Is Comb Honey Edible? Why Is It Expensive Than Raw Honey?

Comb honey is the purest raw honey form offered in its original hexagonal-shaped beeswax cells cut from the beehive’s wooden frame. It is sold without processing. The honeycomb contains pollen, propolis, wax, and bee parts enclosed with honey. It is a wax mass consisting of hexagonal cells that the bees built to store the nectar, honey, and larvae. 

Is honeycomb edible?

Honeycomb is a natural substance bee produced. You can eat the entire thing because the cells are rich in honey which helps to cut cholesterol. Raw honey is not contaminated with artificial sweeteners and can be stored at room temperature for years. Even if it crystallizes gradually, it is edible!

Honeycomb is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Its antibacterial properties combat infections. It is also proven to enhance heart health and liver functions. It has even been reported to suppress cough in kids.

The dark buckwheat honeycomb variety is reported to have 20X more antioxidant levels.

Even if honeycomb is edible, it is recommended to eat in moderation. Excess eating can trigger stomach issues because of waxy cells. It is loaded with sugar, so even if you use it as a substitute for sugar moderation is the key. 

Why honeycomb is more expensive than liquid raw honey?

Honeycomb is more costly than raw or processed honey. Wax comb is a costly component of the honeycomb, which the beekeepers can reuse in the hive. Thus the bees don’t have to spend labor and time replacing the wax comb to produce honey. 

After honey extraction, the wax comb is melted and processed to filter the impurities. It results in beeswax, which has multiple uses like soaps, candles, lip balms, skin salves, and furniture polish.

The common method of harvesting honeycomb is using manual skills to cut it using a special honey cutter but is a laborious process. There are centrifugal extractors that can efficiently harvest honeycomb but are expensive. 

Bees may have connected several frames or built wax in an undesired direction. Some combs are thick and cannot be packed, so they can be cut to be used in other processing, which increases the labor cost.

Beekeeper also has to spend on installing supplies designed to reduce the cutting process. The beekeeper has to add all the labor costs or their honeycomb sale is not justified economically. 

Honeycomb is packed in clear plastic, which allows the buyer to see the comb and honey color as well as the capping. The packaging has to be visually appealing and protective. Broken comb chunks are not saleable as a single attractive slab. The beekeeper has to add the packaging cost while determining the pricing factor. The supply and demand of Honeycomb also influence the price of honey in every form. 

Currently, honeycomb is in demand among honey aficionados, health enthusiasts, chefs, connoisseurs, and gourmands. Buy comb honey from the Mohawk Valley Trading Company. It is an online retail store serving customers around the United States. Their Summer Wildflower honeycomb is pre-sold, so hurry and place your order!