The secret’s out.

Orange blossom honey is one of the most delicious types of honey on the market.

Let me put it this way:

There’s a reason why orange blossom honey is a best seller online and at farmer’s markets. If you try this honey, it’ll quickly become one of your favorites.

So, are you ready to learn more about orange blossom honey?

Let’s jump in.

What is Orange Blossom Honey, Exactly?

Orange blossom honey comes primarily from bees who pollinate orange trees. This type of honey is produced in Florida, California, and Texas.^{(1, 2, 3)}

Sometimes orange blossom honey comes from a combination of citrus trees, including:

• Tangerine trees
• Mandarin trees
• Lemon trees
• Lime trees
• Grapefruit trees

To be called orange blossom honey though, it must come primarily from orange trees. If it doesn’t come primarily from orange trees, then it’ll just be labeled “citrus honey.”

That brings us to our next point…

What Does Orange Blossom Honey Taste Like?

Make no mistake.

Orange blossom honey is delicious.

As you probably guessed, it has a sweet taste with a subtle orange flavor to it.

This light, fruity taste melts on your tongue and complements tea incredibly well. Sometimes I’ll find myself going back in for an extra spoonful of it. That’s how I know it’s good.

But just as good as the taste?

The smell. It’s incredible.

It has a delicate citrus aroma that smells fresh. I love cracking open a jar of orange blossom honey for that reason alone.

If you close your eyes as you smell it, you can almost envision yourself walking through beautiful citrus groves.

2 Critical Things to Know About Orange Blossom Honey Before Eating It

There’s something you should know.

When you buy orange blossom honey, you want to make sure the jar says “raw and unfiltered.”

How come?

Because raw and unfiltered honey is different from the processed honey you find at the store. Not only does it taste better, but it also contains antioxidants, enzymes, and other key nutrients.^{(4, 5, 6)}

But processed honey?

Not so much.

When honey goes through heavy processing, the FDA no longer considers it real honey. This is because processed honey gets stripped of its nutrients during pasteurization.^{(7, 8, 9, 10)}

Not good.

So make sure you buy raw and unfiltered honey if you want to enjoy the taste and the health benefits.

Secondly, there’s just one final disclaimer:

Don’t give honey to babies under 12 months old.

Honey can contain spores that lead to infant botulism. Infant botulism can cause muscle weakness, weak cries, and problems breathing in babies.^{(11, 12, 13)}

So in summary?

1. Make sure you buy raw and unfiltered honey
2. Don’t allow babies to eat honeycombs or honey if they’re under 12 months old

Now are you ready to learn about the benefits?

Let’s dive in.

5 Benefits of Eating Orange Blossom Honey

Spoiler alert:

Honey is a superfood.

Between its antioxidants, enzymes, and minerals – it’s been shown to come with an enormous amount of health benefits.

In fact, the use of honey has been traced back to nearly 8,000 years ago. Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans all used honey for its medicinal purposes.^{(14, 15, 16)}

So, what specific benefits can you get from orange blossom honey?

Let’s find out.

Benefit 1: Honey Has Incredible Benefits for the Skin

Orange blossom honey is antibacterial, which makes it a natural antibiotic. As a result, honey promotes faster wound healing.⁽¹⁷⁾

More specifically, honey contains hydrogen peroxide, which kills off bacteria. It also has a high sugar content and low pH level, which pulls moisture away from bacteria.^{(18, 19)}

In fact, honey has been shown to be effective for wound care in numerous studies.⁽²⁰⁾

More surprisingly?

Honey has been successfully used as a treatment for diabetic foot ulcers. In one study, a whopping 97% of patients reported that topical honey healed their foot ulcers.^{(21, 22, 23)}

And if that’s not enough:

Certain skin conditions like rashes, psoriasis, and herpes lesions have been successfully treated with topical honey.^{(24, 25)}

Benefit 2: Honey Can Calm Your Sore Throat and Cough

I’ll shoot straight with you:

I always make sure I have a jar of orange blossom honey handy for cold and flu season.

Why?

Well, a few reasons:

Honey has been shown to be more effective than some over-the-counter cough medicines.^{(26, 27, 28)}

To take it a step further:

One study of 300 sick children showed that honey was successful at soothing their upper respiratory infections. In turn, the children reported sleeping better once they used honey to treat their symptoms.⁽²⁹⁾

Other studies have found similar results.

