The Best Honey from Each Continent: A Global Taste Tour

• North America: Tupelo Honey

• South America: Eucalyptus Honey

• Europe: Lavender Honey

• Africa: Sidr Honey

• Asia: Himalayan Honey

• Oceania: Manuka Honey

The following are different types of honey found around the world on different continents.

1. North America: Tupelo Honey

Found mainly in the Southeastern United States, i.e., Florida & Georgia, this honey is known for its light greenish tint and a mild buttery flavor. This honey has a higher fructose-to-glucose ratio, which leads to its slower crystallization.

Tupelo Honey is harvested from the White Tupelo Tree (Nyssa ogeche) found in the swamps of the Apalachicola River Basin, making it among the rarest and most prized honey varieties.

Tupelo honey is rich in flavonoids, vitamin C, thiamine (vitamin B1), and vitamin B, and several minerals like iron, magnesium, calcium, etc. This gives this honey impressive wound healing, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory features.

Other Notable Honey Varieties: Avocado Honey, Buckwheat Honey, Eucalyptus Honey

2. South America: Eucalyptus Honey

This honey is made from the nectar of Eucalyptus trees (Eucalyptus globulus) found abundantly in Central and Southern Chile. The Eucalyptus honey possesses a woody flavor with hints of caramel or menthol. This honey’s color ranges from light amber to medium dark with a reddish hint in some cases. 

This special honey variety is regarded worldwide for its exceptional antimicrobial features, impressive nutritional profile, and countless medicinal uses.

Other Notable Honey Varieties: Orange Blossom Honey, Buckwheat Honey, Clover Honey.

3. Europe: Lavender Honey

This organic honey variety hails mainly from Provence, France, and it is known for its fruity, floral, and slightly herbal aroma and flavor. Lavender Honey is made from the nectar of Lavandula angustifolia flowers.

It possesses a yellow to amber color and it quickly crystallizes into a creamy or beige-white color. This honey has a smooth and thick consistency and even in crystalized form it has a fine and spreadable texture.

Lavender Honey is rich in antioxidants like flavonoids and tyrosines which protect your body from oxidative stress. This honey also possesses exceptional antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial properties. 

Other Notable Honey Varieties: Linden Honey, Acacia Honey

4. Africa: Sidr Honey

This honey comes from the regions of Somalia and Ethiopia and its source is the iconic Sidr Tree (Ziziphus spina-christi). This honey is known for its slow crystallization rate and amazing medicinal properties and locals have been using it as a natural remedy for hundreds of years.

Sidr honey has a complex flavor that features both fruity and earthy notes. This highly viscous honey comes in amber to dark brown hue, and it gives out a mild floral scent.      

Other Notable Honey Varieties: Wildflower Honey, Macadamia Honey, Acacia Honey, Eucalyptus Honey.

5. Asia: Himalayan Honey

This special type of honey comes from the Himalayan Mountain range, mainly from the regions of Kashmir, Nepal, India, and Pakistan. Honey bees make this honey by foraging a diverse range of flowers that are only found in this very high-altitude region.

Himalayan Honey has a very complex flavor profile which is a combination of tangy, earthy, and floral notes. This honey is mainly harvested by theindigenous Gurung people living in the mountain range and it is believed to have psychoactive properties.

This honey comes in a light amber hue, and it has a moderate crystallization rate. Himalayan honey is rich in antioxidants, grayanotoxins, vitamins, and plenty of minerals.

Other Notable Honey Varieties: Sidr Honey, Wildflower Honey.

6. Oceania: Manuka Honey

Oceania refers to the geographical location in the Pacific Ocean where Australia, New Zealand, and several other smaller island nations are located. This region produces the world famous Manuka Honey, which comes mainly from New Zealand and is known for its creamy texture, slightly bitter flavor, and dark cream to brown hue.

Manuka honey contains a very high methylglyoxal (MGO), which gives it a superior antibacterial and antimicrobial activity.

This honey is used both as a health supplement and a key culinary ingredient due to its many benefits for your skin, digestive system, immune system, and overall physical and mental fitness.

 Other Notable Honey Varieties: Red Gum Honey, Eucalyptus Honey, Clover Honey, Buckwheat Honey.

Conclusion

Honey is probably the only natural sweetener that comes in so many variations in terms of its color, taste, texture, and aroma. From thick and creamy Manuka Honey from New Zealand to fruity and floral Lavender Honey from France, and sweet, light amber Honey from the Himalayas to flavorful Sidr Honey from Somalia, each honey variety encapsulates the special geographical and cultural essence of the continent from where it comes.

Honey is found on every continent except Antarctica, where the temperatures are subzero, making the place inhabitable for bees as well as humans. There are so many honey varieties that you can find on every continent, and in this blog, we have mentioned only a few discernible ones to give you a little taste tour.

So, the next time you are enjoying your favorite monofloral honey, take the time to appreciate its journey from remote parts of the world to your spoons.

You can visit us at Geohoney if you are looking to buy premium quality, raw honey sourced from skilled beekeepers from all over the world at very reasonable rates.