Which is healthier, raw honey or pasteurized honey? A nutritional deep dive

October 31, 2025 •

4 min read

Raw honey contains up to 4.3 times more nutrients and antioxidants than processed, pasteurized honey, according to a study cited by BCB Honey Farm. This significant difference in nutritional content is a crucial factor when determining which is healthier, raw honey or pasteurized honey, as the heating process strips many beneficial compounds.

Quick Summary

Raw honey is minimally processed, retaining its natural enzymes, antioxidants, and pollen, while pasteurized honey is heated and filtered for a longer shelf-life and a smoother texture. This heat treatment significantly reduces the beneficial nutrients, making raw honey the more nutritionally potent option. The choice depends on prioritizing raw benefits or liquid consistency.

Key Points

Nutrient Density: Raw honey retains more beneficial nutrients like antioxidants, enzymes, pollen, and propolis due to minimal processing.
Pasteurization Impact: High heat and ultrafiltration in pasteurized honey destroy or remove many of the natural health-boosting compounds.
Texture & Shelf Life: Pasteurized honey is smooth and stays liquid longer, while raw honey is thicker and will naturally crystallize over time.
Flavor Profile: Raw honey has a more complex, richer flavor reflecting its floral source, whereas pasteurized honey has a milder taste.
Safety for Infants: Both raw and pasteurized honey are unsafe for infants under one year old due to the risk of botulism.
Health Benefits: Raw honey offers potential benefits like aiding digestion, soothing sore throats, and supporting the immune system.

The Difference in Processing

To understand which honey is healthier, it's essential to first know how each is processed. The key distinction lies in the level of heat and filtration applied after the honey is harvested from the beehive.

How Raw Honey is Produced

Raw honey is honey in its most natural state, taken directly from the honeycomb. Beekeepers will typically only strain the honey through a mesh or nylon cloth to remove larger particles like beeswax and dead bees. It is not subjected to the high heat that defines pasteurization. Because of this minimal processing, raw honey often appears cloudy or opaque and may contain small bits of pollen, propolis, and wax. Its texture is generally thicker and it is more prone to natural crystallization over time, which is a sign of its purity.

The Pasteurization Process

Regular, or pasteurized, honey undergoes a significant heat treatment. This process involves heating the honey to high temperatures, often around 70°C or more, before rapidly cooling it. This is followed by fine ultrafiltration, which removes fine particles like bee pollen and propolis. The pasteurization process is primarily done for commercial reasons: it kills yeast cells to prevent fermentation, dissolves natural sugar crystals to delay crystallization, and lowers viscosity for easier bottling. This results in a product that is clear, smooth, and remains liquid for longer periods, which is more appealing to many consumers and provides a longer shelf life.

The Nutritional Contrast

The method of processing directly affects the nutritional value of the final product. Raw honey's minimal treatment preserves key nutrients and beneficial compounds that are destroyed or removed in pasteurized honey.

What Raw Honey Retains

By avoiding high heat and heavy filtration, raw honey keeps its natural goodness intact. This includes beneficial components such as:

Antioxidants: Rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids, which combat oxidative stress and have anti-inflammatory effects.
Bee Pollen: Contains a wide array of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants.
Bee Propolis: A resin-like substance with antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Enzymes: Natural enzymes like glucose oxidase give raw honey its potent antibacterial qualities.

Why Pasteurization Reduces Benefits

The high heat used during pasteurization denatures and destroys many of the heat-sensitive compounds that make raw honey so nutritious. The ultrafiltration process also removes fine particles like pollen, further stripping the honey of its natural benefits. As a result, pasteurized honey has limited health benefits compared to its raw counterpart.

Health Benefits of Raw Honey

Beyond the presence of beneficial nutrients, consuming raw honey has been linked to a number of potential health advantages:

Provides Antioxidant Support: The antioxidants help protect the body from cell damage and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
Offers Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties: Its natural enzymes give it antimicrobial properties, useful for both internal consumption and topical application.
Helps with Digestive Issues: Contains beneficial prebiotics that nourish good gut bacteria and has been traditionally used to soothe digestive issues.
Soothes a Sore Throat and Cough: A classic home remedy, its thick consistency coats the throat, providing relief from irritation and coughing.
Boosts Immunity: The combined antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties can help support the immune system.

