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."
