Real vs. Fake Honey

The honey you buy is likely fake, reports Food Safety News. That's right. It's either adulterated with other sugars (including so-unhealthy corn syrup) or it's ultra-filtered and no longer contains pollen. According to the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration "honey" without pollen can't be called honey; it's too processed - containing little or no of the health and beauty properties of honey - to resemble the real deal.

The numbers are startling: 76% of honey from grocery stores doesn't contain pollen. 77% of the honey from big box stores (like Costco, Walmart, and Target) also don't. And a whopping 100% of honey from drug stores (including Rite-Aid, Walgreens, and CVS) contain zero pollen.


Why? Many beekeepers feel the only reason for putting honey through an expensive, ultra-filtering process is to hide where the honey came from - and that suspiciously points to China, where honey is cheap, but laced with metals, antibiotics, and corn syrup.

So before you purchase honey, check the label. The only ingredient should be honey.

You can also do some testing of the honey you buy:

* Rub some between your fingers. Real honey will be partially absorbed into your skin. If the "honey" feels sticky, it's either fake honey or adulterated honey.

* Fill a glass with water and add about a tablespoon of honey. Real honey will settle at the bottom in a lump. Fake honey will begin immediately dissolving.
Your best bet is probably to purchase honey from a local farmer. And if it's important to you that the honey is organic, ask before you buy: Does the beekeeper use any chemicals on the hive?

Don't worry; real honey is still out there. We just have to open our eyes to it.


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