Raw vs. Pasteurized Honey: The Comparison

To highlight the key differences, here is a breakdown of how raw and pasteurized honey compare across several factors.


Feature	Raw Honey	Pasteurized Honey
Processing	Minimally filtered, unheated.	Heated to high temperatures and ultrafiltered.
Nutritional Value	High in antioxidants, enzymes, pollen, and propolis.	Lower nutritional value; many beneficial compounds are destroyed by heat.
Appearance	Cloudy or opaque, may contain fine particles.	Clear, uniform, and translucent.
Taste & Aroma	Complex, rich, and more potent flavor profile reflecting the floral source.	Milder flavor and aroma due to heating and processing.
Texture	Thicker, creamier, and crystallizes more quickly.	Smooth, runny, and stays liquid for longer periods.
Shelf Life	May crystallize and ferment over time, but is still safe to eat.	Longer shelf life due to pasteurization preventing fermentation.

Important Safety Considerations

Regardless of the type, honey poses a risk of infant botulism and should never be given to infants under one year of age. This is because honey, both raw and pasteurized, can contain spores of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which can cause a rare but serious form of food poisoning in babies whose digestive systems are not yet developed enough to handle the spores. For adults, these spores pass harmlessly through the digestive system.

How to Choose the Right Honey

If you prioritize maximum nutritional value and a robust, natural flavor, raw honey is the superior choice. Look for products with the label "raw" and be aware of its potential for crystallization. You can gently re-liquefy crystallized raw honey by placing the jar in a warm water bath. For those who prefer a smooth, easy-to-pour honey with a longer shelf life, pasteurized honey is a perfectly acceptable option, though it offers fewer health benefits. Examining the label is the best way to determine the processing level; don't confuse "pure" honey with "raw" honey, as pure honey can still be pasteurized. For a more detailed look at the chemical composition of honey, the National Library of Medicine provides extensive resources on the benefits of bee pollen and other components.

Conclusion: Making the Healthier Choice

In the debate of which is healthier, raw honey or pasteurized honey, the evidence overwhelmingly favors raw honey for its nutritional superiority. By retaining natural enzymes, antioxidants, and valuable compounds like pollen and propolis, raw honey offers more potential health benefits than its heat-treated counterpart. While pasteurized honey serves its purpose for shelf stability and consumer preference for texture, it lacks the rich nutritional profile of raw honey. For the health-conscious consumer, raw, unfiltered honey remains the best option for unlocking the full spectrum of nature's golden elixir. Ultimately, the choice depends on your priorities, but understanding the processing differences is key to making an informed decision for your diet and well-being.

Frequently Asked Questions

Raw honey is more nutritious because it undergoes minimal processing, retaining beneficial compounds like antioxidants, enzymes, and bee pollen that are destroyed by the high heat used in pasteurization.

Pasteurized honey is clear and smooth because it has been heated to dissolve sugar crystals and then ultrafiltered to remove fine particles like pollen, giving it a uniform, liquid appearance.

No, you should never give any kind of honey, whether raw or pasteurized, to an infant under one year of age due to the risk of botulism.

The main purpose of pasteurizing honey is to delay the natural crystallization process and extend its shelf life for commercial purposes, not to improve its food safety for adults.

Crystallization is a natural process for honey and is often a sign of its purity, especially in raw honey. The honey is still safe to eat and can be returned to a liquid state with gentle heating.

While pasteurized honey retains some general nutritional value as a sweetener, the high heat process significantly reduces the amount of beneficial antioxidants and enzymes, limiting its potential health benefits compared to raw honey.

Raw honey often looks cloudy or opaque and is more likely to crystallize. You can also check the product label for the word 'raw' and purchase from a trusted local producer.

Yes, for adults, raw honey is at least as safe, or even safer, than pasteurized honey. Harmful bacteria cannot live in pure honey, and the botulism spores present in both types are harmless to individuals over one year old.