Table of Contents:
What is Sour Honey?
In 2016, whispers about a cancer-curing type of honey started circulating online.
The story went like this:
Supposedly, scientists discovered “sour honey” deep in the Brazilian jungle. Upon testing it, they claimed it was a natural cure for cancer. Rumors started circulating saying that Big Pharma and other government officials knew about sour honey, but they hid its benefits because they didn’t want to undercut their profits.
What happened next?
Websites started popping up everywhere, selling “sour” honey for hundreds of dollars per bottle.
But the real truth? It isn’t what you might’ve heard.
The Brutally Honest Truth About Sour Honey
There are more than 300 unique types of honey. Popular examples include clover honey that comes from clover flowers and wildflower honey from wildflowers.
But sour honey?
It doesn’t exist. There is no such thing as sour honey that comes from “sour” flowers. When people refer to sour honey, there’s a chance they’re mistaking it for sourwood honey.
Why?
Since “sour honey” and sourwood honey sound similar, it’s easy to get them confused. Sourwood honey comes from bees that collect nectar from sourwood tree flowers. Sourwood trees are native to North America.
Now here’s the interesting part:
Sourwood honey is actually sweet despite having “sour” in its name. It has a buttery caramel taste that’s out-of-this-world delicious. The texture is smooth like syrup, and it’s considered dark honey because it has a beautiful rich amber color.
My opinion?
If you’ve never had sourwood honey, you’ve got to try it at least once. In fact, sourwood honey is North Carolina’s most famous honey. Every year, there’s even a Sourwood Honey Festival in Black Mountain, North Carolina.
So now that you know sour honey gets mistaken for sourwood honey, you’re probably asking:
Well, Does Sourwood Honey Cure Cancer?
Unfortunately, no. No type of honey has been scientifically proven to cure cancer.
But make no mistake.
While honey doesn’t cure cancer, it still has incredible health benefits. For starters, sourwood honey is rich in antioxidants. And according to the Mayo Clinic, antioxidants offer protection against disease-causing free radicals.(1, 2, 3)
It doesn’t stop there. Here are some – but not all – of the benefits of eating honeycombs or honey:
- Honey can heal wounds and burns because it’s anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial.(4, 5)
- Raw honey is full of antioxidants and minerals, so you get nutrients from eating it.(6, 7, 8)
- Eating honey can soothe a sore throat and cough, according to a study of more than 300 children.(9)
- Honey improves cholesterol, which is a strong risk factor for heart disease.(10, 11, 12, 13)
- The antioxidants in honey can lower blood pressure.(14, 15, 16)
FAQs About Sour Honey
What’s the deal with sour honey and propolis?
So we’ve already established that “sour” honey doesn’t exist and is often confused with sourwood honey.
But that’s just the beginning.
Many people also mistake sour honey for something called bee propolis.
Propolis is a waxy substance that bees make by mixing their saliva with beeswax and other materials they’ve collected while pollinating plants and trees.
Propolis is known as “bee glue” because bees use it to seal cracks in their hives.
So what’s the deal with propolis?
Propolis has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties.(17, 18, 19)
But medical research on propolis is limited.
And let me be clear:
Propolis has by no means been proven as a cure for cancer.
—> Go back to the FAQs on sour honey
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Could sour honey refer to fermented honey?
The answer is yes.
In a nutshell, sour honey is often confused with one of three things:
- Sourwood honey
- Bee propolis
- Fermented honey
Fermented honey has a higher moisture content than most honey.
So why is fermented honey mistaken for sour honey?
Because of the taste.
Many people describe fermented honey as sour. That’s why it’s often used in lemonades or other foods with a sharp taste.
Fermented honey is also used to make unique honey pairings like garlic honey and fruit honey.
How does it work?
You start by slicing up some fruit, putting it in a jar, and drizzling fermented honey on top. Then it’s a waiting game because you have to let your fermented honey sit for three months.
But keep in mind:
No type of honey has been proven to be a cure for cancer. So despite fermented honey getting confused with sour honey, it doesn’t offer cancer curing benefits.
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What is the difference between sour honey and regular honey?
As previously mentioned, sour honey doesn’t exist. “Sour” honey is often confused with sourwood honey, bee propolis, or fermented honey.
So the question becomes:
How does sourwood honey differ from regular honey?
Well, here’s the thing:
There are over 300 types of honey, so “regular” honey is a broad term.
Popular honey varieties include:
That said, the type of honey you choose will depend on what flavor and benefits you’re looking for.
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Is sour honey good for health?
Sour honey isn’t a legitimate type of honey. Instead, it’s often mistaken for sourwood honey.
But keep in mind:
While honey hasn’t been proven to cure cancer, it still comes with many health benefits. Here are a few:
- Honey eases a sore throat and cough, according to a study of more than 300 children.(20)
- Honey can heal burns, scratches, and wounds because it’s anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial.(21, 22)
- The antioxidants in honey can decrease blood pressure.(23, 24, 25)
- Raw honey contains antioxidants and minerals, so you get nutrients from eating it.(26, 27, 28)
- Honey improves cholesterol, which is a strong risk factor for heart disease.(29, 30, 31, 32)
—> Go back to the FAQs on sour honey
More to Explore:
- Wildflower Honey: Uses, Risks & Benefits
- How to Make Creamed Honey
- Buckwheat Honey: Uses, Risks, & Benefits
In which place is sour honey found?
In 2016, rumors started floating around saying that sour honey is a cure for cancer. Then the big question became, “Where does sour honey come from?” and “What is sour honey from Brazil?”
So here’s the thing:
Some people claim that sour honey is found deep in the Brazilian jungles.
Unfortunately, this isn’t true.
While bees in Brazil produce various types of honey, sour honey isn’t one of them.
So a common question: “Why is Brazilian honey sour?”
And the answer?
Brazilian honey isn’t sour. Honey shouldn’t taste sour, period.
If your honey has a sour taste, it could be because it contains excessive moisture.
If your honey’s moisture content is higher than 19%, then yeast can develop and cause the honey to ferment. Fermented honey is often called “sour” honey, and the taste is unappealing to most people.
But remember:
Sourwood honey is often mistaken for sour honey because it’s similar in name. Sourwood honey is found in North America and is North Carolina’s most famous honey.
—> Go back to the FAQs on sour honey
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What is sour honey used for?
Sour honey isn’t a legitimate honey type, so there technically isn’t a sour honey treatment. Instead, sour honey is mistaken for sourwood honey.
Sourwood honey has a delicious caramel flavor that many people enjoy eating on its own or pairing with other foods. Personally, I enjoy spreading honey on my toast or mixing it with oatmeal.
I even enjoy eating honeycombs because nothing beats that unique flavor.
Honey also offers health benefits like:
- Honey can heal burns, scratches, and wounds because it’s anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial.(33, 34)
- Raw honey contains antioxidants and minerals, so you get nutrients from eating it.(35, 36, 37)
- Honey eases a sore throat and cough, according to a study of more than 300 children.(38)
- Honey improves cholesterol, which is a strong risk factor for heart disease.(39, 40, 41, 42)
- The antioxidants in honey can decrease blood pressure.(43, 44, 45)
But there’s one disclaimer:
Make sure you buy raw and unfiltered honey if you want the health benefits. When honey is processed and filtered, it loses much of its nutritional value.(46, 47, 48)
