If you're driving around in Florida or Georgia, you may see some roadside stands selling tupelo honey. You might also see this honey in health food stores and specialty stores across the country. It's a special kind of honey made from the flowers of the tupelo tree, and it is worth trying if you're someone who likes honey. Here are a few good things to know before you purchase a bottle of tupelo honey.
It's expensive because only a small amount can be made.
One of the first things people often notice about tupelo honey is the price tag. It is far more expensive than other types of honey. There is a good reason for this. Tupelo trees are not that plentiful. They grow in swampy areas and have particular needs to survive. Because the trees are relatively rare, bees can only make so much tupelo honey. This means there is a low supply and high demand, which leads to high prices.
It's thinner and lighter colored.
Tupelo honey is thinner and more watery than most honey. Sometimes people think this means something is wrong with it, but it does not. The thin texture comes from the different sugar content than you'll find in other honey. Tupelo honey is less sugary overall. However, it is still delightfully sweet and delicious since it is higher in fructose, a specific type of sugar.
It's a good choice if you are diabetic.
Because it has a lower sugar content, tupelo honey tends to be a good choice for people who are diabetic, pre-diabetic, or sensitive to sugar. You can add it to anything from coffee, tea, and even lemonade instead of sugar or other sweeteners. Some people even bake with it.
It has health benefits.
Tupelo honey is almost always sold raw and unprocessed. As such, it contains pollen granules. Introducing these pollen granules to your body can help support your immune system. If you have allergies, using a little tupelo honey every day can help desensitize your body and reduce your allergy symptoms. This is why you see tupelo honey in health food stores so often.
Now that you know a little more, go ahead and buy yourself a jar of tupelo honey. It's not the cheapest honey out there, but the best never is. You will find this honey has benefits that make it well worth its price tag. Now enjoy it!
