10 Best Honeys UK 2021 | Raw Health, Hilltop Honey and More
Honey has been used as a sweetener and a medicine since ancient times. With a lower GI index than sugar, it also contains amino acids, antioxidants, enzymes, vitamins and minerals, making it a somewhat healthy and nutritious choice, as sweeteners go.
Whether you're looking for a sugar or syrup substitute for drinks, a kitchen cooking staple, or you'd like to use it medicinally, honey is versatile and tasty. To help you choose, we've put together a helpful guide including our top picks from supermarkets like Amazon, Tesco and Waitrose. From organic Manuka honeys to affordable blossom varieties, they'll really hit the sweet spot!
Quick List - Top Honeys
Local Honey Man
A Sustainable Pick Straight From a London Beekeeper
Wainwright's
An Earthy, Cold-Pressed Honey Sourced From Zambian Rainforest Hives
mybest UK specialist Tara is a nutritionist and energy coach who helps clients lose weight, improve their eating habits, and get their energy back through their nutrition. Tara specialises in helping busy parents specifically improve their eating with ease and without overwhelm, and get back on track so the whole family can benefit.
A recommendation service that carefully researches each product and consults with experts across many disciplines. We are constantly creating new content to provide the best shopping experience from choosing ‘cosmetics’ to ‘food and drink’, ‘home appliances’ to ‘kids and baby’ products, reaching users all across the United Kingdom.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
With Specialist Consultation From Nutritionist Tara Corbett
Tara is a nutritionist and energy coach who helps clients lose weight, improve their eating habits, and get their energy back through their nutrition. Tara specialises in helping busy parents specifically improve their eating with ease and without overwhelm, and get back on track so the whole family can benefit.
How to Choose Honey in the UK
- Pick Pure Honey or Filtered Honey for Different Nutritional Value and Taste
- Manuka, Blossom and Acacia All Have Different Characteristics and Flavours
Raw or Regular? Pick Pure Honey if You're Buying for Nutritional Benefits or Filtered for a More Palatable Product
You may have already come across the term 'raw' before in relation to honey, and may be wondering about its possible benefits. There are two main options for processing to create a honey product, raw and regular.
Raw is made by extracting honey from the honeycombs in the hive and simply pouring it over a mesh or nylon cloth to separate any impurities. Once strained it is bottled and ready to enjoy, and some people believe this lack of processing to be better for optimal health.
The 'regular' processing of honey involves several steps including pasteurisation and filtration. Pasteurisation applies heat, extending the shelf life, and filtration further removes impurities, creating a smooth and clear honey which is desirable to the consumer. However, this process does remove most of the beneficial nutrients.
For other health benefits when cooking, take a look at some of these fantastic Coconut Oils.
The majority of honey on the shelves of supermarkets are pasteurized, but the real health benefits come from when you consume raw honey. Raw honey can help heal digestive issues, boost the immune system, fight unwanted bacteria and fungus in the body, and it is a great source of antioxidants.
Choose a Type of Honey: Popular Varieties Like Manuka, Blossom and Acacia All Have Different Characteristics and Flavours
Add Superfood Manuka to Your Diet for Its Antiviral and Antibacterial Properties
Manuka honey is made in New Zealand by bees that pollinate the Manuka bush. It is known for being able to treat wounds and other skin conditions, as well as being an extremely nutritious superfood.
Manuka honey has a strict rating system to determine how effective and therapeutic it is. The Unique Manuka Factor, or UMF, is the measurement used to detect the presence of Manuka's special non-peroxide antibacterial activity.
This 'non-peroxide activity' is coined as the NPA, and has a rating system: 10+, 15+, 20+ or similar, whereby the higher the number, the more antibacterial properties within the honey. Nowadays you may also see a methylglyoxal (MGO) rating, which is a key marker of the NPA, though not its sole cause.
These three ratings (UMF, NPA, and MGO) do all correlate with one another, and different brands will display different ratings. You can find many tables online to refer to, such as this one from ExportX.
Manuka honey certainly sets itself apart from other variations of honey, and it is even considered more superior to raw honey because of its incredible health benefits. It’s known to help prevent stomach ulcers, improve digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome, and even treat wounds like burns, boils, and sores on the body.
Light, Floral and Pourable Acacia Is the Perfect Everyday Choice for Eating and Drizzling
Acacia honey comes from the nectar of the Robinia pseudoacacia flower, commonly known as the black locust or false acacia tree. Compared with regular or traditional honey, it's extremely light in colour, often appearing almost transparent.
It takes a long time to solidify, so its biggest draw is that its liquid form makes it easier to use and serve compared to regular honey. Acacia honey has a floral aroma and delicate flavour and is an extremely popular, though sometimes slightly more expensive, choice.
Why not try a peanut butter and honey combination? Delicious and nutricious. Here are our 10 Best Peanut Butters.
Acacia honey, like other forms of honey, is rich in antioxidants, specifically flavonoids, which are known to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, inflammation, and certain cancers.
Try a Wildflower Variety if You Like to Sample Different Flavours of Honey
Wildflower honey is honey produced by bees feeding on different types of wildflowers and is also called polyfloral honey. Wildflower honey has natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities and is usually raw. The taste is generally light and fruity, but honey harvested later in the season can be slightly stronger in taste and darker in colour as the varieties of flower changes.
There aren't strict rules as to what constitutes a wildflower – it is defined as the flower of a plant that grows in fields and forests without deliberate cultivation. So the characteristics of wildflower honey can change quite a lot, which can be rather exciting!
Wildflower honey is different because it is made from a random selection of flora. Because of this, it can be more challenging to know exactly what plants it is made out of. Regardless, the health benefits of wildflower honey include reduced seasonal allergy (hay fever) symptoms, a high level of antioxidants, improved digestion, and even an improvement of your skin.
Go for Orange or Blossom Honey for an Affordable Spread That's Still Rich in Antioxidants
Blossom honey is a widely-produced type of honey, and it's common that products that don't specify which type they are are actually blossom honey. The nectar that creates blossom honey can come from lots of different flowers, which usually makes it cheaper to produce, and therefore buy.
A more specific variety is orange blossom honey, which is known for its exotic and citrus-like taste. Unlike blossom honey, orange blossom honey is of course sourced from the blossoms of orange trees, though it can be from a combination of citrus sources. And just like the fruit, this honey provides a wide variety of natural antioxidants to the diet.
Orange blossom honey, in particular, has a considerably high amount of antioxidants, flavonoids, and phenolic acid in the product. These antioxidants have been proven to be anti-inflammatory against chronic diseases and even have a solid ability to prevent cancer.
Orange blossom honey also can strengthen the immune system, which is certainly beneficial to have when it’s cold and flu season!
10 Best Honeys in the UK
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Hilltop Honey Spanish Lavender Honey | | Sweet, Easy-Pour Nectar From the Lavender Fields of Spain | |
2 | Local Honey Man Unpasteurised British Golden Honey | | A Sustainable Pick Straight From a London Beekeeper | |
3 | Wainwright's Organic Zambian Forest Honey | | An Earthy, Cold-Pressed Honey Sourced From Zambian Rainforest Hives | |
4 | Raw Health Organic Raw Blossom Honey | | Raw, Organic and Perfect for Drizzling Into Tea or Onto Toast | |
5 | Wellnesstore.uk Raw Creamed Wildflower Honey | | An Ethically-Harvested Choice With a Unique Flavour Every Time | |
6 | Cartwright & Butler Acacia Honey & Comb | 100% Acacia Honey and Honeycomb | | Natural Honeycomb in Easy-to-Use Acacia Honey | |
7 | Hilltop Honey Manuka Honey MGO 50+ | | Pure, Authentic and Delicious Manuka With Multiple Health Benefits | |
8 | Rowse Blossom Honey Squeezable | | A Great Value Everyday Honey | |
9 | Kiva Raw Manuka Honey 15+ | | Manuka Honey From New Zealand | |
10 | London Honey Company - British Blossom Honey Bucket | | A Uniquely-Flavoured British Runny Honey |
Sweet, Easy-Pour Nectar From the Lavender Fields of Spain
In at first place we have a single origin speciality honey. Sourced from apiaries across Spain, the delicate nectar is derived from flourishing lavender fields. Sweet, runny and easy to serve, this amber-coloured honey is perfect over ice cream, desserts or on toast!
Hilltop Honey is a particular favourite on our list. Being an independent, British company, their down-to-earth passion really comes across in their products. Not to mention the low environmental impacts of choosing honey locally made in the UK and neighbouring Spain.
A Sustainable Pick Straight From a London Beekeeper
If you love honey but sustainability really informs your choice, go for this raw, local British honey. Unprocessed, untreated and unpasteurised, it is made from the nectar and pollen of various flowers from London and surrounding areas.
This honey comes from blackberry, primrose, daffodils, pear and lavender flowers (to name a few). The Local Honey Man claims this gives the best natural energy boost available – and we very much agree!
An Earthy, Cold-Pressed Honey Sourced From Zambian Rainforest Hives
It can be difficult to truly label honey organic as it would require all of the flowers and plants for miles around the hives to be GMO-free too. However, this Fairtrade, Soil Association certified forest honey is the real deal.
Gathered from wild bees deep in the Zambian rainforest, it comes from traditional bark hives. The resulting honey is smoky, aromatic and earthy and is cold-pressed to retain the natural pollen. A gorgeous choice!
Raw, Organic and Perfect for Drizzling Into Tea or Onto Toast
For those who love to peruse ethical stores, Raw Health might already be a familiar and trusted brand name. Experts in foods for wellbeing, they know how to make things so delicious that you don't even think about health – and this honey is no different!
Made using an organic cold-extraction process, the natural enzymes in the honey are perfectly preserved. Raw and organic, the only ingredient is flower blossom honey. Extra bonus points for the squeezy container which makes it easy to use and totally mess-free.
An Ethically-Harvested Choice With a Unique Flavour Every Time
An unfiltered, unheated, unpasteurised honey for those who love nature, and bees! This honey comes from an apiary which has been lovingly run for three generations, in the beautiful Bieszczady Mountains of Southern Poland.
