Best Raw Honeys Reviewed & Compared
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Honey can either be refined or can be in its purest form. Refined honey can be explained as heated honey which has been stripped of all the exceptional features and benefits of raw honey. In summary, if you’re taking refined honey or better yet known as honey, you’re just eating raw sweetener. In fact, if you bought a sweetener, it would have been better since you as a consumer won’t be feeding yourself with fake honey thinking you’re getting benefits.
Refined honey also has side effects; it can lead to building up of plaque, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, etcetera. Now, raw and organic honey, on the other hand, can almost be compared to water if taken in good amounts. Raw honey contains bee pollen (refined honey do not) and it’s from bee pollen you’ll find all the health benefits of honey.
Our Top 3 Picks
- YS Royal Jelly
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Our rating - Great value for money
- Price: See Here
- Nature Nate's 100% Pure
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Our rating - Made by American bees
- Price: See Here
- Wedderspoon Manuka
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Our rating - No gluten/trans fats
- Price: See Here
Raw honey is so powerful, myths were created about its prowess, but the best thing is that most of the myths are true. And the ones that aren’t—still contain some truth to them. Nonetheless, how will you, a consumer distinguish raw honey from refined/fake honey? Three out of four honey nowadays that you buy in a grocery store are fake, so, we’ll ask the question once again, can you distinguish fake from original? To treat that problem (since you can’t be testing/tasting all honey due to their side effects), we’ve compiled a list of raw honey for you to buy. So, peruse the list and pick one that appeals to you.
10 Best Raw Honeys
YS Royal Jelly
The honey is also organic and is made from a credible manufacturer, so all the claims above are not just claims. We've thoroughly tasted the honey and we've put it through numerous tests to see how well it works, and unsurprisingly, it works rather too well. If you want major benefits like vitamins intake, immunity enhancement, and overall skin maintenance, then the YS Royal Jelly/Honey Bee can give all of these and even much more.
Unpasteurized or unheated
Unfiltered
Doesn't contain chemicals like pesticides, herbicides, and pollutants
22 oz
Serving size is 1 tablespoon
Price
The benefits of the honey above and it's position on the list might not be enough incentive for some people to buy it. Luckily, it has one more advantage which is its sweet (pardon the pun) price. It has remarkable value for money which will be appreciated by mostly everyone regardless of budget.
Conclusion
The YS Royal Jelly/Honey Bee is an excellent all-rounder. It has a great price that doesn't sacrifice any of its features—which makes the honey suitable for everyone. And that's regardless of budget and your wants in a honey (it has more than you'll need).
Great price
Unaltered in any way or form
Perfect substitute for sugar
Beneficial to health
Might be too thick for some people
Nature Nate's 100% Pure
Also, the honey is sweet and consistent though that doesn't mean you can't add it to your teas. In fact, it will easily distribute in the tea to give a smooth taste. It doesn't contain any pesticide, herbicide, antibiotics, or any pollutant. Summarily, you're only getting benefits (in as much you use it in the recommended amount) by investing in the honey.
It will supply your body with vitamins, it will boost your system's immunity, and it can even be used on your skin where it will clear all scars and acne (as well as overall skin maintenance).
Unfiltered/unaltered
32 oz bottles
No pesticides, antibiotics, herbicides, and pollutants
Made by American bees
Price
Like the first product on the list, the Nature Nate's option has good value for money. This especially makes it suitable even for individuals on a budget.
Conclusion
A nice price and a honey that can be used in various forms and ways (tea, cereals, cakes, toast, etcetera) are what you get if you pick the Nature Nate's Pure Honey. We recommend this product if you're looking for some raw, fresh honey to buy.
Unfiltered/unaltered
Remarkable value for money
Free from pollutants
Useful for body health maintenance
Sweet taste
Can be applied in various ways (tea and cereals)
Not thick enough
Wedderspoon Manuka
As a result of the latter, the honey is a great source of vitamins and health benefits that many consumers will appreciate (we definitely do). Also, it can be used on the skin for its anti-aging benefits. Your skin will feel fresher, more supple, and also clear of acne and scars. Likewise, the honey is all-natural, contains no trans fat, no gluten, and is free from chemicals too.
