Most of us get our honey from the supermarket, but there’s nothing quite like a honeycomb. It’s the most delicious part of a bee hive—the comb where worker bees store their food before it gets packed into honeycomb cells.
Can You Eat Raw Honeycomb?
Yes, you can eat raw honeycomb. Raw honeycomb is a delicious treat and it’s made by bees to be used as a foundation for their hive. Honeycomb is a great source of protein, which helps build muscle and maintain energy levels throughout the day. It also has a low glycemic index, meaning it won’t spike your blood sugar levels like other sugary treats might do in large quantities.
What’s in Honeycomb?
A honeycomb is a mixture of wax and the honey that bees produce. The bees use it to store their honey and pollen in their hive.
The wax is made up of several fatty acids, which are also used by the bee to waterproof its body. The wax is secreted by glands in the bee’s abdomen and then formed into hexagonal cells using their mandibles (mouthparts).
Honey is made from nectar, which is collected by worker bees from flowers and plants. It’s then stored in the honeycomb for later use.
The composition of each cell varies depending on what kind of flower or plant the bees visited for nectar. Some flowers have nectar with high sugar content, while others have low levels of sugar but high levels of amino acids and proteins. The type of nectar collected determines how much honey can be produced from it, as well as it’s color and flavor.
Is It Safe to Eat Raw Honeycomb?
It’s safe to eat raw honeycomb, but you should be careful about where and how you get it.
If your honeycomb has been exposed to smoke or other pollutants, then it could be contaminated with bacteria and other harmful substances. Raw honeycombs are best sealed in wax to protect them from these contaminants.
How to Eat Raw Honeycomb
When it comes to honeycomb, there are several different ways to eat them raw. Below are some of what you can do with raw honeycomb:
Eat it like a piece of candy. You can eat raw honeycomb in its original form, just as you would eat any other type of candy. Let your teeth do all the work and enjoy every last bit of that honey flavor!
Use it as a topping for yogurt or ice cream. The crispy texture makes raw honeycomb a great addition to soft, creamy foods like yogurt or ice cream—just tear off pieces from the comb and add them to your favorite dessert treat!
Add it to trail mix. If you’re looking for an alternative snack on the go, try tossing some raw honeycomb into your next batch of homemade trail mix: their crunchy texture will complement natural nuts and dried fruits wonderfully!
Add it to oatmeal or oatmeals (or oatmeals). Because they’re so rich in natural sweetness, bits of raw honeycombs pair well with savory grains like steel-cut oats (and steel-cut oatmeal) while also tasting great when sprinkled over hot cereals such as cornflakes or shredded wheat biscuits (and shredded wheat biscuit cereal). They’ll give that bowlful of all kinds of crunchy goodness without needing any extra sugar added in afterward—which is especially good news if someone else needs their medication right before breakfast time but doesn’t want another spoonful!
How to Store Raw Honeycomb
You can find raw honeycombs at most farmers’ markets in the spring and summer months when bees are busy making them! If you can’t find any there, look online or check with your local beekeepers’ association to see if anyone is selling their raw honeycomb nearby.
Raw honeycombs can be stored at room temperature but they may get soft or sticky if they’re not kept in a cool place like your refrigerator.
You don’t want them to freeze either because they will get hard as rocks! Be sure to wrap them well before putting them in your refrigerator so they don’t dry out (and possibly crack) while they’re waiting for you to use them.
Conclusion
Yes, honeycomb is safe and delicious to eat. You can enjoy it by itself or as part of a meal, just make sure that there are no bees still in or around your honeycomb before eating it.
Kate has been in the food business for over 20 years. Worked as a cook at several buffets which include Old Country Buffet, Five Star Buffet, and Ichiban Buffet. Now, I’m mostly at home cooking for my family, caring for chickens and ducks, and tending the garden.
