WHAT DOES ‘RAW’ MEAN?

 

When we say our honey is raw, what we mean is a few things. First and foremost, that it has not been pasteurised or fine filtered. We want the honey in our jars to be just as natural as within the beehives. Any honey products that you see in the market without the word 'Raw' on the label, can be simply translated into the fact that it has been processed after collection. Pasteurisation is done using high temperatures (at least 63 degrees C) and fine filtering removes much of the pollen along with other small bits that are naturally found in honey. These processes significantly damages the flavour and beneficial properties of the honey. We take a conscious effort to ensure that our products are as natural as possible and as close to the source origin. All our seasonal honey varieties are unblended and unpasteurised. Our honey comes from individual beekeepers that have maintained their own hives and bees for generations. 

 

To ensure the best quality honey possible, we maintain standards or completely unpasteurised, only coarse-filtered, completely raw honey - the way honey should be. All our beekeepers use natural, traditional processes and place their hives in remote forest areas far from sources of pollution. 

 

DOES HONEY HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE?

 

Honey is the only natural food that doesn't spoil and remains stable for decades. Studies have shown that 3000-year-old honey retrieved from Egyptian tombs is still unspoiled and ready for human consumption! However, if exposed to air or moisture the honey may collect yeast and begin to ferment. For practical purposes, a shelf life of two years is quite acceptable. 

 

Naturally processed, correctly packaged and stored honey retains its quality for a long time, nevertheless. 

 

DO YOU ADD ANYTHING TO YOUR HONEY?

 

No, it is 100% honey and made by honeybees from the flower nectar which they gather. Each variety showcases the unique flavour that comes naturally from the floral source and the terroir.

 

WHAT IS HONEY CRYSTALLIZATION?

 

Most honey, especially raw honey, will eventually crystallize or solidify. This natural process causes honey to become granular, but it is still perfectly edible and enjoyable in this form. Exposure to lower temperatures can also speed up the rate of honey crystallization. To re-liquefy honey just keep it in a sunlight corner or in a gentle warm water bath not more than 30 degrees centigrade, for a few minutes. 

 

CAN HONEY BE FED TO INFANTS?

 

Medical advice states that you should not give honey to children under the age of 1 year due to the potential presence of the bacterium causing botulism (Clostridium botulinum).

 

However, from the research we’ve seen and official advice, our raw products should be safe for consumption while pregnant. The possible botulism spores in the products are wiped out by the mother’s digestive tract and immune system (assuming the mother doesn’t have a compromised immune system) well before they can turn into full-blown botulism. Additionally, studies have shown that there is a very low probability for the botulism toxin to get through the placenta even in the case of the mother contracting botulism, which again is extremely unlikely for a healthy person.

 

WHAT ARE THE MAIN BENEFITS OF OUR HONEY?

 

Simply due to the fact that we offer unprocessed, unadulterated honey, our natural honey possesses all the essential nutrients and minerals. The benefits come from the nutrition content of antioxidants, enzymes, minerals including iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and selenium. Vitamins found in honey include vitamin b6, thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid & niacin. Consuming our honey on a regular basis will increase immunity, slow down ageing, boost vitality and vigour. 

 

CAN HONEY BE USED FOR MINOR EXTERNAL WOUNDS?

 

Yes, honey is rich in antiseptic and antimicrobial properties, which will help treat any minor external wounds. 

 

CAN HONEY BE USED AS FACE MASKS?

 

Yes, honey will work wonders on your face as it destroys any harmful fungus or bacteria present on our skin and also the rich antioxidants will make your face glow

 

WHY IS YOUR HONEY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER GROCERY STORE HONEYS?

 

Grocery store honey is processed at high temperatures; pasteurized and filtered as low as 5 microns. No pollen survives this process. All yeast and enzymes are destroyed and removed. This is done so that honey can be warehoused, shipped, and shelved for long periods of time without crystallizing.

 

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF YOU’RE BUYING REAL OR ADULTERATED HONEY?

 

At a simple level, raw honey in cold climates will go hard or crystallise. Adulterated honey is usually the always same colour and tastes especially sickly sweet.

 

There are a couple of simple tests you can do at home with your kids. Buy some supermarket honey and also some of our honey:

 

Test 1: with your finger or a knife, smear a tiny bit of both honeys each, separately, onto a piece of paper. Then store that paper in the pantry or cupboard away from ants. The syrup will evaporate, and the raw honey wont.

Test 2: like above, with your finger or a knife, smear a tiny bit of both honeys each, separately, onto a piece of paper. Then burn the paper. The syrup will burn through but will burn around the edges of the raw honey.

 

I JUST RECEIVED A JAR OF THE SAME TYPE OF HONEY I HAD IN A PREVIOUS ORDER. WHY DOES IT TASTE/LOOK DIFFERENT?

 

Because all our honeys are single source (not taken from many places and blended), they reflect the conditions of the area and terroir in which the bees are located. Seasonal changes, elevation and different weather conditions translates into varying flora and fauna. Therefore, different nectars will be available for the bees to collect.

This is also true for honeys of the same variety but that come from different areas. A multiflora honey from Kerala will taste a bit different from a multiflora honey from Gujrat, and both will taste a bit different from multiflora honey from Uttarakhand. This is both because of the different mix of plants in different regions and because the weather will be different. All of this adds to the uniqueness of each honey.  

 

Also remember that honey is always changing and the honey you ordered previously may have changed from runny to crystalised or somewhere in-between since you last ordered. So, even if you have ordered honey of the same type and the same batch, it may have become more crystalised since your last order. This will have a slight effect on the perceived flavour because the solid crystals will take longer for your taste buds to pick up than runny honey. It will also have an effect on the colour of the honey, with crystalised honey looking lighter in colour due to the solid crystals reflecting light much more strongly than runny honey. 

 

We believe it's part of the fun and excitement of raw honey and most natural products! You never know exactly what you'll get, but it all tastes great and is in the purest form possible. If you find you're purchasing honey that tastes exactly the same every time, it's probably been blended and processed for consistency, which we don't believe is good for the honey or for you.

 

IS YOUR PACKAGING ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY?

 

We package all our honey in glass containers, which can be recycled by you. However if you wish to be a part of our circular recycling program, please send us an email on hello@rasabeauty.com and we shall be happy to organise a reverse pick up of the washed jars which we will incorporate in our circular recycling, where they will be sterilised & reused to bottle the same products, this helps us avoid the energy intensive recycling process entirely. We use compostable kraft paper to cushion the honey bottles for transit, these can be put into your garden, or flowerpots & they will bio-degrade into the soil. We try and avoid plastic whenever possible but sometimes orders do require extra protection. We want to ensure your order arrives without any damage because every broken jar wastes the work of thousands of honeybees. 

 

If you're new to the world of raw honey, and you're looking for some guidance, here are a few tips

 

• Dark honey have stronger flavours 

• Light honey are more floral 

• Darker honey have a higher mineral content

• Lighter honey crystalise faster

• Every honey has its own properties, based on the plants the nectar comes from and some can be slightly bitter