Contains no gluten and trans fat
Free from chemicals
Manuka honey
Sourced by bees from the manuka bush
Superfood
Minty scent
Price
Compared to the previous two, the price of the Wedderspoon Manuka Honey is high. This is due to the fact that it's a manuka honey, so it's a bit different than the previous two. Though, do keep in mind that the previous two are no slouch either in terms of effectiveness. Nonetheless, for anyone making a final decision based on price, this honey might not be suitable enough for you.
Conclusion
All the benefits of a regular raw honey are heightened in manuka honey so, in terms of benefits, the Wedderspoon Manuka Honey is just exquisite. But due to its high price, the honey might be unsuitable for individuals on a budget. Regardless, we still recommend it since it's after all sourced from the manuka bush.
Not altered in any way or form
Beneficial to the body
No gluten and trans fat
Great taste
Price might be too high for some people
Y.S. Organic Bee Farms
This means any and all consumer should use it in their tea, cereals, cakes, cookies, etcetera. Also, like all raw honey (all the ones on this list), its benefits are not only limited to a consumer orally ingesting it. You can use it on your skin for skin rejuvenation and acne management. Now, these are all claims that the manufacturer made to us. Luckily, they're all true.
US grade A raw honey
3 lbs jar
Unpasteurized and unaltered
Great flavour
Price
The price of the Y.S. Organic Bee Honey is another incentive for potential buyers to give it a buy. It has exceptional value for money which will be appreciated by everyone (especially individuals on a budget). Also, the item doesn't sacrifice any of its unique features and benefits for its price. Though, if the price is unsuitable, you can try other products on this list with smaller options.
Conclusion
If you want a honey with remarkable value for money, then you should certainly pick the Y.S. Organic Bee Honey. It has the almost perfect blend of an ideal product meaning you (a consumer) gets much more than you bargained for. We recommend it to you if you're not already considering giving it a buy.
Excellent value for money
Exquisite taste
Health benefits whether consumed orally or applied on the skin
Raw and unaltered
A bit too thick for people
Manuka Doctor Honey
Summarily, let's just say all these claims are true. The honey can be used on the skin for its healing prowess or you can orally ingest it to get benefits like antioxidants supply and fat management. In fact, since it's sourced from the manuka bush, the benefits are enhanced.
100% natural Manuka honey from New Zealand
Anti-Bacterial, Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidant qualities
Natural energy source
Use in teas and cereals or generally as a sweetener
Price
Value for money of the Manuka Doctor Honey is remarkable. As a matter of fact, it's better than the other manuka honey items on this list. We don't know why it's so and as we mentioned, we tested the company's claims to see if they were incorrect. Remarkably, the claims are all true, though do note that it's not as effective as other manuka honey products on the list.
Conclusion
Value for money is remarkable for a manuka honey. And when you couple that with its benefits, there's really no disadvantage to selecting the Manuka Doctor Honey as your go-to sweetener. But like we said, do bear in mind that the benefits in question are not as apparent as other manuka honey items. It's in fact just slightly more powerful than regular raw honey but for that price, we're not complaining.
Value for money is good
Excellent substitute for sweetener
Health benefits
Useful for skin maintenance
Not as effective as other manuka honey
Manuka Health Honey
The honey can be consumed orally for benefits such as allergy relief and weight loss. On the other hand, you can use still use it on your skin as a moisturizer and mild exfoliator. In summary, honey has a wide range of uses where it only boosts efficacy (never hinders or reduces it).
New Zealand manuka honey
Supports well-being
Useful for skin
Each bottle contains
Price
Obviously, since the item is manuka honey, it will be expensive—which it is. The value for money of the Manuka Health Honey, when compared to others, is ok. But when you compare it to regular raw honey like the YS Royal Jelly/Honey, it's rather underwhelming. This makes it unsuitable for people who want a regular honey and are on a tight budget.
Conclusion
The value for money is good since it's a manuka honey, but it's not suitable if you're looking for regular raw honey. Nonetheless, if you invest in the product, you're getting an enhanced version of the benefits you get from regular raw honey. This is why we recommend it to anyone that can overlook its price.