For example, another group of more than 100 sick children reported decreases in cough severity and improved sleep quality when eating honey.⁽³⁰⁾

Benefit 3: Honey Can Lower High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is known as a silent killer.

Oftentimes, it has no obvious symptoms. And unfortunately, more than 100 million Americans suffer from high blood pressure.^{(31, 32)}

Why is this important?

Because managing blood pressure can result in a lower risk of heart attacks, strokes, and heart disease.^{(33, 34, 35)}

Can honey help?

Yep, you guessed it. It can.

For starters, honey contains antioxidants that have been shown to lower blood pressure.^{(36, 37)}

Honey has also been researched in rats. In one study, honey offered protection against high blood pressure in rats fed excess calories. Another study showed honey lowering systolic blood pressure in rats who developed spontaneous hypertension.^{(38, 39)}

Benefit 4: Honey Promotes Heart Health

Just when you think the health benefits of honey are done, they keep coming.

Honey is full of antioxidants that support your immune system and heart. For example, the phenolic acids and flavonoids in honey can improve your cholesterol levels. In turn, this can decrease your risk for heart disease.^{(40, 41, 42)}

Additionally, honey can help dilate the arteries in your heart. This increases your heart’s blood flow and helps prevent blood clots. As a result, this lowers the risk for strokes and heart attacks.⁽⁴³⁾

And last but not least:

A study of rats showed that honey successfully protected their hearts from oxidative stress.⁽⁴⁴⁾

Benefit 5: Honey is Better Than Sugar

Honey elevates blood sugar levels, but not as much as refined sugar.⁽⁴⁵⁾

This makes honey an option for people who want to monitor their sugar intake.

Better yet?

When you use honey instead of sugar, you get all the benefits we previously mentioned:

• Wound and skin healing
• Soothing of coughs and sore throats
• Heart health promotion
• Potential lowered blood pressure

So now the question becomes:

Are you ready to add orange blossom honey to your diet?

Here’s how:

10+ Delicious Ways to Enjoy Orange Blossom Honey 

Orange blossom honey has a sweet taste with a hint of orange flavor to it. That’s why I love pairing it with breakfast foods like toast, bagels, and English muffins.

It’s also one of my favorite types of honey to add to tea. It gives the tea a citrus, sweet flavor that’s great for kickstarting your day.

Orange blossom honey also makes the perfect marinades for meats like ham and turkey – that balance of sweet and savory makes a delicious combination.

Even better?

You can enjoy orange blossom honey all by itself.

Trust me.

Once you try a spoonful of it, you won’t be able to stop at one. You’ll find yourself going back in for multiple tastes.

Besides breakfast, teas, and marinades, orange blossom honey also pairs well with:

• Smoothies
• Cheeses
• Baked goods
• Granola
• Oatmeal
• Yogurt
• Ice cream
• Wine
• Fruit

The bottom line?

You can’t go wrong with orange blossom honey.

Related: What is Beeswax?

Orange Blossom Honey Nutrition Facts

My favorite orange blossom honey comes from Bee Harmony. The nutrition for their honey is:

• Calories: 60 calories
• Protein: 0 grams
• Fat: 0 grams
• Carbs: 17 grams

Bee Harmony’s orange blossom honey is raw and unfiltered, so it’s still rich in nutrients that give it health benefits. For example, honey offers small amounts of iron, zinc, magnesium, and potassium.⁽⁴⁶⁾

It also contains flavonoids and phenolic acids, which are antioxidants that support heart health and improve cholesterol levels. Such antioxidants can lower your risk for heart disease.^{(47, 48, 49)}

FAQs about Orange Blossom Honey

• Does orange blossom honey have Vitamin C?
• Where does orange blossom honey come from?
• Is orange blossom honey good for you?
• Is orange blossom honey better than regular honey?
• Does orange blossom honey taste different?
• Does orange blossom honey crystallize?
• Can I learn how to make orange blossom honey?
• Wildflower vs. orange blossom honey
• Orange blossom honey vs. clover honey

Does orange blossom honey have Vitamin C?

Yes, orange blossom honey does contain some vitamin c. In fact, vitamin c has been discovered in almost all types of honey.^{(50, 51, 52)}

With that said, honey shouldn’t be relied on for vitamin c alone. Fruits like oranges and strawberries are better sources of this vitamin.

