It’s All Natural
Natural and organic products are all the rage right now, so honeycomb fits right in. It’s a natural substance produced by bees. There’s no wasting food when it comes to natural honeycomb — you can eat the whole thing without feeling bad for the bees! It consists of cells made from beeswax containing raw honey, which may help to reduce cholesterol.
Unlike its commercial form, however, raw honey is unique. It’s 100 percent natural and isn’t contaminated by artificial sweeteners. It can be kept at room temperature for long periods; try not to let its gradual crystallization alarm you — it’s still edible.
Just What the Doctor Ordered
Honeycomb is rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Its antibacterial properties make it useful for fighting infection. It’s also known to improve heart health and enhance liver function, although more research is needed to confirm this.
Nearly half of the subjects with liver disease in one study reported a decrease in symptoms like abdominal pain and nausea. Surprisingly, the sweet nectar can be used as a substitute for sugar for people with diabetes, which is due to the polyphenols present.
It’s not all bad for children, though. A study showed positive results in the suppression of coughs in children. Although this was studied on honey rather than the comb, and the liquid coating may have helped, it’s thought that honeycomb may have similar benefits.
The Benefit of Dark Honeycomb
As is the case with the rest of the planet’s food chain, what the bees eat, we eat when we consume honeycomb. And so, it’s important to understand the type of pollen the bees collect.
In a comparison between pollen collected from buckwheat flowers and clover, 20 times the amount of antioxidants were found in the darker buckwheat honey variety.
Too Much of Anything Can Make You Sick
Although honeycomb is safe to eat as long as no allergies are present, eating too much of it can cause stomach problems. Bear in mind that honeycomb is high in sugar. If you’re a bit of a honeycomb addict and find it difficult to cut back, fear not! You can avoid those nasty tummy aches by removing the honeycomb’s waxy cells.
Although many of us — the lucky ones — can eat honeycomb, pregnant women and children under a year old shouldn’t eat honeycomb because of a risk of botulism.
Honeycomb maintains a high sugar content, so try to resist the temptation to indulge and be sensible with your portions! A bucket of honeycomb probably isn’t going to help your indigestion. Moderation is key, and that applies to everything, not just honeycomb.
Conclusion
So, there you have it, honeycomb is edible, beneficial to human health and, for the most part, safe to eat. Ladies, those of you that are expecting, put down the honeycomb — and that doesn’t mean handing it to your small child!
When buying your honeycomb, why not try to find out the source of the pollen. This information might not be available; however, you might be able to selectively choose a honeycomb variety that’s healthier for you. And if you’re a beekeeper, take a look here to see how you may be able to extract even more honeycomb from your hives!
