Best Honey in India – How you will choose the best honey of your choice
Updated on 2024-12-20
To answer the question which is the best honey in India, we need to look at two factors, which is the best selling honey in India, and which are the top quality honey brands in India. Before we go into choosing the best quality honey, we need to know how to assess the quality of honey.
There are several ways to measure the purity and quality of honey. One of the important factors about honey is the health benefits it gives us. The health benefits are the most when the honey is in a raw untreated state. Honey that is commercially available to buy from stores has been treated, pasteurised and altered. If you want the best, purest and most beneficial honey, you should look for raw honey brands.
Getting raw honey brands is not easy but it is not difficult either. However the honey that is most easily available are the commercial varieties. If you find it difficult to get raw and organic honey then it is better to go in for the easily available honey. It is any day better than having white sugar.
What we have tried to do in this article is bring you the best selling most poplar honey in India as well as the most pure and beneficial raw and organic honey.
Here is a quick and easy test to check the purity and natural goodness of any honey.
Take a cotton wick that you commonly get for diyas (available in all kirana/grocery stores), dip it into the honey that you want to test.
Now light up the wick and observe how it burns. If the wick dipped in honey is burning consistently with a clear flame, then it is pure. If the wick burns with crackles and sparks, then the honey has been adulterated with sugar and water.
This is a very easy test to check the purity of honey. Have a look at the natural and raw honey brands featured in the article and choose one you feel convinced about. Order one bottle home, and try this purity test. If it is pure, you can continue to buy that specific brand in future.
You must already know that honey is amazing, healthy, sweet and everything good. It is an amazing natural food, a gift from the Gods. It has many health benefits, it replaces white sugar, that is a quite harmful, and it is gooey and delicious.
Unless you want some extremely specialised medicinal honey that does something specific, like honey that is used as a cleanser for your eyes, this article should give you all the options and information that you need.
10 Best Honey in India raw organic and pure varieties
These are some of the best Honey in India in terms of quality, customer feedback and overall ratings. If you want to check them out in an online store like Amazon, just click the golden honey coloured button and you will see them all with their prices.
1. Dabur 100% Pure Honey
One of the oldest commercial honey brands in India, Dabur is known it quality and affordability. From its vast stable of products, the honey is one of the most popular and well loved.
2. True Elements Raw Honey
This pure raw honey is unpasteurised, unprocessed and unheated, which allows it to retain all its natural vitamins and goodness.
3. Forever Living Pure Natural Honey
The makers of the famous Forever Aloe Vera, their honey is all natural and filled with all of nature's undiluted goodness and sweetness.
4. DYU Pure Artisanal Honey
The name 'Dyu' is derived from the Sanskrit word that means glow, and this pure artisanal honey is naturally extracted Apis Cerana Indica honey from the forests of western ghats.
5. DYU Pure Raw Honey
Dyu pure raw honey contains all the natural vitamins, C, D, E, K, minerals, amino acids and enzymes, and is is unheated, unpasteurised and unprocessed and has no artificial flavours, sugars or additives.
6. Under The Mango Tree Tulsi Honey
This natural honey contains no preservatives or artificial flavours, and is 100% natural amber honey filled with the nectar collected from flowers of the Tulsi herb (Basil).
7. Forever Bee Honey
The makers of the famous Forever Aloe Vera, this bee honey is easily digestible and provides natural sweetness and the goodness of nature.
8. Organic LRM Pure Wild Forest Honey
This 100% pure organic honey contains natural vitamins and minerals and strengthens immunity. This honey is obtained from the deep forest of India through tribal honey hunters.
9. Raw Essentials Pure Unfiltered Multi Flora Raw Honey
This is a 100 percent pure, raw and unfiltered honey. It has been gathered by the bees, and simply packaged as it is in the best possible way that will retain its natural quality and delicate flavour. This honey is bursting with enzymes and minerals.
10. Langnese Pure Bee Golden Clear Honey
This is a high priced honey that is pure and clear, with the golden hue to the best quality honey.
A great way to choose good honey is also by the ratings given by actual buyers of the honey. On the Amazon India site thousands and thousands of buyers have rated the honey they have bought and used. This is a unique list of the top 10 Best Honey by user ratings. You may find something great in this list. Just click the button to check out the top 10 best honey in India by actual user ratings!
Which honey should I buy from so many types and choices
Should I buy pure honey or raw honey or any honey? Which honey is best for regular consumption? What is organic honey?
All these questions pop up in your head when think about buying honey. Eventually you just go with the common choice, say Dabur honey, and don't worry about all of these things.
However we believe that you should know about the types of honey before you make a choice.
Raw honey is best when it comes to health benefits
If you want to buy the most beneficial honey, then raw honey is the best. And in raw honey if you can get local raw honey it is the best amongst the best. Local raw honey will also protect you from seasonal allergies, as it is from your own local area. Raw honey essentially has all the goodness of honey intact and has not been heated, pasteurised or otherwise treated with processes or additives to change it. Thus you get the maximum health benefits from it, and well as great taste.
What if you do not have access to raw honey or organic honey or pure honey, then you should go in for the branded honey commercially available as honey is any day better than raw sugar. Thus your first choice should be raw honey, but if not available then get the next best.
Quick interesting facts about honey
- All over the world, honey is know for its wound healing properties and anti-bacterial properties
- Honey in medicine goes back as far as 5,000 years
- Honey prevents acid reflux and also helps in alleviating the symptoms of diarrhea
- Honey should not be given to children under the age of 1 years
- Honey effectively replaces sugar in many preparations
- It also helps in cold and cough
How to choose the best honey in India
Honey is a wonderful gift of nature that has been used by people for thousands of years. It is said to be very beneficial and has a special place in Indian culture. It has been used by Indians for more than 5000 years and it is mentioned in the Vedas which date back by 3000 years.
Honey has been used in India for its health benefits for ages, and it has a special place in Ayurveda. In fact many Ayurvedic remedies contain honey in them. Right from the simple Grandma’s remedy of drinking warm water with honey and lemon juice in the morning to improve digestion and relieve constipation, to more complex Ayurvedic uses to cure eye diseases, digestive diseases and much more.
Honey has a very strong presence in Indian culture as Lord Krishna and Lord Vishnu are both supposed to have been ‘nectar born’. Lord Krishna is also known as Madhav which is derived from Madhu which is the Sanskrit word for honey. Madhu also means the purest sweetness. In fact one of the symbols of Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna is the blue bee.
What are the different types of honey?
Honey is differentiated in two main ways – first by the kind of treatment the honey has undergone to reach us, and second by the kind of bees that have made the honey.
Raw, Semi Filtered and Pasteurised Honey
Honey is said to be most beneficial in its raw form. This raw form of honey is not usually available in commercial stores, unless it is specifically marked as raw honey. For raw honey you will have to go to your local beekeeper and get the honey directly from him, or a trusted brand that specialises in raw honey. This raw honey contains the maximum benefits as they still have the beneficial enzymes that make honey healthy.
Honey that has been pressure cleaned and lightly heated to remove all little impurities from it is called Semi Filtered or Spun honey. The process used here removes some of the impurities in honey and also lightly heated. This honey still has most of the benefits of honey intact but you have to be sure and trust the brand that offers this kind of honey.
Pasteurised honey is honey that has been heated and treated to make it last much longer, but in the process all the bigger benefits of honey are lost, as the good enzymes in it are made ineffective off by the heat. This kind of honey lasts much longer as the components that cause honey to crystallize has been removed, but in the process all the beneficial properties of honey are lost.
Honey according to the bees that made it and the flowers from which it was made
This is a very specialized categorization of honey, and it results in honey having different health benefits and qualities. The kind of flowers that bees use to make honey, gives the honey different shades of colour, from a near transparent to a brownish golden colour. It is generally believed that darker a honey the better its quality, but then a very light honey can also be very high quality. The differentiation according to the kind of bees that made the honey is a very Ayurvedic specific differentiation, and as such is not useful for people who do not practice Ayurveda. As an example the honey made by large bluish bees is called Makshikam and is used for the treatment of eye diseases, hepatitis, cough, hepatitis and others.
Honey is made by several types of bees, but the most common variety is the honey bee, with the Genus name of Apis, which incidentally is Latin for bee. This is the kind of honey that we all have, but honey is also made by smaller bees living in tree hollows, bumblebees, stingless bees and others.
Honey made from the nectar of different flowers
When bees make honey from particular type of flower, it influences the colour of the honey. Thus honey is found in different shades starting from almost colourless to a deep brownish golden colour. The colour actually has no bearing with the quality of the honey, but it is generally believed that the darker the honey the better its beneficial qualities are.
Some types of honey that have gained some popularity in India are the Clover honey, Sunflower honey, Eucalyptus honey, Wildflower Honey, Acacia Honey etc. The difference is very small and it is mostly discernible in the flavour of the honey.
Interesting honey bee facts –
- Honey bees can fly up to speeds of 24 kmph.
- A hive of honey bees will go a distance equivalent to going round the earth three times to collect 1 kilogram of honey.
