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Can You Eat Beeswax?
Yes, you can eat beeswax.
Beeswax, also called honeycomb, simply acts as a container for honey. According to the USDA, eating beeswax is generally considered safe.(1)
The exception is for children under 12 months.
Babies shouldn’t be given honey or beeswax because their immune system hasn’t fully matured. Although it’s rare, honey can contain spores that cause infant botulism. Infant botulism can lead to muscle weakness, trouble breathing, and a weak cry.(2, 3)
Fortunately, children can safely eat honey or beeswax once they’re older than 12 months.
And here’s the thing:
Eating beeswax – better known as honeycomb – is a fun way to enjoy honey.
Check out this beeswax tasting video from EmmyMade:
The beeswax Emmy eats comes from Savannah Bee Company.
It’s filled with raw acacia honey, which tastes delicious compared to processed grocery store honey. The honey flavor melts on your tongue with the right amount of sweetness.
Does Beeswax Have Health Benefits?
Beeswax by itself doesn’t offer many health benefits.
However, beeswax filled with raw honey offers numerous health benefits. This is thanks to honey’s antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory effects.
So what are the benefits of eating beeswax filled with honey?
Let’s discuss a few:
Benefit 1: Eating Honey Can Calm a Sore Throat
It can be incredibly difficult to sleep when you’ve got a bad cough and a sore throat. Plus, many people don’t use cough syrup because of the taste.
This is where eating raw honey can help.
A study of more than 300 children found that honey was more effective than cough syrup.(4)
Here’s what the doctor stated:
“Parents of 300 children 1 to 5 years old with URI reported that cough frequency, cough severity, bothersome nature of cough, and child and parent sleep quality improved after treatment in the groups that received honey.”
Another study of more than 100 children showed honey to be beneficial at soothing a cough and sore throat. Additionally, raw honey has no adverse side effects compared to over-the-counter cough medications.(5)
Benefit 2: Eating Honey Can Promote Heart Health
Some research shows that substituting sugar with honey might decrease triglyceride levels by up to 19%.(6)
What’s more, the antioxidants in honey can help dilate the arteries leading to your heart. As a result, this can improve blood flow and reduce blood pressure. In turn, honey could reduce your risk of blood clots, stroke, and heart attack.(7)
Furthermore, honey has been shown to help improve blood fat levels, regulate heartbeats, and stop healthy cells from dying – all factors that lead to better heart health and function.(8)
Benefit 3: Honey & Beeswax Are Good for the Skin
Raw honey is a powerhouse ingredient for the skin. Thanks to its antibacterial benefits, honey has been used to treat everything from minor acne to serious skin concerns such as eczema or psoriasis.
Additionally, beeswax is a moisturizing ingredient commonly found in lip products, hair products, and lotions.
One review of studies showed that honey helped heal partial-thickness wounds and burns that became infected after surgery.(9)
Another study found that honey had a 97% success rate in healing diabetes-related foot ulcers. Diabetes-related foot ulcers can be serious conditions that lead to amputation.(10)
Honey has also shown to be beneficial in treating other skin conditions, including herpes, eczema, and psoriasis.(11, 12, 13)
Honey may also be good for:
- Acne
- Dry skin
- Sunburns
- Skin rashes
Benefit 4: Honey is a Powerful Source of Antioxidants
Most of honey’s health benefits come from its high level of antioxidants.
Antioxidants are molecules that help to get rid of harmful free radicals in our bodies. Free radicals are linked to several diseases, cancers, and premature aging.
In one study, 25 individuals were fed about four tablespoons of buckwheat honey per day, in addition to their normal diets. Blood samples were taken before and after for comparison. At the end of 29 days, the individuals had increased levels of polyphenols, which are disease-fighting antioxidants.(14)
Further research also shows that antioxidants in honey offer anti-inflammatory benefits that can protect against conditions linked to oxidative stress.(15)
Raw honey also can have traces of pollen and propolis, which may come with more health benefits.
Another review of studies showed that honey might benefit the cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems.(16)
How Long Does Beeswax Stay Good For?
Beeswax never expires.
Like honey, beeswax stays good forever as long as it’s stored correctly. For example, you wouldn’t want to store beeswax in an open container on a dusty shelf. Dust particles could collect on the wax, and you wouldn’t want to ingest that.
Instead, you should store beeswax in an airtight container in a clean location. People who make beeswax candles store beeswax for long periods without trouble.
That said, most people don’t eat beeswax by itself. Without honey, beeswax has a plain flavor that’s nothing special. The most you can do with beeswax is chew it like bubblegum.
With that said:
That’s why most people don’t eat beeswax on its own. Instead, they eat beeswax (or honeycomb) while it’s filled with honey. The honey mixed with beeswax offers a delicious flavor and interesting texture than just honey on its own.
FAQs on “Can You Eat Beeswax?”
- Is it healthy to eat beeswax?
- Can you eat beeswax with braces?
- Can humans digest beeswax?
- Is it OK to eat the wax from honeycomb?
- Can you chew on beeswax?
- What does beeswax taste like?
- What are the benefits of eating beeswax?
- Can you eat beeswax if you’re allergic to bees?
- Can you eat beeswax if you’re allergic to honey?
- Can you eat beeswax if you’re allergic to pollen?
- Is chewing beeswax good for teeth?
- Can you chew beeswax like gum?
- Can you eat beeswax if you have a crown?
- Do bees eat beeswax?
- Why do people eat beeswax?
- Can you eat beeswax candles?
Is it healthy to eat beeswax?
Beeswax is perfectly safe to eat. However, beeswax alone (without honey) has very little nutritional value. That’s why most people only eat beeswax as part of honeycomb filled with honey. Plus, the flavor of beeswax by itself is plain.