Useful skin product
Health benefits when consumed
Pure and unaltered
Value for money is ok for manuka honey
Expensive raw honey
Ambrosia
Contains 4 - 16 ounces of bottled honey
100% pure Colorado grown honey
Raw and slightly filtered
Gluten-free, no cholesterol, and no trans fat
Distinct flavour
Price
The value for money, when compared to raw honey, is good. It's not exceptional but it's definitely up there among the best. As a result of this, we recommend the honey to even individuals on a tight budget.
Conclusion
We fully back your decision if you pick the Ambrosia Pure Raw Honey. Its blend of price and sheer features and benefits were more than enough incentives to convince us to include it on our list of best raw honey reviewed. So, we fully recommend it to you if you're looking for an excellent honey to buy.
Useful for overall skin maintenance
Gives certain health benefits
100% pure honey
Mild taste compared to other honey
Crockett
100% pure and natural bees honey
Sourced from Arizona sonoron desert wildflowers
Delicate flavour
More digestible than refined sugar
48 oz bottle
Price
The price is ok but like the previous item, it's definitely not the best we've seen. But since we've seen other more expensive products (not limited to this list), we find the honey still remarkable. Especially when you couple it with its features and benefits.
Conclusion
Due to its good mix of price and benefits, we just don't have any choice but to recommend the Crockett Honey Raw. In other terms, we can say the honey is suitable for individuals on a budget and its benefits (as tested by us) are highly effective. It's an ideal choice in honey if you're looking for one.
Ok value for money
Great flavour
Free from pollutants
Healthy and beneficial
Flavour is a bit weak for people
HoneyTree's
The honey can be used on the skin for healing scars, clearing acne, and boosting complexion. All of these benefits are due to the bee pollen in the honey which is not present in refined honey. It's like this; refined honey is cheaper in terms of price when you compare it to raw honey.
But, as we've mentioned above, this means all the benefits will either be non-existent or drastically reduced. So, using a raw honey like the HoneyTree's Raw Organic Honey is your best bet.
Pure honey
Unaltered and unfiltered
12 ounces per bottle
No trans fat, zero gluten, and no cholesterol
Overall body health maintenance
Price
Price isn't really one of the HoneyTree's Raw Organic Honey's selling point. Other raw honeys on this list are better and the thing is—we don't know why it's so, because, all of the previous products are pure also. Regardless, it's still slightly suitable for individuals on a budget, since, at the least, it doesn't suffer any feature or benefit.
Conclusion
Theis is a remarkable product when you take into consideration all of its features and benefits. And this is despite the fact that it's the last product on the list. Regardless, the value for money is underwhelming and it would have been more suitable for individuals on a budget if it were better. Though it's still a good choice if you want to buy honey.
But since it's only suitable for people that are either not on a budget or their budget is slightly flexible, the honey is consequently at the bottom of the list.
Pure, unaltered, and unpasteurized honey
Many health benefits such as acne management and source of antioxidants
No pollutant
No gluten, trans fat, and cholesterol
The value for money is underwhelming and could be better
Honest Co
Made in the US, the honey is unfiltered, completely raw and tastes pretty good, even better than some of our top choices. However, we found that this product is better when used for your cooking and baking rather than an addition to hot beverages or snacks.
Unfiltered
No chemicals added
Rich in amino acids
Creamy
Price/Value
Now the price is certainly not cheap. If you like baking and you like to use only organic, good products, this is a choice you will like. However, for every day use you may want to choose another product from our list.
Conclusion
The Honest Raw Honey is a good option that does not contain absolutely any risky ingredients. It's the perfect choice for healthy baking; however the price is to be considered a little bit over the top.
Unfiltered
No chemicals
Made in the US
Waxy taste for some
Benefits of Using Raw Honey
Benefits in this scenario can elementarily be explained as the gains of using a particular product. In other terms, what are the advantages you’ll get by using raw honey in the stead of any sweetener out there (or at the worst, using refined honey)?
Reduces Allergic Reactions
Using refined honey won’t do anything since it doesn’t contain bee pollen. On the other hand, raw honey contains bee pollen which is sourced from different flowers. And as already known, flowers cause allergic reactions which depending on how susceptible you are, the results can be severe. Now, raw honey contains pollen which might appear bad but in reality, the more you consume it, the more you’ll build your tolerance to the allergy.
