How is raw Melipona honey different from regular honey?

Raw honey is taken straight from the honeycomb and strained to get rid of dirt, wax, and other debris before being bottled. Unlike regular honey, raw honey does not go through a pasteurization or filtration process, which gives it its signature cloudy appearance. In regular honey, the filtration process that gives it that clear, consumer-friendly look and runny, drizzle-able texture also strips the honey of most of its beneficial by products like pollen, antioxidants, and enzymes.

Health Benefits of Raw Melipona Honey

Raw Melipona honey has antibacterial properties.

Raw melipona honey is antimicrobial and antibacterial, making it an effective treatment for wounds and infections. Skeptical? You're probably familiar with using hydrogen peroxide on cuts to prevent infection. As it turns out, raw honey contains an enzyme that naturally produces hydrogen peroxide by breaking down glucose sugars. While you should always consult a doctor before starting to use honey for medicinal purposes, it can be a great natural addition to your wound healing repertoire. 

Another type of honey that you might have heard about in wellness circles is melipona honey,  it is a specialized form of honey that packs some serious potential health and medicinal benefits due to its extra-high antibacterial activity. If you're looking to use honey for wound care, meliponini bee honey is another fantastic option that has been shown not only to prevent infection, but help speed up wound healing. 

Raw melipona honey is rich in antioxidants.

"Raw honey contains over 30 different polyphenols, 22 amino acids, and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals,". The polyphenols are responsible for raw honey's high level of antioxidants, which help your body protect itself against free radicals (and therefore are thought to improve overall health). The pasteurization process that regular honey goes through kills off these powerful phytonutrients.

Raw honey contains inflammation-fIghting pollen.

One powerful component that's hard to find outside of raw honey is pollen. Pollen adds nutritional value by adding fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, and amino acids, and has been shown to fight inflammation, improve liver function, and possibly prevent heart disease and stroke.

What Is Melipona Honey, and Why Is It So Good?

Meliponicultura, as the production of this honey is called, began over three thousand years ago. The honey was used extensively by Mayan healers to treat eye, ear, respiratory, digestive, and postpartum conditions, and still is in many Yucatán communities today. Because this native species of Melipona bees (Melipona Beechelii) absorb more of the nutritious properties of the plants than other bees, its honey contains more fructose than glucose, which results in some unique flavor and textural properties.

Melipona honey is more watery than your average honey, and less prone to crystallization. According to Fundación Haciendas del Mundo Maya, it is traditionally used more for medicinal purposes rather than flavoring food. Indeed, scientific studies have shown that honey from stingless bees (called Xunan-Kab in Mayan) offers more antioxidant and inflammation-reduction properties than honey produced from stinging bees.

But the silky honey tastes wholly unique, with slight umami and acidic notes, which is why it's caught the attention of international chefs, not to mention wellness-obsessed internet users intrigued by its touted health benefits.

Meliponini Raw Stingless Bee Honey NOT DILUTED.