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More to Explore:
- Honey Pasteurization: Does it Ruin Raw Honey?
- Honey for Skin Benefits: Directions, Uses, & Risks
- 8 Scientific Benefits of Raw Honey
Can you eat beeswax with braces?
Eating beeswax with wire braces is not recommended because it can get stuck in your brackets. Even if the beeswax is fresh or raw, eating large pieces of wax isn’t good for your braces.
Of course, you should check with your orthodontist for more information.
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Can humans digest beeswax?
Beeswax is thought to pass through our system undigested.
With that in mind, beeswax is a natural, safe substance for human consumption. Beeswax has been approved as an ingredient in food.
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Is it OK to eat the wax from honeycomb?
“Can you eat beeswax in honey?” is a regular question we get asked.
The answer is yes. You can eat the wax from honeycomb. Honeycomb is made from beeswax, which simply acts as a container for honey. People love the taste and texture of honeycomb filled with honey.
Plus, eating beeswax is perfectly safe. In fact, beeswax has been approved as a food ingredient in the US.
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Can you chew on beeswax?
Beeswax is safe to chew on, but it may not taste very good for some. That’s because beeswax has a very bland flavor. If you chew on beeswax without the honey, it tastes like flavorless bubblegum.
But either way, you can chew it, swallow it, or simply spit it out.
Many people enjoy buying “cut comb honey,” which is a honeycomb with honey. In fact, that’s the way honey was eaten for thousands of years – straight from the hive while still inside the honeycomb.
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What does beeswax taste like?
Beeswax has a very bland, neutral flavor. If you eat it without honey, it tastes like flavorless gum. This doesn’t mean the beeswax tastes bad. Instead, it’s just not as flavorful as honeycomb with honey.
With that in mind, if you eat honeycomb (beeswax) with honey, then the beeswax will be coated in the flavor of honey.
For example, blueberry honeycomb will have a chewy, waxy texture with hints of blueberry notes. Once the blueberry honey dissolves, you’ll be left with the plain beeswax flavor.
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What are the benefits of eating beeswax?
Beeswax by itself doesn’t include many nutritional benefits.
However, if you eat beeswax with raw honey, then you can experience the following benefits:
- A boost in energy levels
- A sore throat remedy
- A cough suppressant
- Anti-inflammatory effects
Raw honey is a superfood that is packed with nutrients and antioxidants. That’s why many people eat raw honeycomb, which includes honey in its unpasteurized form.
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Can you eat beeswax if you’re allergic to bees?
Yes, when people are allergic to bees, they’re actually allergic to the venom from the bee sting – not the honey or beeswax.
Therefore, you can still eat beeswax even if you’re allergic to bee stings because beeswax doesn’t contain bee venom.
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Can you eat beeswax if you’re allergic to honey?
People with honey allergies are typically allergic to the small traces of pollen in raw honey. The same is true for beeswax – tiny amounts of pollen can be found inside beeswax. This is why people allergic to honey or pollen should be cautious about eating beeswax.
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- The Brutally Honest Truth About Sour Honey
- Buckwheat Honey: Uses, Benefits, & Risks
- Can You Eat Honeycombs?
Can you eat beeswax if you’re allergic to pollen?
People allergic to pollen may not tolerate beeswax well because it can contain small amounts of pollen. Bees eat pollen as a regular part of their diet, so sometimes beeswax gets mixed together with some pollen grains.
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Is chewing beeswax good for teeth?
Beeswax has a waxy and chewy texture that can help clean teeth from plaque. Additionally, honey and beeswax together offer more benefits thanks to honey’s anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects.
However, beeswax should not be used in place of a good tooth cleaning routine. You may want to speak with your dentist or orthodontist first, especially if you have a crown or wire braces.
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Can you chew beeswax like gum?
Yes, you can chew beeswax like gum.
In fact, some people prefer chewing on beeswax because it’s a natural substance and doesn’t contain any sugar. However, beeswax doesn’t taste like regular sweetened gum because it has a bland, neutral flavor. It tastes like flavorless gum.
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- Honey For Allergies: Is it a Potential Cure?
- What’s the Melting Point of Beeswax?
- Is Honey Acidic or Alkaline?
Can you eat beeswax if you have a crown?
In most cases, dental crowns are strong enough to chew beeswax. However, you may want to avoid chewing on beeswax if your crown is loose or needs replacement. Always check with your dentist first.
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- Fermented Garlic and Honey Recipe
- How to Substitute Honey for Sugar
- Beeswax vs. Soy Wax: Which is Better for Candle Making?
Do bees eat beeswax?
No, bees eat pollen, nectar, and honey. They don’t eat beeswax. They may chew it in their mouths to soften it, but they’re not eating it.
Beeswax is used as a building block for honeybee hives. It’s used to make honeycomb, which is where bees store their honey for the winter. Beeswax is also used to make cells where eggs are laid to raise baby bees.
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- Fermented Honey With Ginger Recipe
- What’s the Difference Between Raw and Organic Honey?
- Cinnamon Honey: Are There Health Benefits?
Why do people eat beeswax?
People mostly eat beeswax (honeycomb) while it’s filled with honey. It’s a sweet way to enjoy honey’s flavor while also enjoying beeswax’s waxy texture.
You can also chew beeswax on its own without the flavor of honey. It will be more plain, like flavorless gum.
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- Beeswax on Hair: Benefits, Risks, & How to Use It
- Honey for the Face: Can You Apply it to the Skin?
- How to Make Beeswax Lip Balm
Can you eat beeswax candles?
No, you should only eat food-grade beeswax. Beeswax from candles may not be food grade because it could be mixed with other types of waxes or ingredients.