Supplies Antioxidants
There are certain bad elements in our bodies called free radicals which cause cancer and heart disease. A perfect counter that can eliminate free radicals in the body are antioxidants wherein, honey is a source of antioxidants. If any consumer takes honey instead of sugar, he/she is taking in flavonoids pinocembrin, pinostrobin, and chrysin—which prevents the aforementioned cases and much more (opposite of sugar).
Weight Loss
A steady and proper intake of honey—whether you eat it as it is or you mix it with some other rich items equal to weight loss. This will be beneficial to people looking for a kick in the right direction (weight loss regime). Also, honey reduces blood sugar levels in the body. Consequently, you can avoid or manage diabetes by regularly consuming honey. Raw honey can also be used by you to prevent obesity. The hormones that suppress unneeded appetite in the body is the target here.
Honey first activates the hormones—after which there will be an overall reduction in food craving. So, you won’t be hungry/feeling hungry all the time. Summarily, if you’re concerned about your weight, honey is a weight manager.
Source of Energy
Honey is a fuel—simple. It contains sugar, minerals, water, vitamins, pollen, and protein. All of these ingredients work together to provide energy. Now, couple that with the already mentioned fact that honey suppresses unnecessary appetite and you’ll see exactly why honey is ideal as a source of energy. So, regardless if you’re a fitness enthusiast, an average office worker, or an individual whose work requires immense physical prowess, you should include honey into your food.
Promotes Sleep
If you take raw honey, you’re promoting sleep. Honey restocks the liver’s glycogen level which prevents the body from waking up due to hunger. Though, this is only if you take the honey before you sleep where it will make the most impact. Also, honey is a direct promoter of melatonin in the brain. Melatonin is the chemical that induces sleep in the body and as usual, sleep has its own benefits as well. It prevents cancer, eases chronic and menopause pain, eases jet lag, and enhances the immune system.
Cough Syrup
It’s natural and has a whole other host of benefits if you consume it. Raw honey is by far better than any engineered cough syrup simply because it’s a cough syrup itself. Now couple this with its other benefits and this should be your go-to drug.
Antibacterial
If you’re being troubled by acne and all its emotional aspects, you can use raw (not refined) honey to your advantage. Honey is antibacterial which is the main reason why it can fight and prevent acne. Also, wounds and bruises are areas where you can employ the use of honey. It will treat the infected areas and at the same time, it will soothe the victim.
Enhances Immunity
The manuka honeys on this list are especially fit for this benefit. They contain methylglyoxal, which is the compound that gives honey its antibacterial properties. But, that’s not its only function. Methylglyoxal can be used (when you consume honey) by the body to boost immunity. It also engages the production of cytokines which are the agents who activate immune response when any foreign material gets in the body. All in all, you should definitely start using honey.
Anti-aging
Honey has anti-aging properties; it can be used to enhance complexion, clear scars/dark spots, and deeply clean out the skin pores. All of these uses alone are excellent but when you couple them together, the results are satisfactory, to say the least. It’s far better and safer than most wonder drugs out there, so if you’re looking for a product that you can use to reverse the effects of aging, choosing honey might just be your best decision in beauty care products yet.
Using Honey
There’s really no limit on how much you can use honey since its completely natural. Though, as always, too much of anything can have unwanted side effects. Luckily, they’re mild in the case of honey. Regardless, one area that is noteworthy is that you can use honey with literally any food you can think of. You can make honey with tea, cereals, bread, baked goods, etcetera with no side effects.
Side Effects of Eating Honey
These are the side effects of eating honey even if they’re more or less preventive measures. Honey literally has no side effects and below, you’ll understand in-depth what we mean by that.
Do not allow children below one year to eat honey regardless of the amount. The children might experience food poisoning due to clostridium botulinum. So, prevent your child from eating honey and also do not feed it to him or her. Honey should not be eaten in large amounts since it can result in stomach cramps, bloating and diarrhea. Also, taking honey in large doses can interrupt nutrients from being properly absorbed by the small intestine.
Allergies (despite that it contradicts with a benefit) are another area where honey can pose a risk. Allergic patients might experience shortness of breath, difficulty in swallowing, itching, asthma, inflammation, and wheezing after consuming honey in large quantities so, please use with care in that regard.
Lastly, when applied to the skin, honey is safe and you shouldn’t experience any problem if you use it in that way.
Product Criteria for Evaluation
What are the methods that we use in evaluating the products that are included in any list of ours? The answer to that question is below.
Price and Value
Price does not equal to value in any way or form. Just because a product has an attractive price tag doesn’t mean its value will not be cheap. So, to make sure that any and all of our products have a good balance (value and money), we run them through some tests which will be shown further down the list. Any product on this list that you pick regardless if we say is mediocre or not is far better in terms of value than many products out there. We recommend anyone of them to you, so just pick anyone you like.
Manufacturer’s Reputation
The reputation of the manufacturer is an important aspect when picking products. This is due to the fact that customers/consumers trust products made by credible manufacturers even without testing them. Which is why we pick products from manufacturers with a long history in making quality products (the products on this list are prime examples of the type of quality that their manufacturers can produce). Therefore, you’re getting items from the company that you trust with an added bonus; that we’ve tested all of them. They have the best team, ingredients, and machine. So, there’s little to no wonder that they’ll produce the best items. Also, their experience makes sure that no suspicious ingredient will be included during production. But, if it is, we’ll find it and you personally won’t find it on the list.
We Test the Products
With different companies making various claims (big and small), it’s our job to test whether or not they’re true. If they are, kudos to the company and a happy experience to the customers (including us). But if they’re not, then that’s disappointing. We do not tolerate bad products in any way or form because it will hurt our reputation and thus, the trust you have in us. So, if a product has any adverse effect, you won’t find it anywhere near us. Also, our tests in the case of honey entail using it plainly, with teas, cereals, and baking goods. So, when we say we recommend you use it to bake your next cake, we are talking from experience.
Consumers
We’re the consumers but luckily, we’re not the only ones. Depending on what you think and feel about a product, we’ll include or exclude it from our list because you might’ve noticed something we didn’t. It’s simple mathematics to amass hundreds of reviews and pick a product depending on how well it is liked by people. On that front, all the products on this list are not liked by people—they’re loved. Summarily, the products here have been tested by different physiologies and to our glee, the results were satisfactory. But, since it’s honey we’re talking about, we didn’t expect anything less than that.
FAQs
Q. What’s raw honey?
A. Honey is a thick, golden/brown liquid which can be added to a variety of food/used in different ways. Raw honey contains bee pollens which are the opposite of refined honey. Through this, all the benefits iterated above are possible. If you need more information, kindly peruse the above.
Q. Who sells raw honey?
A. You can buy raw honey at your local grocery store or on an e-commerce website. Amazon is a prime example of the latter since they ensure excellent customer experience. This means you get the best deals with the best possible quality. Also, there are plenty of user reviews on Amazon which should be another incentive for you to buy any of the product on the list.
Q. What does it do for your face?
A. You get anti-aging benefits. Honey will cleanse your skin pores, boost your complexion, clear acne, and clear scars. You can also use it in tandem with other ingredients to make face masks—which will boost the overall effectiveness of honey.
Q. Does it make you sleep?
A. Yes, it does. Honey boosts melatonin levels in the brain which in turn helps you to sleep. If you want something natural as opposed to drugs, then you can take honey to boost sleep.
Q. Does honey have any side effects?
A. Honey doesn’t have side effects. But there are circumstances that you simply shouldn’t use honey. For more information on what we mean, kindly visit our Side Effects section for more information.
Q. Why raw honey is better?
A. The information above is a testament to the prowess/capabilities of raw honey. It can heal, be a source of energy, used to prevent chronic illnesses, etcetera. If you want to know more, kindly go through the information above.
Q. What color is it?
A. Colours range from gold to light gold, to deep brown. All of them powerful in terms of capabilities.
Q. What is manuka raw honey good for?
A. The benefits we iterated above are shared by all raw honey. But in the case of manuka honey, all of it is increased. Immunity enhancment is boosted, more efficient as a cough syrup, heals bruises and wounds faster than regular raw honey.
