Can the honeycomb be eaten? Benefits, uses and dangers

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What is a hive?

Hives are natural products made by bees to store honey and pollen or to house their larvae.

The hive is full of wax. In some ways, it's the hive.

It consists of a series of hexagonal cells made of beeswax, which often contain raw honey. Raw honey is different from commercial honey because it is not pasteurized or filtered.

The hive may also contain some

Bee Pollen
Propolis (Propolis is not as famous as honey and beeswax, but it is still very important to bee colonies. It is also called "propolis" and is a filler used by bees to repair small holes and insulate the hive. It's super sticky and never fully hardens because it's 50% resin.)
Royal Jelly

These bee products themselves also have potential health benefits. However, these may only be found in small numbers.

You can eat the entire hive, including the surrounding honey and wax cells.

Raw honey has more textural consistency than filtered honey. Additionally, waxy cells can be chewed into a gelatinous state.

Rich in certain nutrients

Honeycomb is rich in carbohydrates and antioxidants. It also contains trace amounts of several other nutrients.

Its main ingredient is raw honey, which provides small amounts of protein, vitamins and minerals - but is composed of 95–99% sugar and water.

Because it is unprocessed, raw honey contains enzymes like glucose oxidase, which contribute to honey's antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Such enzymes are destroyed by the heating and filtration used to process most commercial honey.

Additionally, raw honey is less likely to be contaminated with sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup and contains more antioxidants than processed honey.

Antioxidants are beneficial plant compounds that promote health, reduce inflammation and protect your body from disease. Their content may be 4.3 times higher than raw honey.

Polyphenols are the main type of antioxidants in honey. Research shows they may help reduce your risk of diabetes, dementia, heart disease and even some types of cancer.

Honeycomb also contains beeswax, which provides heart-healthy long-chain fatty acids and alcohol. These compounds may help lower cholesterol levels.

May promote heart health

Research shows that the long-chain fatty acids and alcohols found in beeswax may reduce high blood fat levels, a risk factor for heart disease. For example, one review states that beeswax alcohol may help lower "bad" LDL cholesterol by up to 29% and increase "good" HDL cholesterol by 8–15%. However, the studies in this review used high levels of alcohols isolated from beeswax, making it difficult to know whether small amounts of beeswax in the hive would have the same effect. That said, honey itself may have the same cholesterol-lowering abilities.
One small study gave participants 70 grams of sugar or honey per day. After 30 days, those in the honey group had increased their "good" HDL cholesterol by 3.3% and lowered their "bad" LDL cholesterol by 5.8%. Additionally, replacing sugar with honey can help lower triglyceride levels by up to 19%.

Additionally, the antioxidants in honey may help dilate the arteries leading to your heart. This, in turn, may increase blood flow and lower blood pressure, potentially reducing your risk of blood clots, heart disease, and stroke.

Can prevent infection

Honeycomb can strengthen your body's ability to fight certain bacteria and fungi. For example, test-tube studies show that beeswax extract may provide protection against fungi and pathogenic bacteria (including Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Salmonella enterica, and Escherichia coli). Honey Also known for its antibacterial properties. Research suggests it may help protect the intestines against the intestinal parasite Giardia lamblia. div>

May reduce coughing in children

Honeycomb may also help reduce coughing in children. Children are prone to upper respiratory tract infections, which may cause coughing. Research shows that honey may help suppress this cough. In one study, taking 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of buckwheat honey 30 minutes before bed was better than cough syrup in reducing the discomfort caused by a cough.
Honey contains spores of Clostridium botulinum bacteria, which can harm babies. Therefore, honey or honeycomb should not be given to children under 12 months of age.

Potential sugar substitutes for diabetics

For diabetics, honeycomb may be a sugar substitute. Part of the reason is that honey is much sweeter than sugar, so a smaller amount of sugar is needed to achieve the same level of sweetness. Additionally, honey appears to have higher blood sugar levels than refined sugar. That being said, honey can still raise blood sugar levels - so people with diabetes shouldn't consume too much.

Additionally, the alcohols found in beeswax may help reduce insulin resistance, which is responsible for high blood sugar levels. A small study in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)—a disease in which fat accumulates in the liver and is often accompanied by insulin resistance—found that beeswax alcohol extract reduced insulin levels by 37 percent. These lower insulin levels may indicate reduced insulin resistance, which may also benefit people with diabetes.

May improve liver function

Honeycomb may also make the liver healthier.

In a 24-week study, people with liver disease were given a beeswax alcohol mixture daily. Notably, 48% of the people in the beeswax group experienced a reduction in symptoms (such as abdominal pain, bloating, and nausea), compared with only 8% of the placebo group.

Additionally, 28% of those who took beeswax alcohol had their liver function return to normal - compared to none of those in the placebo group.

While these results look promising, it's unclear how much hive you would need to consume to get the same benefits. Therefore, more studies in humans are needed before strong conclusions can be drawn.

How to eat honeycomb?

Honeycomb can be eaten in a variety of ways.

While it can be eaten as is, it spreads well on warm bread or English muffins.

Honeycomb can also be used as a sweetener in homemade desserts or on top of pancakes, oatmeal, or yogurt.

Some people may also enjoy a piece of honeycomb on a salad or next to fruit, charcuterie, or aged cheese.

When choosing a honeycomb, remember that the darker the honey, the richer it is in beneficial compounds. The hive will remain at room temperature for a longer period of time. The longer you keep it, the more likely it is to crystallize - but its crystalline form will still be edible.

Potential danger

Honeycomb is generally considered safe to eat. However, since it contains honey, there is a risk of contamination with Clostridium botulinum spores. These are particularly harmful to pregnant women and children under 12 months.

In some cases, consuming large amounts of honeycomb may cause stomach obstruction.

To minimize the risk of this happening, it's best to avoid eating large amounts of honeycomb every day - or simply spit out the waxy cells.

Also, people who are allergic to bee venom or pollen may want to be careful when eating honeycomb, as it may cause an allergic reaction.

It's also important to note that despite its many potential benefits, honeycomb sugar is still high in sugar - so it's best consumed in moderation.

Another option? How to choose Manuka honey and its uses

Manuka honey is a type of honey produced by New Zealand bees. These bees pollinate Leptospermum scoparium (also known as Manuka bush) flowers.

Bees in southeastern Australia also produce Manuka honey. In New Zealand, Lepidoptera flowers are used to produce Manuka honey, while Australian Manuka honey is derived from a variety of Leptosporum species.

Manuka honey is not only edible, but also has medicinal value.

Bees collect nectar from the Manuka plant and produce Manuka honey with unique properties. It contains an active ingredient called methylglyoxal (MGO), which a 2018 study reviewedTrusted Source suggests has antibacterial effects.

MGO makes Manuka honey more effective at fighting bacteria than other types of honey.

Manuka honey also contains: