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In an earlier blog post where I talked in detail about alternatives to Manuka honey, I mentioned Kelulut (or stingless bee) honey. I actually bungled the information. (Go figure!) I made it sound as if Kelulut and Melipnoni were different types of honey. Wrong.
Kelulut honey is from stingless (or Melipononi) bees. My confusion was honest though. I see Kelulut honey mentioned more often as Meliponini honey than as Kelulut.To get clarification, I actually asked the Amazon seller of the honey I will be reviewing this question:
"I am wondering if this is the same as Kelulut honey? I know Kelulut comes from stingless bees and just wonder if this is named after the bees and Kelulut is the name of the actual honey?"
This is the response:
"Yes, it is. In Malaysia, we call it kelulut.
In Indonesia, klanceng.
In Philipina, kiwot.
In Mexico, melipona.
In Autralia, honey pot.
The actual honey is stinglees bee honey. Meliponini is the stingless bee 's scientific name." (my underline and spacing)
What interested me most is that this honey is not as limited by geographical location as is Manuka. The bees are the main thing with Kelulut and not the bush or flower. Manuka honey must come from the Manuka bush.
Anyway, because I talked about it so much in the past weeks and signed up for some newsletters, I was sent a coupon for half off a bottle (a tiny bottle, but, hey) of some stingless bee honey.
Okay, I don't want to sound ungrateful for the coupon but, without it, there is no way I could afford this particular brand. Still, I did try it and I have to say, I am intrigued. So, let's talk about the stingless bee honey - or SBH.
What does it look like?
It's thinner than any other honey I've ever tried. It's thinner than any syrup I've ever tried. I would say that it's like the texture of a regular table syrup that's been warmed.
What does it smell & taste like?
This particular SBH smells exactly like it taste - kind of like a sugary rice wine vinegar. It smells sharp with a slightly sweet scent. And that is exactly what it tastes like: sharp, sweet, tart. Almos like a sour candy if that candy was a syrup. Not medicinal and not unpleasant. Once I tried the first little drop on my tongue, I realized I actually like the taste.
Now I won't be drinking this. And I will never put it into my black tea or coffee. It tastes best by the small teaspoon-full or added to some green tea - or plain water. Personally, I prefer to just toss back the teaspoon and be done with it.
How am I using it?
From looking at some biotech info online, my neighbor Teach figured out that the benefits of SBH depend on the origin of the bee product. The brand I have (Meliponini) is from Indonesia and is mainly antiinflammatory. Along with SBH products from all regions, it's being looked at for antimicrobial, cancer-fighting, anti-oxidant, and other potential benefits.
I am using it primarily for 2 things: for tooth and gum health and for its benefits to the skin.
I have been rubbing a bit of the SBH on my gumline after every brushing. I've always used a moisture mist after I clean my face in the morning and before bed. The mist is just a small bottle of my own blend of rosewater, a touch of rosemary oil, and a bit of whatever carrier oils I happen to have. Lately, it's been almond, jojoba and some repair Vita Oil from Making Cosmetics. I added about 6 drops of the SBH to this mix.
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| Yeah, I need a new spritz bottle. LOL |
In the colder and drier months, I kept that bottle in my purse to take to any appointments or outings. The Iowa sun is mean. The summer months here are very humid but I still spritz my face because I tend to keep the apartment pretty dehumidifier. I don't know what it is about sleeping but my face can feel like a desert if I don't moisturize for the night!
Okay, so I don't know yet if the SBH is doing any good for my teeth and gums. Between age, medicine, and all those years I smoked, I'm lucky I still have teeth so I'm just glad for that.
However, I must say that I love, love, love what the moisturizing boost the SBH gave to my face mist. I mean, my mist is already really good but... the honey helps the moisture last and last.
By the way, I tried using Manuka honey in my mist once but Manuka tends to be really sticky. The SBH - already so thin, remember? - just mixes in well with the oils and liquids. It works so well that I have been spritzing my hair with it every now and then.
Will I buy more?
I am not sure that I would get this particular brand again. For one thing, I want to try something from one of the other origin countries. Teach pointed out that the SBH of Malaysian origin is supposed to be great for anti-anxiety and improving memory. Well, hello.
Another thing that might have me shopping around is the price. This brand is as expensive as Manuka UMF 15+. With my limited budget, I need to make sure I am trying an SBH that better matches my needs.
This bottle is just too tiny...
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| I am glad they offer a small size though! |
The one good thing about this brand is that it came in small amounts. I didn't have to look at the $40 - $80+ sizes. This 80ml bottle was perfect for a trial run and with the coupon, it wasn't much of a strain on the wallet. Because I am not taking the full suggested daily serving of a full tablespoon (for a total of 5 in this container), this one will last me for a minute. As I said. I am just dabbing some around my teeth and gums and added a few drops to my face mist.
To summarize:
I'm really glad that I was able to try this out. I love it enough that I want more for use on my skin. Depending on how long this 80ml size lasts, it will be well worth laying out a full $17 for it. Unfortunately, I cannot in any way afford to take it daily by the tablespoon.
I do think it's worth my trying another natural remedy that could benefit my health. I'd rather take a mouthful of sweet-and-sour honey than another prescription med.
Next, I plan to try a stingless bee product from one of the other countries and see if there is that big of a difference.
Peace
--Free
