Chestnut Honey: Why should the retail and food supplements industry consider it?

The particular taste, aroma and look of Chestnut Honey has turned it into a well-appreciated honey variety around the world. 

As the preferences for natural ingredients and remedies continue to grow among consumers, the pharma and food supplement industries are increasingly aware of the specific it benefits and harnessing its potential for product development. 

What exactly is raw Chestnut Honey, what are the main Chestnut Honey benefits and how are brands incorporating this honey variety into their catalogs? Keep reading to find out.

 

What is Chestnut Honey?

Chestnut Honey is a monofloral honey variety produced by bees from the nectar of chestnut flowers. 

The chestnut tree family comprises multiple varieties. In Europe, the most predominant is the sweet chestnut tree (Castanea sativa) which grows in different locations, in Spain is found in the milder regions of the Northern hemisphere and Andalusia including many Mediterranean areas as Italy and highlands in France, Austria and Switzerland. 

In fact, the specific location of the tree, in fact, will produce particular Chestnut Honey varieties: for instance, research has shown the particular palynological characteristics found in honey made from chestnuts situated on the mountainous areas in Galicia, in Northwest Spain.

Other chestnut varieties used in the production of this honey include the American chestnut (Castanea dentata) or the dwarf chestnut (Castanea pumila) in America; and the Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima), the Japanese or Korean chestnut (Castanea crenata) and other species in Asia. 

While we delve into the particular benefits and characteristics of it further down this article, it’s important to note how this honey variety presents several particular features that differentiate it from others.

The following stand out among its main features:

• Higher antioxidant and mineral contents
• A unique taste, look and aroma
• A high pollen content
• High tannin quantities

Combined with the rest of nutritional and health benefits provided by honey in general, these advantages have turned Chestnut Honey into a strong candidate to be added to pharma and food supplements catalogs.

 

Which are its organoleptic notes?

• Dark amber colour, ranging from dark brown to amber with golden or reddish tones
• A faint floral aroma, with a clear and marked woody, dry woodywoody, dry woody.
• Doesn’t crystalize easily

 

How does this honey taste?

The taste of raw Chestnut Honey also presents particular notes and can be considered a complex flavor, which have made it a popular choice among those who dislike sweeter honey varieties. Its flavor is sweet with salty notes and, frequently, if it contains heather, bitter notes; acidic notes if it contains brambles.

It is slightly sour and bitter. Woody tastes can also be experienced, the aftertaste presenting spicy and leather flavor notes. 

 

Chestnut Honey: its benefits

But Chestnut Honey and its peculiarities don’t just apply to its organoleptic notes. Its consumption also brings about a number of particular health advantages:

• Rich in antioxidants, which help inhibit free radicals and their damaging effects such as reducing oxidative stress and the ensuing cell damage. In fact, dark-colored honeys are considered to include higher contents of antioxidants.
• A source of vitamins and minerals, including a high iron content, B and C vitamins. A high content in potassium, manganese, iron, copper, trace amounts of amino acids and other nutrients is also observed on raw Chestnut Honey. This provides a boost in the body’s natural immunological system, among other key benefits.
• Antibacterial and antimicrobial. Chestnut Honey contributes in avoiding the growth of bacteria and microbes thanks to its high hydrogen peroxide content, as well as its low moisture and density  This has proven central to using this honey variety in several pharma treatments, such as anti-acne formulas, those oriented towards the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus,  Escherichia coli, and fungi such as Candida albicans. It’s also a key benefit to include Chestnut Honey in treatments for respiratory infections.
• Protection against heart disease.
• Minimizes digestion issues and can help protect stomach tissues, preventing ulcers.
• Reduces the risk of eye disease.
• Helps in tissue regeneration, being particularly efficient for damaged intestinal tissue.
• Stimulates blood circulation thanks to its high tannin content.
• Is a source of energy thanks to the glucose and fructose it naturally contains, fighting fatigue and restoring energy levels.
• Helps in immunomodulation processes thanks to its high pollen content.
• Presents anti-inflammatory effects, which again make it a firm candidate for pharma treatments for wound healing, diabetic ulcers, throat conditions and acne.
• Research has linked Chestnut Honey to improvements in depression and other mental conditions, providing a slightly sedative state.

 

What makes this ingredient so special among honeys? 

Summing up the information provided so far in the article, the following can be said to be Chestnut Honey’s particularities: 

• It presents a peculiar taste, aroma and smell. This makes raw Chestnut Honey an interesting choice for culinary applications, presenting an alternative to sweeter honey varieties, such as Linden honey or more floral options such as Rosemary Honey and Lavender Honey.
• Chestnut honey has a higher antioxidant activity due to its high content in ascorbic acid, polyphenols and lysozyme. This translates into Chestnut Honey being the favorite to develop products that target throat and respiratory conditions, as well as a very powerful natural ingredient to reduce free radical harm, including DNA damage in cells.
• It presents an exceptional iron content, being specifically beneficial for improving iron deficiency anemias
• The higher content in nitrate (NO3-) that is often found on darker honeys such as Chestnut Honey is also exceptional, further contributing to this honey’s capacities to treat gastrointestinal issues.

However, it’s important to note that in order to have access to all these benefits, consumers should be able to access high-quality Chestnut Honey. Industrial, mass-produced options tend to be pasteurized and filtered. These processes dismantle most of honey’s active elements, reducing its antioxidant, antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. 

In other words: the pharma and food supplement sectors must ensure they have access to reliable raw Chestnut Honey suppliers in order to guarantee they develop top-quality formulas to their clients which truly deliver all this honey variety’s health potential. 

 

The main applications of Chestnut Honey in different sectors

The particular advantages of this honey have put this honey variety in the map for the pharma, food and supplements sectors. 

In fact, this inclusion has taken many forms including Vitamins & Dietary Supplements, Cakes, Pastries & Sweet Goods, Decongestive, Cough, Cold & Flu Relief, Sweet Biscuits/Cookies, Juice,, Breakfast Cereals, Cold Cereals, Bee Syrup for Kids, Energy Drinks, Sports & Energy Drinks, Soup, Wet Soup or Beer formulas, among others.

The following are the three main areas that have turned to Chestnut Honey for product development:

 

New formulas for pharmacy products

The pharma industry has looked at this honey variety’s specific benefits for treating respiratory conditions. As such, it has mainly been applied for products related to cough treatments, among other applications.

 

Food supplements

The growing interest in food supplements that include natural ingredients has put all honey varieties at the forefront of this market segment, and Chestnut Honey is no exception. 

The formulas for including this honey variety in food supplements are multiple, from granola to capsules or syrups.

 

Sweets and spreads

Due to this honey’s particular organoleptic notes, Chestnut Honey presents a distinctive space in the sweet and spread retail sector, providing a marked alternative to other honey varieties.

 

Honey Green+: your trusted supplier of Chestnut Honey in bulk

Looking for a trusted, high-quality it supplier? Look no further.

At HoneyGreen+ we work to provide natural ingredients as a source of value to brands looking to discover healthy alternatives with a positive impact on consumer health and nutrition, all while taking care of the environment.

From this perspective, we offer conventional and organic Chestnut Honey in bulk: our 300 kg. Honey drums have been produced by trusted honey keepers following strict quality control processes that also guarantee ecosystem preservation.

Want to learn more about the specific benefits of Chestnut Honey and how to incorporate high-quality honey into your product catalog? Get in touch with us and see how we can help you.