Raw honey
Raw honey is considered the unprocessed honey that is extracted from the honeycomb without any processing and provided to the consumer exactly as the bees produce it. In contrast to honey that undergoes heat treatment and filtering, raw honey retains all its yeasts and pollen grains, which are what give it its high nutritional value. According to research, yeasts do not withstand high temperatures and many are destroyed. Thus the product can be kept in a liquid phase for a longer period, but loses nutritional value (Practical Beekeeping – Andreas Th. Thrasyvoulou, 1998).
But why is honey heated by beekeepers?
Most beekeepers in Cyprus heat honey for two main reasons:
1. Until recently, Cypriots did not know that crystallised honey is a natural form of honey and believed that when honey crystallises, sugar has been added. Thus, no one bought crystallised honey, with the result that honey was returned from the supermarkets to the beekeepers. The beekeepers, then, began to heat the honey in order to reduce the action of the yeasts and thus greatly delay the crystallisation of the honey, so that the honey could be sold in the supermarkets.
2. The second reason is the ease of use of boiled honey in contrast to raw honey. It is a fact that during the winter months raw Cypriot honey sets and is difficult for consumers to use, in contrast to boiled honey which stays in liquid form longer.
Raw or boiled?
Many people ask us “what should I eat? Raw honey or boiled?” As Oros Machaira we believe that it is a matter of each person’s choice depending on their needs. Many tell us that they prefer boiled honey because it is easier to use and others tell us that they prefer to eat raw honey because it has greater nutritional value than boiled honey. We, as Oros Machaira, have both options for you. It is your choice what you want to use!