LOVE HONEY? BUY LOCAL!

While “what should I put on chicken” is our most-heard question, inquiries about local honey come in second. Honey is incredibly popular in the shop, and we field questions about health benefits, the location of hives and flavor.

First and foremost – and perhaps most important – when you buy local honey, you support local farms. Whether you’re in Baton Rouge or another area, visit your Farmer’s Market, farm stands, local grocery stores and grab local honey!

Can honey help alleviate allergy symptoms? While the American Asthma and Allergy Foundation calls this a myth, we have customers who hold fast to the honey-allergy connection. We say, if you feel better, keep consuming honey!

Honey also has gut health benefits. Raw honey also contains prebiotics which positively affect gut health. Prebiotics are found in fruits and vegetables – and honey! – and act as “fertilizer” that stimulate healthy gut bacteria.

How important is “raw” honey? Very important! Raw honey is honey as it exists in the beehive. When honey is extracted, strained and bottled – this is raw honey. Raw honey comes straight from the hive and includes no added sugar, nor has it been processed, heated or pasteurized. All honey at Red Stick Spice is raw honey.

Honey differs in flavor from supplier to supplier. It all depends on what the bees feasted on. We don’t get in the weeds (heh) about what plants, trees or flowers the bees pollinated. It’s virtually impossible to know how far the bees travel and what plants piqued their interest. In Louisiana, tallow trees, marsh grasses, clover and sugarcane are abundant. As the season progresses, we notice that the honey gets a bit darker and more complex. Rest assured, every honey we stock is sweet and delicious!

Check out this graphic for the location of beehives for each honey producer at Red Stick Spice: