All About Raw Honey: How Is It Different Than Regular Honey?

Raw honey, drawn directly from the honeycomb and simply strained, offers several health advantages. Mass-produced honey is often subjected to processing that can eliminate many of its most beneficial constituents, such as bee pollen and antioxidants. It may also be adulterated with added sweeteners.

Honey is a viscous, sweet substance produced by honey bees.

It’s rich in plant-derived compounds and has been associated with various health perks.

That said, debate persists over which form — raw or conventional — is superior for health.

Some people insist raw honey is the healthier option, while others argue there’s little meaningful distinction.

What Is Raw Honey?

Raw honey is best defined as honey “as it exists in the hive.”

It’s obtained by extracting honey from the comb and pouring it through a mesh or nylon cloth to separate it from contaminants like beeswax and deceased bees (2).

After straining, raw honey is bottled and ready for consumption.

In contrast, regular honey typically undergoes several additional steps such as pasteurization and filtration before bottling (1).

Pasteurization applies heat to destroy yeast in honey, extending shelf life and giving it a smoother consistency (2).

Filtration removes debris and trapped air, keeping the honey a clear liquid for longer — a trait many buyers find appealing (2).

Some commercial products are subjected to ultrafiltration to further refine clarity and texture, but this can strip away beneficial elements like pollen, enzymes and antioxidants (2, 3, 4).

Additionally, some producers may blend in cheaper syrups or sweeteners to cut costs.

Summary Raw honey is essentially honey “as found in the beehive.” It’s extracted, strained and bottled without the commercial processing steps used for many store-bought honeys.

Key Differences Between Raw and Regular Honey

Raw and conventional honey follow distinct processing paths.

These differences can create notable variations in quality and composition.

Below are the primary distinctions between raw and regular honey.

Raw Honey Tends to Be More Nutrient-Rich

Raw honey contains a broad array of nutrients.

It may include roughly 22 amino acids, about 31 minerals and a spectrum of vitamins and enzymes, though these occur in trace quantities (5, 6, 7).

Notably, raw honey contains nearly 30 different bioactive plant compounds — polyphenols — which act as antioxidants (3, 8, 9).

Research has linked these antioxidants to beneficial outcomes, such as reduced inflammation and lower risks for heart disease and some cancers (6, 10, 11).

By comparison, processed honeys often show reduced antioxidant content due to heat and filtration.

For instance, one study comparing local raw and processed honeys found raw honey had up to 4.3 times more antioxidants than the processed samples (3).

Interestingly, an informal report by the US National Honey Board suggested that minimally processed honey can have antioxidant and mineral levels comparable to raw honey.

Still, formal research directly comparing these types is limited, and more studies are needed to clarify processing effects on honey’s antioxidants.

Most Store-Bought Honey Lacks Pollen

Bees gather nectar and pollen from flowers while foraging.

They bring both back to the hive, where they’re stored in the comb and become part of the bees’ food supply (12).

Bee pollen is nutrient-dense, containing over 250 compounds including vitamins, amino acids, essential fatty acids, trace elements and antioxidants (13).

In fact, bee pollen is recognized as a therapeutic substance by the German Federal Ministry of Health (14).

Research associates bee pollen with many potential health effects, including anti-inflammatory action and support for liver function, plus benefits related to cardiovascular health (15).

Unfortunately, heat treatment and ultrafiltration can remove pollen from honey (2).

For example, one informal analysis of 60 commercial honey samples sold in the US reported that more than 75% contained no pollen.

Regular Honey Can Contain Undeclared Sugars or Syrups

Around 400 million pounds of honey are consumed annually in the US (16).

Because domestic supply cannot always meet demand, roughly 70% of the honey consumed in the US is imported (17).

Global concerns persist about commercial honey being adulterated with sugars or other sweeteners such as high fructose corn syrup (18, 19, 20).

Summary Raw and regular honey mainly differ in processing. Raw honey retains pollen, may preserve more nutrients and shouldn’t contain added sweeteners, whereas commercial honeys might lack pollen and could be adulterated.

Health Benefits Are Mostly Linked to Raw Honey

Honey has been associated with several notable health effects.

Research indicates it may lower heart disease risk factors like blood pressure and cholesterol, enhance wound repair and help soothe coughs (21, 22, 23).

These benefits are likely tied mostly to raw honey because it retains higher levels of antioxidants and other functional components.

One important constituent is the enzyme glucose oxidase, which produces compounds responsible for honey’s antimicrobial and antibacterial action (24).

Processing steps like heating and filtering can inactivate this enzyme (2).

It’s also unclear whether minimally processed honeys maintain the same antioxidant levels as truly raw honey. For instance, the US National Honey Board’s informal report indicated minimally processed honey may have antioxidant levels close to raw honey but significantly fewer enzymes.

If you want to maximize potential health benefits, opt for raw honey.

Summary Honey’s health effects are largely due to antioxidants and enzymes. Because commercial processing can lower these components, raw honey is more likely to offer the full benefits.

Raw Honey Is Not Necessarily Organic

“Raw” and “organic” honey are governed by different rules depending on the country.

Raw honey is defined by the absence of pasteurization or other processing.

Organic honey, however, must originate from beekeeping operations that satisfy the United States Department of Agriculture’s organic livestock standards (25).

That means the bees, forage and honey should not be exposed to prohibited pesticides or chemicals.

But there’s no universal restriction preventing organic honey from being pasteurized or filtered, so organic honey sold in the US may still be processed.

Summary Raw and organic honey are labeled under distinct rules. In the US, organic honey may still be pasteurized or processed, so organic does not automatically mean raw.

Risks of Consuming Raw Honey

Raw honey can contain spores of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum.

These spores pose a particular danger to infants under one year old, potentially causing botulism, a severe illness that leads to life-threatening paralysis (26, 27).

However, botulism is very uncommon in healthy older children and adults because a mature gut generally inhibits spore growth.

If you develop symptoms like nausea, vomiting or diarrhea shortly after eating raw honey, seek medical attention promptly.

Be aware that commercial honey can also contain C. botulinum spores, so infants should avoid all honey varieties.

Summary Although raw honey is safe for most healthy adults, it’s unsafe for infants because of the possible presence of Clostridium botulinum spores that can germinate in immature digestive systems.

How to Choose the Healthiest Honey

When selecting honey for health, opt for raw varieties.

Raw honey avoids pasteurization and extensive filtration, processes that can diminish its nutrient content.

A wide selection of raw and unfiltered honey is available online and from specialty sellers; you can also find small-batch options from local producers — including raw honeycomb — which are less likely to have been ultrafiltered.

While minimally processed honey isn’t necessarily bad, it’s difficult to determine how much processing it underwent without laboratory tests.

If texture is a concern and you prefer a smoother product, buying from a local beekeeper is often the best way to ensure minimal processing.

Summary For the healthiest choice, choose raw honey. Although not every commercial honey is poor quality, it’s hard to distinguish the lightly processed from the heavily processed without testing.

The Bottom Line

Raw and regular honeys differ primarily in their processing.

Raw honey is simply strained before bottling, so it preserves most of the natural nutrients and antioxidants.

By contrast, regular honey can undergo heating, filtration and ultrafiltration that may remove beneficial pollen and lower antioxidant content.

To ensure you’re getting the most natural product, opt for raw honey so you’re more likely to receive the full range of its healthful components.