Made in harmony with the environment, each honey harvest can differ in aroma, flavour and consistency. Its unique taste is simply delightful and it comes in a large glass jar which is easy to serve from if the honey crystallises a little over time.
Cartwright & Butler Acacia Honey & Comb | 100% Acacia Honey and Honeycomb
Natural Honeycomb in Easy-to-Use Acacia Honey
Very light in colour and resistant to solidification, this gorgeous acacia honey is both convenient to use and extremely delicious.
This honey is derived from the nectar of the spring blossoms from Hungarian acacia trees. We love the novelty of the natural honeycomb inside, which would make for a great small gift for a honey lover!
Pure, Authentic and Delicious Manuka With Multiple Health Benefits
This Manuka honey may not have the highest possible MGO rating and the labelling doesn't clarify its UMF/NPA. However, as mentioned earlier, MGO is only a small part of Manuka's nutritional benefit. Made by a trusted, British company and tested twice in processing to certify its authenticity makes it a good choice at this low price.
Besides its specifications, we think you'll love the dark, herbal aroma of this gorgeous amber Manuka honey. It's especially good to be consumed medicinally and even topically for a range of purposes.
A Great Value Everyday Honey
Squeezable and easy to pour, this is a pure, natural and great-tasting honey with a thick but smooth consistency from British honey maker, Rowse. The plus of being such a popular brand means it's available in several different sizes, from regular-sized to over a kilo!
Whichever you go for, it's a great value blossom honey that's perfect for mead making or for everyday kitchen use. As this product contains a blend of honeys from outside of the EU, it isn't the most traceable and sustainable option on our list, but rather a good budget find.
Manuka Honey From New Zealand
Kiva Raw Manuka honey is harvested from the remote and pristine hills, forest, and coastal areas of New Zealand, and is traceable from hive to jar.
This honey has a 15+ rating, an MGO of 514 and a rich, robust flavour. It's rather expensive for but the health benefits are sound and this is an artisanal honey, with a taste that does not disappoint.
London Honey Company -British Blossom Honey Bucket
A Uniquely-Flavoured British Runny Honey
This British blossom honey is 100% pure, raw and natural and comes from the beautiful countryside of the UK. It has full traceability from hive to spoonful and the company that produces it does a good job of supporting British bees and Beekeepers.
This honey is great as a natural sweetener for baking or with over fruit and yoghurt and it's perfectly suitable for catering or domestic use due to high quality and great taste. Ideal Chef's honey for cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Benefits of Honey?
Honey has long been known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, making for a great soother of sore throats and pesky coughs! In addition, it has been shown to aid in digestion, weight loss and help maintain blood glucose levels as honey won’t cause as much of a spike as refined sugars.
How Much Honey Should You Have a Day?
As the saying goes: “everything in moderation”, and honey is no exception. While a spoonful a day won’t do any harm, honey still contains quite a high amount of ‘free’ sugar, as a result, the NHS suggests no more than 30g per day for adults and around 24g for children.
Can Honey Go Off?
As long as the honey has been stored properly with its lid screwed on, then your honey should never go off. It may crystallise but this is a natural occurrence and not something to worry about, but if you prefer your honey runny then place the container in hot (not boiling) water to soften it.
Additional Links
Written and researched by Melanie McPhail
Top 5 Honeys
No. 1: Hilltop Honey｜Spanish Lavender Honey
No. 2: Local Honey Man ｜Unpasteurised British Golden Honey
No. 3: Wainwright's｜Organic Zambian Forest Honey
No. 4: Raw Health｜Organic Raw Blossom Honey
No. 5: Wellnesstore.uk｜Raw Creamed Wildflower Honey
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
Search by category
Automotive
Agricultural vehicle parts & equipment, Car & motorbike care, Car & vehicle electronicsBaby Products
Activity & entertainment, Car seats & accessories, Carriers & accessoriesBeauty
Bath & body, Fragrances, Hair careBooks
Antiquarian, rare & collectable, Arts & photography, Biographies & memoirsBusiness, Industry & Science
3D printing & scanning, Abrasive & finishing products, Agricultural equipment & suppliesComputers & Accessories
Accessories, Barebone PCs, Components & replacement partsDIY, Garden & Tools
Building supplies, Construction machinery, ElectricalElectronics & Photo
Accessories, Camera & photo, Car & vehicle electronicsFashion
Baby, Boys, GirlsGrocery
Baby foods, Bakery, Beer, wine & spiritsHealth & Personal Care
Baby & child care, Dental care, Diet & nutritionHome & Kitchen
Arts & crafts, Artwork, BathroomLarge Appliances
Beer & wine storage & dispensers, Compact kitchens, Dishwashers & dish dryersMusical Instruments & DJ
Bass guitars & gear, DJ & VJ equipment, Drums & percussionPC & Video Games
Currency & subscription cards, Handheld game systems, Legacy systemsPet Supplies
Birds, Cats, DogsSports & Outdoors
Accessories, Fitness, Hunting & fishingStationery & Office Products
Art & craft supplies, Calendars, planners & personal organisers, Envelopes & mailing suppliesToys & Games
Arts & crafts, Baby & toddler toys, Building & construction toys