You’ve heard about the benefits of local honey. It’s got antioxidants that can lower your blood pressure, antibacterial properties, and it can help with your allergies. But how can you tell if the honey you’re getting is actually local? And actually honey?
How to Tell If It’s Honey
The generic stuff you get from the grocery store might not actually be honey. It may be a blend of honey and something else (like syrup or sugar), and if it is a blend, then it should be labeled as such. Other honeys may be listed as “ultrafiltered,” which means the honey went through an intense filtration process and is no longer considered honey.
So ideally, you want honey that is just honey. No blends, no “ultrafiltered.”
How to Tell If It’s Local
Even if the honey says it’s bottled in your state, it might not actually be honey from your state. The important part is where the honey is foraged: that is, where the bees actually work the flowers, trees, and plants to get the pollen.
How to Tell Where Honey Is Foraged
So how can you tell where a honey is foraged?
Honeys that have undergone pollen testing can identify exactly what kind of pollens were used to make the honey. At Gold Standard, we started pollen testing our honey with the help of Dr. Vaughn Bryant at the University of Texas A&M, who sadly passed away in 2021. Since then, we’ve started using Purity Science LLC out of Colorado for our pollen analysis.
And because of this, when we list flowers or plants on our label, you can be sure those pollens are actually in our honey.
Where Can I Buy Local Honey in Oklahoma and Arkansas?
Your local farmer’s market is always a good bet, but you don’t have to go to the market to get local honey! Gold Standard Honey’s Oklahoma and Arkansas honeys are available in local grocery stores, including Sam’s Club, Harps, Reasor’s, The Fresh Market, and Natural Grocers, just to name a few.
For the full list of where you can find our honey, check our store locator page.
Sources:
How to Spot Fake Honey At The Grocery Store – Taste of Home
National Honey Board FAQ