Honeycomb is generally considered safe to eat. However, because it contains honey, it is at risk of contamination from C. botulinum spores. These are particularly harmful to pregnant women and children under 12 months of age ( 27 , 28 ).
Nutrients are Sealed In Each Honeycomb Cell
After bees fill a cell in their hive with nectar and let it cure, they cap it with a thin layer of beeswax to protect it. When liquid honey is harvested, the cap is removed and the honey is extracted. In most cases, the honey is then heated or processed in some way, stripping it of nutrition and beneficial substances like pollen, propolis, and royal jelly. With honeycomb, you get the honey still capped in the cell, full of all that bee-made goodness.
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Honeycomb is made up of hexagonal wax cells made by bees, and each cell is full of raw honey. You can eat honeycomb, wax and all! After enjoying the burst of sweetness, some folks prefer to chew the wax like gum and discard it, but there’s no harm in swallowing it, either. In fact, the wax has some benefits of its own (more on that below).
Eating honeycomb might seem foreign to some, but it’s been a part of the human diet for millennia. Honey has been found at an archaeological site in the country of Georgia dating back 5,500 years, and evidence of honey collection was spotted in an 8,000-year-old cave painting in Spain. Experts believe that our ancestors used honey as medicine and a source of nutrition.
Let’s dig into the wonders of this ancient snack. Here are ten benefits of eating raw honeycomb.
Can You Eat Honeycomb? The Answer Will Surprise You.
FAQ
Is honeycomb wax digestible?
Does your body break down honeycomb?
Can honeycomb make you sick?
Is honeycomb good for your stomach?
What happens if you swallow honeycomb?
One of the primary concerns when swallowing honeycomb is the potential for choking. Honeycomb is made up of small cells filled with honey, and these cells can be quite sticky and dense. If a piece of honeycomb gets lodged in the throat, it can pose a serious choking hazard, especially for young children or individuals with swallowing difficulties.
What happens if you eat honeycomb?
It’s also important to limit your intake when starting to eat honeycomb. The beeswax in it can lead to stomach or intestinal blockages. If you were to pour wax down your kitchen sink, it could clog up the pipes in your house. The same can happen with your digestive tract.
Does swallowing honeycomb cause indigestion?
This means that swallowing honeycomb may result in some discomfort or indigestion for certain individuals. It is essential to listen to your body and pay attention to how you feel after consuming honeycomb. If you experience any digestive issues, it may be best to avoid swallowing the honeycomb and simply enjoy the honey instead.
Can you eat unprocessed honeycomb?
Note: Honeycomb is completely raw. Once honey is processed and pasteurized, there’s no longer any honeycomb involved. The potential benefits of eating unprocessed honeycomb are the same as those of eating pure honey. Are There Health Benefits of Eating Honeycomb?