

Scrupulously maintained by the worker bees, these cells contain two main honeycomb components: beeswax and raw honey. Thus, these cells function as incubators for the maturing honeybees. The honeycomb brood cells are where the queen bee then lays her eggs and represent the hive’s future. The queen and the drones live in smaller, yet higher rent districts. Partitions consist of: honey, pollen, brood, queen and drones.The honey and adjoining pollen cells represent the food stockpile for the entire hive. This honey, in turn, is stored in the honeycomb by the worker bees.īeehives consist of separate partitions of honeycomb cells. This process reduces the water and transforms the nectar into honey. The nectar is stored in their stomachs and passed to other worker bees. They collect pollen and nectar from floral sources for the entire hive.

The story behind the miracle of honeycomb is not complete without the tireless female worker honeybees. Honey creation is a process which starts when bees pollinate flowers. These effectively make honeycomb a natural “honey medicine.” While honeycomb itself is a super food, it also contains these additional super foods: bee pollen, propolis, and royal jelly. These properties are fully preserved when honey is stored at ambient (room) temperatures.īeeswax contains long-chain fatty acids and alcohol, which may reduce high blood cholesterol levels, a known risk factor for heart disease. Raw unprocessed honey contains enzymes, which give honey antibacterial properties. Honeycomb is rich in carbohydrates and antioxidants, Since raw honey is the main edible, it offers rich vitamins, minerals and protein. Darker honeycomb is often stoked with bee pollen with extra enzymes and nutrients.

No, you are not eating brood, it’s just honey from a post-brood cell. Darker honeycomb honeys, however, are sometimes darker because they are post-brood cells. Honeycomb colors are primarily based on the honeys color originating from the nectar’s floral source. Most westerners prefer the lighter or virgin comb based on its texture, lighter taste, familiarity and availability. Built by Bees honeycombs are a bright mix of honey flavors collected from specific areas where gallberry, tupelo and wildflowers are indigenous. The lower moisture creates a more intense flavor when eaten straight from the honeycomb. The honey from the comb, however, is a capped comb where the honey is consistently a lower moisture level. Once honey is extracted from comb, honey’s hydrogenous nature ends up absorbing moisture from the air and increasing the honey’s moisture level. This is mostly due to the purity of honey straight from the capped comb. It will be crunchy and typically tastes sweeter than straight raw honey from the same hives. This determines what they pollinate and bring back to the hive and store in the comb.

The honeycomb taste first depends on where the honey bees have buzzed. During Colonial times, the first chewing gum was made from beeswax mixed with tree resins. While beeswax helps clean your teeth and gums, it also removes plaque and disinfects your mouth. When chewing the beeswax, healthy, active biological compounds enter your body. With beeswax, the soft waxy cells can be chewed as gum and it’s very good for your teeth! Because beeswax provides a phenomenal source of roughage, it serves as an excellent digestive aid. The beeswax, conversely, has little nutritional value other than small amounts of vitamin A. To get some great charcuterie ideas, try checking out some ideas here by Food and Wine Magazine. Honeycomb paired on a charcuterie board is a little-know secret that makes it twice as effective. Unfiltered and unpasteurized raw honey has a more textured consistency than filtered honey because no straining takes place. The entire honeycomb can be eaten including the natural honey and waxy cells surrounding it.
HONEYCOMB WAX FULL
They are also exceptionally nutritious because raw honey is full of vitamins, enzymes, antioxidants, and bee pollen. Can you eat honeycomb? Yes! Raw honeycombs are delicious and very edible.
