The Scary Truth Behind the Honey Sold in Grocery Stores

Updated on 6/20/2018 at 5:15 PM

Do you buy honey at the grocery store? If so, you're probably buying honey that's been laundered, meaning honey that is diluted with fillers like high-fructose corn syrup yet labeled and sold as pure honey. Yes, that's an actual thing, and it's more common than people realize. The largest producer of honey in the US, Groeb Farms of Michigan, admitted to buying millions of dollars of laundered honey.

To better understand what honey laundering is and how to avoid tainted honey, I spoke to an expert. Damian Magista, founder of Bee Local, explained honey laundering as follows:

"Large quantities of Chinese-produced honey are being 'dumped' illegally on the US market. To curb the importation of chemical-ridden honey, the US established high tariffs on honey imported from China. Taxes drive up prices, so big companies are essentially sneaking this honey in to keep their costs low. Honey from China is being rerouted through other countries and it's getting mislabeled throughout the process to hide its origin. Many of these Chinese producers are using non-FDA-approved chemicals on their bees, and similar to the drug trade, the producers 'cut' their honey with additives like high-fructose corn syrup, making it less pure but less expensive, since it contains a filler. At the end of the day, when laundered honey arrives in the US, it's no longer pure honey."

Apart from honey laundering being less than ethical, why should this matter to you and how can you avoid it? Read on for answers.

You Deserve Clear, Honest Labels

Damian urges consumers of honey to take a stand for clearer labels from the FDA: "You should know where your food comes from and what's in it. Laundered honey is mislabeled throughout transit, hiding its origin. If chemicals or high-fructose corn syrup are added to your honey, you should have access to this information. The FDA does not have a legal definition of honey, which means 100 percent pure honey and honey cut with additives can both be labeled as 'honey.' Pure honey is naturally sweet. Adding sugars and additives are unnecessary and unhealthy."

Pollen Indicates the Country of Origin and Affects the Flavor of the Honey

What's the point of pollen? According to Damian, "It adds flavor, it's a protein source, and it even contains amino acids. Pollen can affect the flavor so much that many honeys can actually taste different depending on the region and where bees are foraging for the nectar."

He shares a few examples of how the pollen in different regions can drastically change the flavor and color of honey: "Bee Local has a Oregon Buckwheat honey from Eastern Oregon that is dark in color and is smoky and earthy. Compare that to Bee Local's Willamette Valley honey, which is golden in color and has a more traditional honey taste. Both honeys are from Oregon, but the taste varies dramatically due to the nectar and pollen in those regions."

Think of pollen as the fingerprint of a particular region in the world. This is particularly important when trying to accurately source honey. Damian explains, "Because pollen can indicate country of origin, it is filtered out during the honey laundering process. Therefore, pollen is not present in honey that has been laundered so you are not only missing the flavor, you are missing the health benefits."

Laundering Hurts Beekeepers and the Bee Population

What's the impact of honey laundering on beekeepers? Damian says, "Laundered honey is inexpensive and puts incredible financial pressure on the domestic beekeeping industry."

Here's why it matters that honest beekeepers stay in business: "Bees are essential to our ecosystem and help pollinate produce, plants, and trees," Damian explains.

Read Labels, Carefully

Just as sugar lurks in unlikely foods, so do unexpected ingredients in honey. Damian suggests, "If [the honey] is labeled as local, it might not be local. The packing company could be local, but the honey might be imported illegally. You also cannot rely on the ingredient list alone, but you can at least exclude jars if they report on specific ingredients (like high-fructose corn syrup for example)."

Look For the "True Source Honey" Label

There's a clear label that can also help you avoid buying laundered honey. "Not all imported honey is bad. True Source Honey is an organization that works to promote ethically sourced honey and transparency from hive to table. It's a voluntary program for imported honey, but domestic beekeepers can also participate. If a jar of honey has a 'True Source' label, it's a good buy," Damian says.

Buy Local

There are so many local honeys to support. Damian shares his favorites: "If you're in Oregon (and other pockets throughout the country), you can buy Bee Local, which is our single-origin honey. There are also unique and delicious local honeys throughout the country. Janna Kinsman of Bike a Bee has hives throughout Chicago and actually maintains them on her bike. Hilary Kearney of Girl Next Door Honey in San Diego harvests honey in neighborhood backyards. No matter where you are, you should be able to find a local beekeeper making delicious honey, ethically."