Honey is one of those foods that feels almost too good to be true.
It’s golden, sticky, and delicious, and it makes everything from tea to biscuits taste better!
But honey is so much more than a sweet treat. It’s history, health, and sustainability rolled into one.
Plus, did you know you could actually have your own backyard hive?
Yep, you could be a honey tycoon (on a small scale, of course).
So, grab your favorite mug of honey-sweetened tea, and let’s dive into the fascinating world of honey, its journey from hive to jar, and why it’s one of the most remarkable foods on earth.
From Nectar to Liquid Gold: How Honey Is Made
The process of making honey starts with flowers: fields and gardens bursting with blooms that are irresistible to bees.
Worker bees (the ladies of the hive, by the way) collect nectar from flowers, storing it in their “honey stomachs.”
Yes, bees have special stomachs just for this job.
Once back at the hive, the bees pass the nectar from one worker to another, breaking it down with enzymes. This is where the magic happens. The nectar transforms into honey, which is then deposited into honeycombs.
The bees fan their wings furiously to evaporate excess water, creating that thick, luscious honey we love.
But here’s the kicker: a single honeybee produces only about 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime.
That’s right…every drop of honey is a tiny testament to their hard work.
The Big Debate: Raw Honey vs. Processed Honey
Not all honey is created equal. There’s raw honey, and then there’s processed honey…the kind you see in those adorable bear-shaped bottles at the grocery store.
see next page
ADVERTISEMENT
