I've been wanting to talk about this for a bit, but it was my friend's post on social media this morning that finally got me to do it.
So, you're strolling through the store and spot a display of "Organic Raw Honey" that gets you all excited. If it's organic, it's gotta be the best, right? We keep hearing we should go organic to ditch all those chemicals. Well, hang on a sec, because I'm about to burst your bubble.
Did you know there's no official organic certification for honey made in the USA? Yep, neither the USDA nor the FDA offers one! So, why's that? Well, bees can fly up to 3 miles to gather nectar, and it's just too hard to guarantee that all those plants are organic. Some US beekeepers might label their honey as "organic," but they might be unintentionally misleading you because they're not aware of the labeling rules.
So, who is LEGALLY allowed to claim their honey as "organic"? The FDA recognizes the organic stamp of foreign governments for their honey that is imported into the USA. That's right, we have no idea what constitutes "organic" in those countries, but if they say it's "organic" it must be, right?
But your bottle of XYZ Honey from Name a State, USA says "organic"? Look closer at the label on the back of the bottle. If they are being upfront with the consumer you will see that the honey is a product of a foreign country but it is bottled in the USA. Oops, they got you again!
Well, since we've popped open this can of wiggly worms, let's chat about the "honey" buzzing its way into the USA. Picture this: most of the honey landing on U.S. shores hails from Southeast Asia. They give it a purity test over there, and then—plot twist—they mix it up with high fructose corn syrup, sugar beet syrup, or whatever sweet stuff they can find in the pantry. Not quite the golden nectar you were dreaming of when you vowed to make healthier choices on January 1st, huh?!?
What’s the buzz? Buy straight from the beekeeper, of course! Going direct means you can grill them with questions and make sure you’re getting the bee’s knees of honey. Plus, you’ll be throwing a lifeline to beekeeping in the US. Trust me, the bees and their human sidekicks could really use a cheerleader right now!
コメント