What Is Raw Honey and Why It Matters
Walk into any supermarket and you'll find shelves lined with honey. But look closely at the labels and you'll notice something - most of it has been heavily processed.
At Haskins Honey, we believe you deserve to know exactly what's in your jar — and why raw honey is in a different league entirely.
What Makes Honey "Raw"?
Raw honey is honey in its most natural state — extracted from the hive and bottled with minimal processing. It hasn't been heated above the natural temperature of the hive (around 35°C), and it hasn't been ultra-filtered to strip out pollen, propolis, and other naturally occurring compounds.
Commercial honey, by contrast, is typically heated to high temperatures to make it easier to filter and bottle at speed. This process extends shelf life and keeps it liquid longer, but it also destroys many of the enzymes, antioxidants, and beneficial compounds that make honey so remarkable.
What Does Raw Honey Contain?
Raw honey is a complex natural food. It contains:
- Enzymes — including diastase and invertase, which are destroyed by heat
- Antioxidants — including flavonoids and phenolic acids
- Pollen — which gives raw honey its provenance and can be traced back to specific flowers and regions
- Propolis — a resinous compound bees use to seal the hive, with well-documented antimicrobial properties
- Natural sugars — primarily fructose and glucose, in a ratio that varies by floral source
Why Does Crystallisation Mean Quality?
One of the most common questions we get is: "My honey has gone solid — has it gone off?" The answer is no. Crystallisation is a completely natural process and is actually a sign that your honey is raw and unprocessed. Glucose naturally separates from water and forms crystals over time. If you prefer it runny, simply place the jar in a bowl of warm (not boiling) water and stir gently.
Where Does Haskins Honey Come From?
Our honey is produced by our own bees on the South Yorkshire/Derbyshire border. We know exactly which hives each batch comes from, what the bees have been foraging on, and how the season has affected the flavour. That traceability is something you simply can't get from a supermarket jar.
The flavour of raw honey also varies naturally from season to season and hive to hive — something we consider a feature, not a flaw. It's the difference between a mass-produced loaf and a hand-baked sourdough.
How to Get the Most from Raw Honey
- Store at room temperature, away from direct sunlight
- Use a clean, dry spoon to avoid introducing moisture
- Add to warm (not hot) drinks to preserve the enzymes
- Use it raw where possible — drizzled over food rather than baked in
Once you've tasted genuinely raw, single-origin honey, it's hard to go back. Explore our range and taste the difference for yourself.