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More to Explore:

• What is Longan Honey?
• What is Blueberry Honey?
• Allergic to Honey: Signs of a Honey Allergy + Treatment

 

Where does orange blossom honey come from?

“How is orange blossom honey made?” is a common question.

Orange blossom honey comes from bees who primarily pollinate orange trees. That said, sometimes bees will pollinate both orange trees and other citrus trees.

This results in a mix of citrus honey from trees like oranges, tangerines, lemons, grapefruits, etc.

But, if the honey contains at least 20% orange blossom pollen or more, then it can be considered orange blossom honey.

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More to Explore:

• What is Alfalfa Honey?
• What is Sage Honey?
• What Are Honeycombs Make Of?

 

Is orange blossom honey good for you?

Yes, as long as the orange blossom honey is raw and unfiltered, then you’ll get the maximum health benefits.

If you want to read more about raw orange blossom honey benefits, click here.

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More to Explore:

• What is Goldenrod Honey?
• What is Leatherwood Honey?
• What is Heather Honey?

 

Is orange blossom honey better than regular honey?

This is a tricky question to answer.

Here’s why:

The term “regular honey” is vague because there is no such thing.

How come?

Because there are more than 300 unique types of honey.⁽⁵³⁾

Honey can also range in color from dark honey to light honey.

So when someone says “regular” honey, do they mean buckwheat honey?

Do they mean sourwood honey?

Or do they mean another type of honey?

You get my point.

It ultimately comes down to the taste and health benefits. If you like a sweet flavor with a hint of citrus, then you’ll love orange blossom honey.

If you’re only concerned about the health benefits and don’t care about taste, then you might prefer manuka honey or buckwheat honey. These two types of honey have been studied closely in clinical settings, which makes them a solid choice for medicinal use.

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More to Explore:

• What is Chestnut Honey?
• What is Sunflower Honey?
• What is Linden Honey?

 

Does orange blossom honey taste different?

Yes, orange blossom honey tastes unique because of its sweet, slightly citrus flavor. It’s delicious and pairs amazingly well with breakfast foods and teas. I also love putting it in marinades.

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More to Explore:

• What is Fireweed Honey?
• What is Honeydew Honey?
• Honey for Skin Benefits: Directions, Uses, & Risks

 

Does orange blossom honey crystallize?

Yes. Orange blossom honey tends to crystallize faster than other types of honey.

But don’t worry.

Crystallized honey is still honey. It’s just in solid form. You can easily learn how to decrystallize honey in three steps. This will bring it back to its liquid state where you can easily pour it again.

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More to Explore:

• Acacia Honey: The Taste, Health Benefits, & Risks
• Do Honey Pasteurization Ruin Honey?
• 8 Scientific Benefits of Raw Honey

 

Can you learn how to make orange blossom honey?

No, if you want authentic orange blossom honey instead of an orange blossom honey substitute, then you’ll have to leave it up to the bees.

We recommend Bee Harmony’s orange blossom honey for the best flavor.

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More to Explore:

• Why Does Honey Crystallize?
• Does Honey Go Bad or Expire?
• What is Eucalyptus Honey?

 

Wildflower vs. orange blossom honey

Both wildflower honey and orange blossom honey come with their fair share of health benefits.

But how do they differ in taste?

Well, orange blossom honey has a sweet flavor with citrus undertones.

The taste of wildflower honey is tricky to pin down because no two jars taste the same. This is because there are more than 6,000 wildflower species in the United States alone.⁽⁵⁴⁾

So wildflower honey from California will taste different than wildflower honey from North Carolina.

But here’s what I will say:

Most wildflower honey has some type of a light, fruity taste. It’s got a nice sweetness to it that lingers in your mouth.

If you prefer citrus undertones, try orange blossom honey. If you want a general fruity, sweet honey, then try wildflower honey.

For me personally?

I enjoy both.

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More to Explore:

• How to Make Creamed Honey
• How to Store Honey Properly
• What is Clover Honey?

 

Orange blossom honey vs. clover honey

Clover honey is well-known for its sweet, floral taste. In fact, it’s the most popular honey available in the United States. So if you go to your local farmer’s market, chances are you’ll see several bottles of clover honey.

Orange blossom honey is sweet but with orange undertones. If you like citrus notes in your honey, then you’ll love orange blossom honey.

Again, they both come with health benefits so it mostly comes down to taste.

As a honey enthusiast, I love both.

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