintain healthy skin, helping to control eczema
What about Royal Jarrah Honey?
Unique to Western Australia and harvested from the Jarrah tree, the Royal Jarrah Honey is a particular type of forest honey that contains high levels of natural antioxidants and antibacterial ingredients. Royal Jarrah Honey is described as tasting sweet, nutty-malt with hints of caramel.
There are a number of health benefits of this particular honey, such as anti-ageing, antifungal, antioxidant and antibacterial properties, treat skin conditions, with high fructose and low glucose levels. Royal Jarrah Honey is available for purchase on the Balqees website.
Greek Forest Honey - Greek Fir
Greek Fir Honey is a rich forest honey harvested from the wild fir forests of central Greece. As a honeydew, Greek Fir Honey is high in oligosaccharides that are known for their prebiotic qualities, helping to aid digestion and promote gut health. This honey is described as having a ‘strong, robust taste with hints of woodsy and pine flavours, and a slightly caramel aftertaste’, and is available for purchase on the Balqees website.
Looking to buy Forest Honey?
Balqees’ range of raw honey products provide numerous health benefits and are available to order online. A number of different flavours are available such as raw honey with lemon zest and ginger fusion, raw honey with ginger and turmeric fusion, raw black seed honey fusion and lots more!
Make sure to take a look at the full range of products on the Balqees website.