- A honey bee can fly for up to 10 kilometers.
Here is an interesting video on the honey hunters of India -
✓✓✓ Top 10 Best Honey in India – the bestselling honey that are most popular in India
The list of Top 10 Best Honey in India, represents the best honey in India according to their popularity. These honey are top bestsellers and have been bought by thousands of Indians. Only most trending honey is featured in the list.
When you buy from the Top 10 Best Honey in India, you can be sure that you are getting a tried and tested honey that has been purchased again and again by many discerning Indian buyers.
Go ahead and choose from the best of honey, which offers the best quality, value and reliability.
#1 Dabur Pure Honey
Product Details
- 100 percent pure honey
- Contains natural vitamins and minerals
- Provides energy and strengthens immunity
- Helps in weight management
- Aids digestion
- Stay fit, feel young
- Dabur honey with warm water every morning helps in managing weight
Price
Rs. 237
Buy Now
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#2 Apis Himalaya Honey
Product Details
- Winner of numerous industry and government of India awards for honey exports.
- This is a Vegetarian product.
- An ISO22000 certification for documented procedure that applies to food safety framed by international body
Price
Rs. 370
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#3 Patanjali Honey
Product Details
- Patanjali pure honey has lower prise and best quality compare to other branded honey available in the market
- This honey has good anti-septic quality so It aids in early healing of injuries. it is a good blood purifier
- It is useful in treating cold, cough and fever
- Patanjali Honey is very effective in reducing the body weight
- Honey mixed with water and vinegar was also used as a vermifuge
- Functions as an excellent antioxidant. Brings about reduction of the wrinkles, blemishes etc signs of aging
- Antibacterial properties of honey are the result of the low water activity causing osmosis, hydrogen peroxide effect and high acidity
- Honey appears to be effective in killing drug-resistant biofilms which are implicated in chronic rhino sinusitis
- Honey has also been used for centuries as a treatment for sore throats and coughs and also in recent times it is as in fact be as effective as many common cough medicines
- Mixed with lemon juice and consumed slowly, honey coats the throat, alleviating discomfort
- Acts as an instantaneous energizer because of its rich contents of sugars which are quickly absorbed by our digestive system and converted into energy
- As it is hygroscopic it speeds up healing, growth of healing tissue and dries it up
- Honey acts as a sedative and is very useful in bed wetting disorders
- Honey is very good antioxidant which restores the damaged skin and gives soft, young looks
- Honey has antibacterial properties due to its acidic nature and hydrogen peroxide producing nature
- Constant use of honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacteria and viral diseases.
Price
Rs. 135
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#4 Organica Organic Forest Honey
Product Details
- Wild honey bees collect nectar from himalayan flowers to create this rare honey
- Woody aroma and a flavour that is complex, lingering and rich
- Organica forest honey is sourced from the himalayas and is as pure as nature intended
- As a natural sweetener, it's a healthy substitute for sugar
Price
Rs. 225
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#5 Pure and Sure Organic Honey
Product Details
- 100 percent certified organic honey, sourced from certified organic bee keepers across India, free from adulterants, natural flavour
- Grown without use of any chemicals, pesticides or insecticides
- Cultivated with controlled organic farming practices
Price
Rs. 130
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#5 True Elements Raw Honey
Product Details
- Raw Honey (Forest Honey) assists in reducing cough and throat irritation as it has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties and phytonutrients.
- Can help in proper functioning of digestive system.
- Helps in reducing weight.
- Raw Honey enhances athletic performance.
- It is a natural sweetener in the purest form and contains no additives at all.
Price
Rs. 515
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#6 Zandu Pure Honey
Product Details
- 100 percent pure and natural
- Lug cap glass bottle pack
Price
Rs. 165
Buy Now
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#7 Dyu Pure Artisanal Honey
Product Details
- Take the healthier route with Dyu pure honey as sweetener for all your juices, mock tails and cocktails
- Dyu means glow in Sanskrit and that's what you find inside every bottle of pure artisanal Dyu honey
- Pure natural sweet taste of Dyu honey makes it the best choice as natural sweet spread on bread, chapati, dosa and idli
- Dyu honey has enhanced therapeutic quality and can act as a sweet option for bad throat, cold and cough
- DYU Honey is pure, naturally extracted Apis Cerana Indica honey from the forests of western ghats in Dakshina Kannada. Apis Cerena Indica also called as the Indian honey bee, a subspecies of Asiatic honey bee.
