Comprehensive Detailed Guide about Sage Honey

Sage honey is valued monofloral honey because of its low moisture content and prolonged crystallization rate. There are numerous types of sage that honey bees can use in the production of sage honey; however, the most well-known ones are white sage, purple sage & black button sage.

Sage honey usually gets its taste profile, aroma, and color from the most prominent type of sage. Black button and white sage honey are light in color and are commonly found in California. Purple sage, on the other hand, is a darker honey variety which is more commonly found in the state of Texas.

Sage plants usually grow in rocky regions and require a dry climate. It is thus the most common honey plant found in the Mediterranean region in Europe and Southern California, and Texas in the United States. The more significant part of the sage honey available in the market comes from the United States, and California is the biggest producer of sage honey worldwide. In Southern California, Black Button (salvia mellifera) can normally grow along the California coast and in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

White Sage (salvia apiana) is the most prominent nectar source for bees producing sage honey and is found in Southern California. However, Purple Sage (Salvia leucophylla) is the most widely recognized variety in Texas.

Apart from this, the purple sage can be found across the South West, yet the concentrations are not as thick. One of the most prominent European exporters of sage honey in Greece, with key collecting areas including the Parnonas Mountains and Crete.

To produce sage honey, farmers usually allow their crops to blossom so that bees can collect the nectar. Honey bees collect the nectar from sage flowers and mix it with an enzyme present in their mouth. This particular enzyme is known as the "bee enzyme," mainly secreted from the bee's glands.

White Sage (salvia apiana) is the most prominent nectar source for bees producing sage honey and is When the worker bees return to their hives, they will pass this nectar mixing with the enzymes into the mouth of hive bees. This mouth-to-mouth transfer of nectar by the bees reduces the water content converting the nectar into honey. After this process, bees then deposit the honey into wax cells. But still, as the water content is too high, honey bees now fan their wings above the wax cells to evaporate the water.

Once this entire process is completed, the honey will now have water content roughly below 20%, and the process will be repeated by the bees again.

Sage honey has low antioxidant properties yet moderately high degrees of antibacterial activity. Therefore, it is generally compared with manuka honey and has both low moisture content and high levels of peroxide activity. Like all honey, however, its antibacterial properties keep wounds moist, and its high viscosity creates a perfect barrier to prevent further infections.

In the beekeeping business, the advantages of sage honey are more about business than wellbeing. There is cash to be produced using beekeeping because beekeepers sell the honey in various structures, specifically liquid, granular, or dry concentrate. In addition, a few business products contain honey that has been handled with heat. There is also a rewarding benefit in supplements to boost immune strength and overall health.

You should avoid sage honey, assuming you have any allergies that might make you sensitive to one or the other honey or sage. If you are allergic to honey bees and products produced by them, it is good to consult your doctor before using sage honey.

Besides this, any raw honey should never be given to babies under one year of age, increasing the risk of botulism. Infant botulism is a severe condition caused by a specific bacteria present in honey.

The average price range of sage honey in global markets is $2.5 to $4 per 100g.