I’m a big fan of honey.
It’s naturally sweet and full of nutrients.
What’s more, it’s an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial agent.
But…
I’m NOT a fan of the honey for sale in British supermarkets.
And neither should you be…
Because a lot of it is overtreated, overheated and filtered to the point where it loses its power.
Worse still, most of it is utter junk.
Yup, sadly, it’s true….
A new investigation by the European Commission has just found that found 46% of supermarket-sold honey in the UK isn’t really honey.
It’s mostly sugar.
Staggeringly, from the ten samples taken from this country ALL failed the tests.
Arturo Carrillo from the Honey Authenticity Network, who conducted the tests said: “The UK is flooded with very cheap adulterated honey imported from China. What is disappointing is that the British authorities have been very, very much reluctant to accept and address this tremendous problem.
Well, blow me down with a feather.
I am SOOOO surprised.
(That’s sarcasm, by the way).
After all, I’ve written a lot of letters recently about the way that big food corporations, much like big pharma, put profits above the genuine long-term wellbeing of the public.
And politicians let them get away with it.
In fact, the mainstream media and the political classes all benefit from the money bunged their way.
It boils my blood!
But to be fair, food fraud is a pervasive issue not only in the UK but across the whole world….
From horsemeat to fake rice, the food scandals continue!
Here are some absolute horror-show stories from the past 20 years alone…
· The Horsemeat Scandal! In 2013, horsemeat was found in products labelled as ‘beef’, including frozen lasagne, burgers, and processed meat products.
· The Chinese Melamine Milk Scandal! Melamine-contaminated baby formula and milk products were imported into the UK and several other
European countries from China. Melamine was added to increase the protein content in the milk, leading to severe health issues and deaths in infants in 2018.
· The Olive Oil Scandal! In 2016, Italians uncovered a large-scale fraud in the olive oil industry, where cheap oils were mixed with genuine extra virgin olive oil and sold at premium prices.
· The Fake Organic Food Scandal! In 2018, French authorities discovered that many non-organic food products were being sold as ‘organic’.
· The Fish Scandal! A study by conservation group Oceana in 2019 found that over 40% of fish samples collected from European restaurants and supermarkets, including the UK, were mislabelled. This mean that cheap fish species were being sold under the names of expensive ones.
· The Dutch Egg Contamination Scandal! In the Netherlands, thousands of eggs were found to be contaminated with fipronil, an insecticide banned for use on animals for human consumption.
· The Fake Rice Scandal! Fake plastic rice has been reported in Asia throughout the 2010s. The rice is made from synthetic materials like potato starch and plastic resin.
· Sudan Red Dye Scandal: In 2005, a carcinogenic industrial dye was found in chili powder imported from India. The dye was not approved for human consumption, and led to one of the largest food recalls in history.
· Poisoned Wine Scandal! In 1985, a significant number of Austrian winemakers were found to
have added diethylene glycol, a toxic substance used in antifreeze, to their wines to sweeten them.
It goes to show how far unscrupulous business will go to deceive consumers and make a profit at the expense of your health and safety.
So, if you’re shopping for honey…
· Buy from well-known, established retailers, local farmers’ markets, or beekeepers.
· Check the label for the ingredients, country of origin, and the name and contact details of the producer.
· Seek out honey that has been certified by a recognized organization, such as the Soil Association for organic honey or the British Beekeepers’ Association (BBKA) for honey produced in the UK.
· Consider the price. Genuine honey, particularly if it’s produced in small quantities or has unique characteristics, is more expensive, but will have many more health benefits.
· Check the texture. Pure honey has a thick, viscous consistency and should not be watery.
You can also carry out a few tests at home.
How to test that honey is genuine
Although these are not 100% foolproof, you can perform some simple tests to check the authenticity of your honey:
· Crystallization test. Real honey tends to crystallize over time, while counterfeit products with added sugars and syrups may not.
· Water test. Place a small drop of honey in a glass of water. Genuine honey should settle at the bottom of the glass, while adulterated honey may dissolve or disperse in the water.
· Flame test. Dip a cotton wick in honey and light it with a match. If the honey is pure, the wick should burn. If the honey contains impurities or added water, the wick with either sizzle, or not burn at all.
And if you want a truly genuine honey, packed with nutrients, then consider our Wedderspoon Raw Manuka honey.
It is traceable to individual hives in New Zealand, and it is also certified and approved by the MPI, which is the global standard for Manuka honey.
To make sure no cheating goes on, testing is done by a third-party accredited laboratory, which also must be approved by the New Zealand regulatory authority.
So if you want to try honey as a natural remedy, I’d urge you to give this a try – and avoid the supermarket rubbish!
Click here to order some now
