Bee Pollen and Honey,Agave Nectar?

[Mysticalwoman]

Hello I am wondering what is the difference between Bee Pollen and Honey? Is there any difference? Also I just bought some Agave Nectar, at the store there was two different types of Agave Nectar Light or Agave Nectar regular. The ingredients were the same on the Agave bottles is it just an advertising ploy? Also the Agave Nectar light does not taste sweet at all. It says it is a 100% pure Agave Nectar.
Also did it take some time for anyone to change from Honey to Agave Nectar?

[wisslewj]

Hey Mystical,

Aout the agave nectar, as it is fruit (i think apricot) juice, my guess is the light has less sugar?

In regard to the pollen and the honey, the pollen is the kinda waxy chewy stuff and the honey is the sweet yummy stuff. Both are quite good for ya. I would suggest buying the brand "REALLY RAW" because it comes WITH the pollen on the top. That way ya get both! mmmmmm.

By the way for honey to actually be RAW, it must say UNHEATED, not just raw as some raw honey is heated...dont ask me how they still call it raw then lol. And lastly, as this is a raw vegan board, isnt honey outside the vegan definition? (least I though it was? just curious.)

anyway, god bless
Jeff

[Mysticalwoman]

Thank Jeff, I am so confused with sweeteners right now. I usually use Stevia but I have this great tasting recipe for Coconut Kiss, and it say use honey. Ann Wigmore recipe:
1 medium coconut
1-2 C seed meal (cashew,almond,sunflower)
4-6 T unfiltered Honey
1 C pecan meal.
Basically you mix it together and than put it into the dehydrator. My family loves it but I am trying to find a substitute for honey, so everything can stick together.
So far I tried homemade apple sauce no luck. But what is also confusing is
some raw food books say use honey. Now I am totally confused. But I need something that would be a good binder for cookies, if that makes since.
P.S. I also used dates still does not stick together. I was thinking of using prunes next time, any help would be appreciated. Thanks again.

[wisslewj]

RAW UNHEATED honey doesnt work? Man that stuff sticks to everything at my house lol.

Well in any event raw honey is super good for ya. Supposedly it has over 5000 different enzymes in it (didnt even know there were THAT many :D ) and has some amino acids and EFA's and some vits and minerals. Good stuff!

For something sticky, you may try Black Strap Molasses. It isnt technically raw, but it isnt technically cooked either. It is basically a black sludge of minerals that are left after the sugar cane is boiled off. (basically like REALLY thick mineral water ya might say) My bottle says its good for sweeting cookies lol. You would want the 3rd boil unsulphered kind as that has everything removed accept the minerals but retains a small hint of sweetness. I would mix that with the raw honey and see if that works.

I use it to add mineral and electrolytes to my water (just mix a lil bit in a glass) so as to make my deionized water ionized gain. Doesnt taste THAT sweet but it IS sticky! Mixed with honey would be a good combo and add extra minerals.

By the way that recipe sounds yummy...i will be right over! :D

Jeff

[Summerloco]

My mom has honey bees, true raw honey is not filtered or anything...and I guarantee you
if you knew what was in it, you would never ever eat it like that.... when we process her honey we run it threw several layers of cheese cloth to remove all the "impurities".... pieces of dead bees and larva that the bees capped up are some of the stuff in it... our honey is pure honey, without the garbage. (and no chemicals of course) there is typically very little pure pollen in the honey, the bees use that in making the honey, for there to be pollen a beekeeper has to put a special tray that will take it off of their feet as they go into the hive. And the chewy stuff is the wax that they put the honey in, it is called comb.

[Mysticalwoman]

Thanks Jeff and Summerloco. I do use honey Jeff, but just trying to find an altenative for it. But might have to stay with honey. Also Summerloco thanks for telling me what in honey. LOL Now I know I will stick with my stevia for the other recipes.

[mschele]

Jeff, I have been using Really Raw Honey (on my third bottle already). The first thing I do is scrape of the honeycomb on top b/c I didn't realize you can eat it. Is that where the pollen is? And are you actually supposed to eat it as is? I don't particularly like the little pieces that sometimes end up on my toungue.

Thanks.

[Drawn]

Bee Pollen and honey are completely different. Bee Pollen is in the refridgerated section of your HFS and looks like a bunch of tiny little yellow and orange balls about a couple of millimeters in diameter. They taste very much like what I would assume flowers taste; pollen tastes like flowers smell.

[kaybee]

hi--

Just wanted to offer this: I believe that agave is collected from the inside of a particular type of cactus; I think they cut off the top of the cactus and the nectar pools inside and then they scoop it out.

also, mystical woman: try flax seeds (also known as linseed) as a binder in your "baked" goods (i.e. dehydrated goodies). if you grind the seeds in a coffee grinder, then mix them well with some water and let it sit for a few minutes, it will make a "goopy" consistency that helps act as a binder in dehydrated foods. you can also soak them in water without grinding them and they will release the same sort of goopy consistency, but grinding and mixing with water seems to work better in my experience. they will help bind your foods together and theyre also good for you. maybe try adding 2 tbsp or so and some water to recipes.

also--just a note on bee pollen: i could be wrong, but i believe that when beekeepers collect bee pollen and they put those special collection trays or doors on the hive to sweep the pollen off of the bees legs, the doors often also rip the whole leg off of the bees......just a consideration that might concern some of us

kb

[mbf]

Hi,

The darker agave is less processed and the better one to get. Agave syrup is extracted from the core of a pineapple shaped, cactus-like plant native to Mexico.Because of it 93% FRUIT sugar content it is absorbed slowly into the body decreasing the highs and lows associated with sugar intake and is low on the glycemic index.

If yours does not taste sweet I would return it and purchase truly raw agave right here from Alissa's site or go to www.rawfood.com. I would not trust "raw" products from many other places.

Same goes for the honey, but only the really raw honey or the Manuka Raw honey ( my fav) is truly raw.

Hope this helped.

Mara

[mbf]

Forgot about Bee Pollen, I use 2 tbs in my smoothies every morning. The Bee Pollen I use is a complete protein source, rich in antioxidants and contains all 22 amino acids!! I buy mine from www.rawfood.com

Mara

www.rawfoodandfitness.com