People have been drawn to honeycomb for thousands of years — long before anyone could explain why. Today we have a clearer picture of what's actually in it: raw honey in its most intact form, surrounded by naturally occurring beeswax, pollen, propolis, and enzymes that processing removes. This post breaks down what raw honeycomb contains, where each component comes from, and why eating it straight from the comb is a different experience than reaching for a bottle of store-bought honey.
You can eat honeycomb — and there are so many different ways to enjoy it!
Raw Honeycomb is Different from Processed Honey
When honey is commercially processed, it goes through fine filtration and pasteurization — steps that extend shelf life and prevent crystallization, but also remove or degrade many of the naturally occurring components present in raw honeycomb. When you eat honeycomb straight from the hive, you get everything the bees put in: the honey, the wax, the pollen, the propolis, and the enzymes — nothing added, nothing removed.
- Raw honeycomb: Unfiltered, unpasteurized, contains naturally occurring pollen, propolis, beeswax, and enzymes
- Processed honey: Filtered and pasteurized, particles removed, stays liquid longer but loses some naturally occurring compounds in the process
- Local honeycomb: Often fresher than commercial options and reflects the specific flora of the region where the bees foraged
Our retail honey store sells honey from small, ethical beekeepers around the USA
What Raw Honeycomb Contains
Raw Honey
The honey inside the comb is raw — it has never been heated or filtered. Raw honey contains naturally occurring enzymes (including diastase, invertase, and glucose oxidase), flavonoids, and trace minerals including calcium, magnesium, and potassium. These compounds are present because the honey has not been processed — heating destroys enzymes and fine filtration removes the particles that carry many of the other naturally occurring components.
Raw honey is also a natural sweetener with a glycemic index typically ranging from 33 to 55, lower than refined sugar (GI of 65+), meaning it provides a more gradual source of sweetness.
Beeswax
The comb itself is made from beeswax — a natural wax secreted by worker bees. Beeswax is completely edible and contains long-chain fatty acids and alcohols. It is soft enough to chew and either dissolves or passes through the digestive system without issue. Beeswax is also widely used as an ingredient in skincare products for its emollient properties — we use it in several of our own products for exactly that reason.
Learn more about what beeswax is and how it is used.
Bee Pollen
Raw honeycomb often contains trace amounts of pollen naturally present in the cells. Bee pollen is a mixture of flower pollen, nectar, and bee secretions — it is what bees collect as a protein source for the colony. It contains amino acids, B vitamins, and trace minerals. Because commercial honey is filtered, most of the pollen is removed; in raw honeycomb, it is still there. Learn more in our bee pollen guide.
Propolis
Bees produce propolis from tree resins, which they use to seal gaps in the hive and protect it from contaminants. Raw honeycomb contains naturally occurring trace amounts of propolis. Propolis has been studied for its antimicrobial properties and is used as an ingredient in some oral care products and skincare formulations. It is one of the components that distinguishes raw honeycomb from processed honey.
Naturally Occurring Enzymes
Raw honey contains several naturally occurring enzymes produced by bees during the honey-making process. Diastase breaks down starches, invertase converts sucrose into glucose and fructose, and glucose oxidase produces hydrogen peroxide as a byproduct. These enzymes are present in raw honeycomb because it has never been heated — pasteurization significantly reduces enzyme activity.
Nutritional Content of Honeycomb
The primary nutritional content of honeycomb comes from the honey itself. Per ounce, honeycomb contains approximately:
- 115 calories
- 27g carbohydrates
- 27g sugars (primarily fructose and glucose)
- 1.5g protein
- Trace amounts of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and B vitamins
The beeswax itself contributes minimal calories as it is largely indigestible — it passes through the system without being absorbed.
Honeycomb as a Natural Sweetener
Because raw honeycomb has a lower glycemic index than refined sugar, it is often used as a natural alternative to processed sweeteners. The naturally occurring fructose and glucose provide energy, while the lower GI means a more gradual release compared to table sugar. That said, honeycomb is still a source of sugar and should be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Try baking with honey and making this delicious Honey Banana Bread!
Honeycomb in Traditional Use
Honey has been used as a food across cultures for thousands of years — records of its use appear in ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Ayurvedic texts. Honeycomb, as the most intact form of honey, has historically been valued for its purity and complexity. Traditional uses have included everything from soothing sore throats with warm honey to using beeswax in early cosmetic preparations. People have always been drawn to things that come directly from nature, unaltered — and honeycomb is about as unaltered as food gets.
Beeswax in Skincare
Beeswax — the structural component of honeycomb — is one of the most widely used ingredients in skincare. Its emollient properties make it a popular base for lip balms, body butters, and face creams. We use beeswax in several of our own skincare products for exactly that reason. Raw honey has also been used historically in topical applications — its low water activity and the naturally occurring hydrogen peroxide produced by its glucose oxidase enzyme are well documented in cosmetic chemistry.
Propolis and Oral Care
Propolis — naturally present in raw honeycomb — is used as an active ingredient in some toothpastes, mouthwashes, and oral care products, valued for its antimicrobial properties. This is a well-established use in the personal care industry. Chewing honeycomb is also a long-standing traditional practice in many beekeeping cultures around the world.
Honeycomb as a Whole Food
One of the simplest ways to think about raw honeycomb is that it is a whole food — nothing has been added, heated, or removed. What you get is exactly what the bees made: honey in its most intact form, surrounded by the wax structure they built to hold it. That is a meaningfully different thing from a filtered, pasteurized jar of commercial honey.
Our raw honeycomb is sourced from small-scale beekeepers in Pennsylvania and Minnesota who harvest only when the colony has genuine surplus. Available online and in our Owings Mills, Maryland store.
Versatile Ways to Enjoy Honeycomb
Honeycomb can be enjoyed in many ways. Eat it on its own, pair it with cheese, spread it over warm bread, or drop a chunk into hot tea and let it melt. It works beautifully on a charcuterie board alongside aged cheeses and cured meats, or stirred into oatmeal for a naturally sweet start to the day. Learn how to properly store it for the best possible experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What nutrients are found in honeycomb?
Honeycomb contains raw honey with naturally occurring enzymes, flavonoids, and trace minerals including calcium, magnesium, and potassium. It also contains beeswax with long-chain fatty acids, bee pollen with amino acids and B vitamins, and propolis — a resinous substance bees produce from tree resins. These are all naturally occurring components of the hive, present because the honeycomb is unprocessed.
How is honeycomb different from regular honey?
Regular commercial honey is filtered and pasteurized, which removes naturally occurring particles like pollen and propolis and reduces enzyme activity. Raw honeycomb is completely unprocessed — it contains everything the bees put in, with nothing removed or added.
What is the glycemic index of honeycomb?
Honey generally has a glycemic index ranging from 33 to 55, which is lower than refined sugar at 65+. This means it provides a more gradual source of sweetness. It is still a source of sugar and should be consumed in moderation.
Is the beeswax in honeycomb edible?
Yes, beeswax is completely edible and safe to consume. It is largely indigestible and passes through the system without being absorbed. Most people either chew and swallow it or chew and discard it — both are perfectly fine.
What is propolis and why is it in honeycomb?
Propolis is a resinous mixture bees produce from tree and plant resins, which they use to seal the hive and protect it from contaminants. It is present in trace amounts in raw honeycomb and is used as an ingredient in various oral care and skincare products for its well-documented antimicrobial properties.
