I know some of you may not like bees, but bees are the powerhouse to making honeycombs and of course nature's syrup.. honey! These fluffy little guys all work together to produce the classic hexagonal honeycomb shape a lot of people know and love.
Honeycombs come in all types of colors and even flavors. Who knew that honeycombs were actually so complex? As well as the difference in flavors, honeycombs pack a whole bunch of nutrients and health benefits that should be incorporated into our diet. They bring a complexity that regular honey can't bring.
How are honeycombs made?
The term "busy bees" is not taken lightly in the beehive. These bees work day and night trying to make honey and in their hives they make honeycombs. Bees are the only insect that was smart enough to adopt a hexagonal shape to their hive. The hexagons create a structure that is lightweight and maximizes the strength of the beehive.
The beeswax is the structure from where the honeycombs are made from. Honeybees create the beeswax using their glands from their lower abdomen. They must first consume honey in order to make their honeycombs. The scales that come secreted are formed to make hexagonal cells by worker bees. The hexagonal cells are formed to hold honey and pollen.
The benefits
Since honeycombs come straight from the beehive, it is the rawest and purest form of honey out there. Therefore the benefits are in abundance. Plus its fun to eat!
According to the Journal of Experimental Biology and Medicine, honeycombs contain fatty alcohols that significantly lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol. In one study, honeycomb fatty acids and alcohols lowered low-density lipoprotein by 21 to 29 percent.
Honeycombs also have an antioxidant effect in the alcohols that protect the liver. According to the Korean Journal of Internal Medicine, participants who took a preparation of beeswax alcohol for 24 weeks found that it helped normalize liver function and improve symptoms of fatty liver.
The waxy alchohols also promote healthy glucose metabolism. In the Korean Journal study, participants saw a significant reduction in insulin levels and markers for insulin resistance. Insulin resistance can lead to type-2 diabetes and other medical issues.
#SpoonTip: Although the benefits are there, don't try to OD on the amount of beeswax you consume. Eating a large amount could cause a gastrointestinal blockage. Follow the products intake guidelines for healthy beeswax enjoyment.
Shopping for Honeycombs
Chances are if you have a farmers market or a natural foods grocery store in your area, ask around for honeycombs, they will most likely have it. Otherwise, the internet is a great way to find honeycombs. You can find it directly from a honey-producing company's website or on an online retailer website such as Amazon. Always buy honeycombs that label 100% honey and uses only honey in its ingredients. These are three suggestions that I recommend trying.
#SpoonTip: When shopping for honeycombs, keep in mind that darker colored honeycombs pack a deeper flavor than lighter colored honeycombs. Try darker colored honeycombs and lighter colored honeycombs to see which one you prefer.
1. SB ORGANICS Honeycomb with Raw Honey
1lb of 100% Pure Kosher Honeycomb, Earths natural sweetener with no artificial preservatives made in the USA from WildBees
2. Ziyad All Natural Pure Bee Honeycomb
14 oz, 100% Pure Bee Honeycomb.
3. USA honeycomb from Honey Feast.
A real gourmet honeycomb treat. Honeycomb fresh from Florida - hand cut 11-14oz. 100% Pure Honeycomb
Recipes
Grilled Pumpkin Bread with Honeycomb,
Slather a baguette with brie, then top with chunks of honeycomb.
Mix in with natural yogurt, or vanilla ice cream
Blueberry Lavender Honeycomb Breakfast Milkshake
The BeesKnees!
Along with the health benefits that honeycombs provide, honeycombs are a perfect treat to eat on its own or to add to anything to give it a sweet twist. It's so obvious now why Winnie the Pooh had such an obsession with honey in the first place. And in case you were wondering, yea the header is true, bees do have knees!