Everyone knows what honey is, but many aren’t familiar with honeycomb. So, what is honeycomb, and what can you do with honeycomb? If you’re curious about this sticky, sweet, and beautiful golden food, keep reading to discover everything you need to know about honeycomb.
All About Honeycomb
First things first: What is honeycomb? Similar to honey, honeycomb is an edible substance made of hexagonal shapes created by honeybees. Both honey and honeycomb begin in the form of flower nectar. Upon the honeybees’ digestion and regurgitation, the nectar is turned into honey which can then be transformed into wax combs. Bees use honeycomb to store their larvae, wax, bee pollen, propolis, royal jelly and honey in the hive. In addition to storage, the honeycombs create structure and provide protection to a beehive.
The honeycomb structure is constructed by two primary parts including the main surface area which is firm and textural, and the honey and nectar portion that is stored within the hexagonal compartments. The raw honeycomb you can eat consists of the waxy, geometric cells from inside the beehive as well as the honey and pollen found in between the cells. Honeycomb is unique because it doesn’t need to be processed—it is a final product straight from the beehive. Honeycomb is a somewhat solid version of liquid honey, but it is a raw product in its truest form.
What Can I Do with Honeycomb?
Now that you know what honeycomb is, you may be thinking, What can I do with honeycomb? Honeycomb has many uses, but our favorite thing is eating honeycomb. If you’re wondering if the honeycomb is edible, the answer is a resounding yes. Honeycomb is entirely edible and safe to eat. You can consume the entire honeycomb including the waxy geometric cells and the honey, pollen, and royal jelly inside. It is a completely pure food that can be paired with several other ingredients in many dishes and drinks—honeycomb can even be eaten on its own! Honeycomb is excellent in bite-sized pieces or crumbled up and sprinkled on top of other foods.
We recommend eating honeycomb with:
- Yogurt
- Granola
- Fruit
- Toast
- Salads
- Sandwiches
- Charcuterie
- Ice cream
- Cookies
- Chocolate
In addition to these foods, honeycomb can be used as a sweetener for tea or coffee or eaten plain as a snack. When you want to eat honeycomb by itself, simply drop a piece in your hot beverage and savor the sweet flavor and naturally occurring residue. It is no coincidence that honeycomb melts perfectly into your most-loved hot beverages.
Benefits of Honeycomb
Believe it or not, a piece of honeycomb is more than just a delicious food—it’s good for you too. So, what are the health benefits of honeycomb? As a smart alternative to sugar and corn syrup, the natural substance works to nourish the body while protecting your liver, gut, and immune system. Honeycomb is high in protein and contains several vitamins and minerals including iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and sodium chloride. Also, the pollen and honey found in the honeycomb are natural antibiotics that can help mitigate seasonal allergies. The fatty alcohols from honeycomb can also lower bad cholesterol and elevate good cholesterol in the body.
Consuming honeycomb may be able to assuage some symptoms of indigestion and contribute to overall gut health. Both honey and honeycomb help the body retain probiotics and reduce levels of acidity in the gut area. Honeycomb has also been shown to assist with a healthy pH and alkaline balance, which contribute to optimal digestion. Additionally, eating honeycomb can aid in healthy liver function by regulating blood sugar and providing antioxidants that neutralize toxins and prevent damage.
Raw Honeycomb from Pass the Honey
Simply put, honeycomb is a pure food derived from nature. It is like honey, but it is a solid substance that can be used in several different food dishes and drinks or eaten on its own. Use honeycomb as a sweetener alternative to traditionally sugary foods and beverages. The raw composition of honeycomb remains unaltered, meaning it has a non-processed quality, unlike liquid honey.
The raw and unprocessed honeycomb from Pass the Honey is responsibly sourced, sustainable, non-GMO, and gluten free. It contains no artificial colors, preservatives, refined sugars, or other additives. Pass the Honey honeycomb makes the ideal on-the-go snack or natural sweetener for your favorite foods and beverages. Try our single-serve honeycomb to taste the sticky, sweet magic for yourself. To discover more about the endless uses for honeycomb, follow us on Instagram and Facebook!
Sources:
https://www.livestrong.com/article/486228-what-are-the-benefits-of-eating-honeycomb/