Honey is one of nature’s best gifts to humankind. This sweet golden nectar not only adds to the flavor of any dish, but it also has a treasure of medicinal properties in its every drop. Honey is a great alternative for sugar as it does not contain as many calories and is full of nutrition. Honey is even used in cosmetics for healthy glowing skin and it is believed to heal wounds, as well.
Honey is easily available in the market and is manufactured by big brands like Dabur, Zandu, and Patanjali. But, the honey that is usually available in departmental stores is processed honey, which has undergone numerous layers of filtration. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but most of the honey’s nutritional value gets lost in the process of filtration and additional preservatives are added to it.
A good alternative to processed honey is raw or local honey. This honey, as the name suggests, is raw and is taken directly from the beehive — all nutritional properties are kept intact and care is taken to remove any chunks of wax. Local or raw honey is produced for sale mainly in Kerala, and is also referred to as “forest honey” by some people — raw honey in Kerala is pure honey, which makes it highly coveted.
If you are looking to buy some of this deliciously sweet and unprocessed honey, then continue reading as we snapshot the four best places to buy raw honey in Kerala.
1. Thottam Farm Fresh
Thottam Farm Fresh offers indigenous spices, coffee, tea, and wild honey sourced from the hills of Kerala. The company aims at providing a healthy ecosystem where local farmers can sell their produce at good prices. Thottam Farm Fresh’s wild honey is organically produced, which means no antibiotics are injected in the beehives. Their wild honey is available in jars of 350 g and 650 g and can be ordered easily on their website. You’ll love this pure honey from Kerala!
2. Natural Farmers Kerala
Natura Farmers Kerala is a sustainable farming initiative set up by Anoop Ranjan. He cultivates dals, rice, and a few vegetables on his farm, along with forest honey. The forest honey offered by Natural Farmers Kerala is completely raw and pure. It is mildly filtered and unheated to ensure the honey retains its authentic taste and properties. This pure forest honey can be bought from its website in 1-kilo jars.
3. Honey and Spice
Honey and Spice offer pure raw honey from Kerala’s forests. This wild honey is characterized by a darkish red color and aroma of wildflowers, which bear testimony to its authenticity. This delicious honey is collected from Apis Florea bees, which build their beehives on tree branches and do not sting. Honey and Spice offer wild honey from many different parts of India, as well, along with the more popular refined and processed honey.
4. Malabar Honey and Food Park
Malabar Honey and Food Park in Wayanad manufactures wild forest honey also known as Puttuthen. This honey is sourced from beehives deep inside the forests of Wayanad — it is certified as pure and natural. This sweet-tasting wild honey from Kerala can be bought online in 1-kilo packs.
We hope you have a sweet time buying local honey from Kerala through these four wonderful brands. When you receive your honey, you can know it is wild honey if it has a darker color compared to the normally processed honey. And, it is usually characterized by a strong aroma of wildflowers. Taste the goodness of wild honey and order your jar of golden nectar today!