Straight From the Hive
Raw honey is ALL the buzz lately with good reason! This superfood is the most original sweet liquid that the honeybees produce from the concentrated nectar of flowers. And, bee pollen is considered to be one of nature’s best and most nourishing foods. Bee Local single-origin raw honey, included in Brad Leone’s crate, is harvested from hives located in the northern portion of Oregon’s most fertile valley surrounded by vineyards, hops and berry farms. Bee Local is committed to producing exceptional honey that is sustainably harvested, never heated, treated, blended or ultra-filtered. Keeping honey unheated and unpasteurized helps to assure that the beneficial enzymes and other heat sensitive nutrients remain intact.
Each of Bee Local’s honey varieties offer distinct and complex flavor profiles that reflect the flora, fauna and forage of its region and are traceable from hive to jar. In 2011 Damian Magista, Bee Local founder, started to harvest honey from several historical neighborhoods around the Portland, Oregon area. One of the things Magista discovered was that each neighborhood honey had a very distinct flavor, color and thickness. Instead of blending all the different neighborhood honeys together, Bee Local prides themselves on selling single-origin honeys that tell mouthwatering stories of that specific origin and season.
Honey naturally contains nutrients and enzymes that contribute to many health benefits and aid with medical uses. Here are the top three benefits of raw honey:
- Great source of antioxidants - raw honey contains phenolic compounds which help protect the body from cell damage due to free radicals.
- Antibacterial and antifungal properties - hydrogen peroxide is naturally found in raw honey which can protect from bacteria and fungus.
- Helps with digestive issues - raw honey has been known to soothe stomach pain and heal the gut lining.
So the next time you’re at the market, skip the “regular” honey for raw. Your body and taste buds will thank you! We love this honey on our oatmeal in the morning, in our smoothies or on a cheese plate at happy hour drizzled over Parmigiano-Reggiano or Gruyere. Check out Brad’s visit to Bee Local and his fermented honey garlic recipe on the Bon Appétit web series It’s Alive with Brad.
Sweet!
