Raw Honey
“We harvest only the honey the bees can afford to give us. The health and survival of our bees come first.”
Raw honey is capped honey taken from the hive, the cap is removed and the frames spun to remove the honey from the honey comb. The honey is then lightly filtered to remove larger bits of comb, bee and plant debris and then it’s bottled.
Raw honey comes in many colours and flavours; varied because of the plants and flowers the bees visit daily/seasonally. Honey bees forage a radius of 4.8 KM (3 Miles) around their home. Our Ladner bees feast on maples, California lilacs, dogwoods, honeysuckle, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, crab apples, fruit trees, pumpkins, squash, clover, bedding plants, wild flowers and a whole host of other nectar producers.
Raw honey has not been pasteurized (heated) and therefore retains more of its natural properties and health benefits:
Honey is the most environmentally-friendly natural sweetener in the world. It takes less, financially and environmentally, to produce and market. Like sugar, it is high in calories however honey is easier to digest and provides other health benefits sugar does not.
Raw honey contains a wide variety of nutrients: reportedly it is has trace amounts of approximately 22 amino acids, 31 different minerals and a wide range of vitamins and enzymes.
Raw honey also contains nearly 30 types of bioactive plant compounds called polyphenols that act as antioxidants. Many studies have linked these antioxidants with impressive health benefits, involving reduced inflammation and a lower risk of heart disease and certain cancers.
Bee pollen is nutritious and contains over 250 substances, including vitamins, amino acids, essential fatty acids, micronutrients and antioxidants. Studies found that it may help fight inflammation and improve liver function, heart disease and stroke. Some countries recognize bee pollen as a medicine.
Raw honey may also help improve resistance to allergies, can treat coughs and even assist in healing of wounds.
Caution: it is suggested you refrain from feeding honey to children under the age of one because their digestive systems are not able to readily fight the spores in honey.