What is Clover Honey?
If you buy honey at the grocery store, you may notice that some bottles are labeled “Clover Honey”. Clover honey is the most commonly available honey in the US. But, what exactly is clover honey? And how does it differ from other types of honey?
What is Clover Honey?
As you can probably guess, clover honey is produced by bees that primarily forage on clover plants. Bees collect nectar from clover flowers and then use the nectar to make honey. Clover plants produce a lot of nectar, making them a favorite of honey bees.
Clover is the common name for plants of the genus Trifolium. It is in the pea family, along with over 300 species of flowering plants. Clover leaves are trifolate, meaning they have 3 leaflets. If you are lucky you can find a rare 4 leaf clover.
Clover is a very versatile plant. It is used all over the world for many purposes. It makes great feed for livestock, reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers, and is planted to control soil erosion.
Both bumble bees and honey bees enjoy pollinating clover fields. Beekeepers will often place their hives near or in clover pastures so the bees can benefit from the clover bloom. Farmers get the benefit of pollination and reseeding by the bees.
If you see clover honey in the store, it is unlikely that it is made from 100% clover nectar. That is because bees travel quite far to forage. It is not possible to restrict them to only clover plants. It is more likely that clover honey is made from mostly clover nectar, but also a mix of other light colored honeys.
What Does Clover Honey Taste Like?
The taste of clover honey has been described as mild, light, clean, sweet, and flowery. Clover honey is often used to sweeten tea, coffee, and desserts. The color of clover honey is typically light – ranging from water white to light amber.
Does Clover Honey Have Health Benefits?
Not only does clover honey taste great, it also has some health benefits. Clover honey is high in antioxidants – flavanols and phenolic acid, which are anti-inflammatory and are known to benefit the heart and central nervous system.
Flavanols are a type of antioxidant that can help to regulate blood pressure. They promote better blood flow and transportation of oxygen and nutrients, thus contributing to better heart health.
Clover honey is also cholesterol free. So, if you are struggling with high cholesterol, you can safely eat clover honey. Not only that, clover honey also helps to lower LDL cholesterol levels.
Clover honey contains small amounts of vitamin C, zinc, iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. One tablespoon of clover honey contains 64 calories, 0 grams of protein, fat, and fiber, 16 grams of sugar, and 17 grams of carbohydrates. Like most things, it should be eaten in moderation.
Where to Get Clover Honey
Of course it’s best to buy honey locally, if possible, but if that is not an option, you can get clover honey online. Here are some of my favorites:
- PRODUCT OF USA: Bees roam the vast, high-quality forage lands in the Dakotas, Montana and other Midwest states for our American Raw Clover honey.
- PREMIUM RAW HONEY with natural pollen and enzymes. Packed and sealed with care in clear glass jars.
- Sourced from trusted, select beekeepers committed to tending bees responsibly. We handcraft our premium raw honey for the love of bees, using responsible practices that respect the environment.
- U.S. Grade A, Strained, Kosher for Passover, True Source Certified, Product of USA.
- 100% PURE - Our raw honey is pure and unfiltered with nothing added and nothing removed, preserving the natural nutrients in every bottle.
- LOCAL HONEY BY LOCAL BEES - Truly authentic clover honey provides significantly higher pollen counts giving it a consistent mild and flowery flavor.
- PREMIUM RAW & UNFILTERED U.S. HONEY - Our honey is sourced exclusively sourced in the U.S. and isnt blended with honey from other countries.
- HONEY ON A MISSION - A portion of proceeds from every bottle sold is donated to PACE (Pollinator Awareness Through Conservation & Education).
- 100% Pure & Unfiltered Honey gathered from the nectar of sweet clover flowers.
- Clover honey varies in color from water-white to extra light amber and has a mild, delicate flavor.
- Totally Gluten-free, Without added flavors, Bio, Without preservatives.
- A general purpose honey for all occasions,table use, cooking or baking.
Summary
Clover honey is honey that is made primarily from nectar of clover flowers. It has a mild, clean, and flowery taste. Health benefits of clover honey include heart and cholesterol health.