Price
Rs. 540
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#8 Organic Nation Wild Forrest Honey
Product Details
- Collected from pristine environment
- Himalayan forest honey
Price
Rs. 299
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#9 Forever Bee Honey
Product Details
- Convenient dispensing feature
- Provides quick energy
- Natural sweetener, easily digested
Price
Rs. 850
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#10 Back To Roots Locally Harvested Natural Organic Honey
Product Details
- 100% pure locally harvested honey.
- Nurtured Bees: Our bees are nurtured and raised in the Idduki and Wayanad regions of the
- Western Ghats in Kerala. The natural Flora in these regions are mostly Mahogany, Coffee,
- Cardamom and Rubber which are quintessential for bee keeping.
- Honey Extraction: Our beekeepers extract only mature honey from the Super chamber of the hive. This honey is free from pollen.
- Expertise: Our specialists have conducted extensive research and have more than 3 decades of experience in beekeeping.
- Flavor: Our honey compliments the palate of spices and does not mask the original flavors when added in your dishes.
Price
Rs. 268
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Health benefits of honey
Honey health benefits are numerous, and according to Ayurveda honey is highly beneficial, and is used in over 600 Ayurvedic remedies.
However when we talk about the benefits of honey for people like you and me, we need to be a little practical in our approach. As such honey is not something that will directly cure diseases, but it is overall healthy to have honey. Having said that, here are some of the common ways in which honey is beneficial for health –
A great natural source of energy – Since honey is made up of two types of sugar, it give the benefit of instant energy and also stored up energy. Sugar on the other hand has only one kind of sugar in it. This is also the reason why honey is sweeter than sugar.
For cough and throat irritation – Honey has been traditionally used as a remedy for cough. Honey is natural throat soother and that is how it helps in reducing the symptoms of cough.
Honey is useful for treating wounds – Honey has anti-bacterial properties and has been used since ages for treating wounds. It helps to heal wounds faster.
Building immunity – Honey is a natural immunity builder. It contains antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and when consumed in small and controlled quantities it builds immunity and makes us healthier. It also lowers the risk of many common lifestyle related diseases and other diseases.
Fights some allergies and bacteria – Honey is also know to reduce allergies in some instances, and has been used as a home remedy for allergies for a long time.
Helps in weight loss – This is widespread belief that honey helps in weight loss, but it has to be used carefully as when it comes to calories, honey contains more calories than sugar. If the first thing in the morning, in an empty stomach, you drink a glass of warm water, with one tea spoon of honey and some lemon juice, it will aid in losing weight. The reason being that drinking that accelerates your fat metabolism and it is also a beneficial drink for the liver.
A few warnings about having honey
Although honey is highly beneficial, there are a few instances where honey can cause harm.
The first, that babies below one year of age should not be given honey as it can cause a disease called botulism that can cause complications in infants.
Second, is that if you have diabetes then you should be careful when having honey, as it can raise blood sugar levels, though it is better than sugar.
Third, if you suffer from obesity, then honey should only be consumed after consulting with your doctor.
How to choose the best honey
Some good brands of honey in India
Honey that is commercially available in all stores and even in your neighbourhood shop, is mostly pasteurized honey. Even though the enzymes that are beneficial are not present in it, the honey is still good and delivers many benefits. Here are a few honey brands that are trusted names in India – Patanjali, Dabur, Himalaya and Baidyanath.
Identifying and recognizing a good quality honey
Here are some points to identify and recognize the quality of the honey you are having.
Water Content
The lesser the water content in honey the better it is in quality. The best honey has under 14% water and regular honey has under 20%. At around 18% and less honey is considered to be premium. A good way to test which honey has less water content is to take the two kinds of honey in two glass jars with water tight lids, and lace them upside down. The honey in which the air bubbles move up slower has lesser water and is of better quality.
How processed is the honey
Minimally processed honey contains all the health benefits (minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins) and the good enzymes, as the processing increases the benefits of honey reduce. Thus honey which is strained and minimally heated is the best.
How much pollen is in the honey – less clear honey is better
Raw honey that is minimally processed will contain the pollen in the honey. This will make the honey less clear and it will not look smooth and transparent, but be a little cloudy. This however is a very good thing and shows that the honey is of a much better quality.
How fast does the honey crystallize
As a general thumb rule when you open the container of honey, it should not crystallize for about three months. This however is not a straightforward judge of quality as some high quality honey can start crystallizing within three to four weeks.
What is the viscosity of the honey
A good way to find adulterated honey is to make honey drip from a spoon on to a flat surface. If the dripping honey is in a continuous stream then it is of a good quality, but if it dribbles, and falls inconsistently, then the honey has above 20% water and may be adulterated.