Key takeaways
- Unlike regular honey, raw honey doesn’t undergo heat treatment to kill germs. This means it retains more of its antioxidant and antibacterial properties.
- Raw honey also contains more microbes, such as bacteria and fungi, as well as bee pollen. Whether this is positive or negative depends on your health needs.
- While rare, both types of honey can cause botulism. Caregivers should never give honey to children under 1 year old.
Honey is a thick, sweet syrup made by honey bees. It’s a source of sugar, but it may also have health benefits, such as antibacterial and antioxidant properties.
However, there’s controversy surrounding which type of honey — raw or regular — is healthiest. Some people believe that raw honey is better for optimal health.
Read on to learn how raw honey and regular honey compare, including their benefits and potential risks.
Raw honey is honey “as it exists in the beehive”. People make it by keeping bees in hives and extracting honey from the honeycombs, pouring it through mesh or a nylon cloth to filter out beeswax and debris.
After straining, raw honey is ready to eat. It is usually thick and opaque.
In contrast, most other honey products aren’t raw. Instead, they undergo pasteurization. Pasteurization is a type of heat treatment that kills potentially harmful microbes, such as bacteria and yeasts. The process also makes honey more transparent and runny.
Some commercial honeys are additionally processed by undergoing ultrafiltration. This process further refines it, making it more transparent and smooth.
The main difference between raw and regular honey is how they are processed, which changes their composition. Below is a look at what the research says.
Raw honey contains more antioxidants
Honey is an excellent source of antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that protect cells from free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can damage your DNA.
However, the processing method manufacturers use can affect the amount of antioxidants honey contains. A 2023 review found that heat-processing methods degrade some antioxidants, but non-thermal processing methods do not.
Raw honey contains pollen
Bees travel from flower to flower collecting nectar and pollen. They take this nectar and pollen back to the beehive, packing it into the honeycomb where it becomes a food source for the bees.
As a result, raw honey contains some bee pollen. Whether this is a positive or negative for you may depend on your preferences and health goals – for some, it’s undesirable, but others view bee pollen as a potential health food.
Some people believe that consuming local bee pollen via honey can help improve hay fever, but there’s no evidence to back up this theory. However, there are cases where bee pollen in honey has caused severe allergic reactions.
Raw honey contains more microbes
Because it isn’t pasteurized, raw honey contains more microbes than heat-treated honey. Sometimes, this can include harmful bacteria or fungi.
However, a 2023 research article notes that honey can also contain beneficial microbes, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria, which are present in the human gut.
A 2026 review also states that these microbes are responsible for some of honey’s health benefits, producing enzymes and prebiotics, which feed “good” gut bacteria.
Regular honey may have added sugars or sweeteners
Honey is vulnerable to being adulterated with cheaper sweeteners, such as cane sugar, to increase profits. This practice is known as “honey fraud” or “economically motivated adulteration”.
According to a 2024 study, an estimated 10% of all honey globally is adulterated. However, the authors note that in a 2002 survey of honey packers in the United States, 71% had adulterated honey in their supplies.
Few studies have specifically examined the health benefits of raw honey, but many have examined honey more generally.
A 2024 overview of previous research states that there are over 300 varieties of honey, and that honey itself contains over 180 identifiable molecules, including:
- carbohydrates, which provide energy
- minerals
- vitamins
- amino acids
- polyphenols, which are a type of antioxidant
- enzymes
Honey is also antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, and may have a lower glycemic index than sugar.
However, as with any sweetener, too much honey can also lead to an imbalanced diet.
There are a few risks to eating raw honey, such as:
Allergic reactions
Allergies to honey are rare, but pollen allergies are very common. Since raw honey is more likely to contain pollen than pasteurized honey, some people may have allergic reactions to it.
In some cases, this includes anaphylaxis, which is a severe form of allergic reaction that requires immediate treatment.
People with pollen allergies or a history of anaphylaxis should speak with a doctor before they try raw honey or other bee products.
Botulism
Clostridium botulinum is a type of bacteria that causes botulism poisoning, and it can be present in honey. However, this includes both raw and regular honey, since C. botulinum spores are heat-resistant. This means pasteurization doesn’t always kill them.
Botulism is very rare among healthy adults and older children, but it can be very harmful to babies or children under the age of 1.
Because of this, the
If you or anyone else experiences side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea soon after eating honey, you should seek immediate medical attention.
The term “organic” doesn’t necessarily mean honey is raw and unpasteurized. In the U.S., organic honey must simply come from a bee farm that meets the organic farming standards of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
This means the bees, flowers, and honey are not allowed to come into contact with pesticides, chemicals, or other factors that do not meet the USDA’s criteria.
However, there is no specific rule that says it can’t be pasteurized. As a result, if you want honey that is raw and organic, you’ll need to look for both of these terms on the label.
Both raw and regular honey have their advantages, so the type you choose can depend on your preferences and health needs.
For example, adults with no health conditions and no pollen allergies may prefer raw honey for its antioxidant content. But people with severe hay fever may want to steer clear.
Similarly, people with compromised immune systems can consume pasteurized honey, but they should not eat raw honey.
When buying any type of honey, it’s important to look for signs of quality. Choose:
- producers that have a good reputation
- products that have specific details on the honey’s origins, such as a country or region
- honey that is thick and has a complex, almost floral aroma
Avoid honey that is watery, foamy, or has separated into layers.
Raw and regular honey are processed differently. Raw honey is not heat-treated, so it retains more of its antioxidant and antibacterial properties. However, it also contains more microbes and pollen, which some may want to avoid.
Conversely, regular honey may undergo various processing steps that can remove beneficial compounds. In some cases, manufacturers adulterate honey by adding cheaper sugars.
Whichever option you choose, it’s worth looking for honey from a high quality source that has not been diluted with any other ingredients.