Yes, mad honey is Glyphosate free. Harvested from high Mountainous cliffs, this honey has been harvested from wild areas which is far from human settlement. So, away from humans means no use of pesticides and hence no Glyphosate.
While the contamination of pesticides and herbicides has created enough buzz and fear in the domain of Honey, there is a new worry among the consumers, “Is the type of honey I’m taking glyphosate free?” The health application of honey can be countered by the contamination of Glyphosate present.
What is Glyphosate and why is it used?
Glyphosate is a synthetic, broad-spectrum herbicide developed by Monsanto under the tradename of roundup and was widely used in agriculture. The prime goal was to kill weeds and unwanted plants that competed with the planted crops regulate plant growth and ripen specific crops.
Use of Glyphosate
- Weed Control in Agriculture
- Pre-Harvest Desiccation
- Genetically Modified Crops
- Vegetation control
How Glyphosate reach honey?
In those areas with commercial agricultural practices the use of Glyphosate is common. The main goal of this synthetic herbicide was to improve crop yield by reducing unwanted plants and crops that compete with the main harvested crop.
Thus, farmers in the region spray Glyphosate in certain plants to kill the crop. However those plants sharing the common root system find a way to naturally transfer the Glyphosate sprayed on weed via the root network. Also, spray drift can be a potential reason why some flowering plants get Glyphosate within them.
As the bees cannot differentiate and sense Glyphosate, it is collected along the nectar which later becomes a constituent of the honey. Also, Glyphosate can’t be broken down easily by Sunlight and Air, it stays within the honey made by the bees.
Effect of consuming honey containing Glyphosate
Honey has been categorized as a wellness product because of its wellness advantages. It has been preferred by a wide range of individuals and has found its use in several domains of healthcare, skincare, exotic food and diets. But the minimal trace amounts of Glyphosate has been found in commercial honey samples which raises the concern of natural and organic labelled honey. Even the most medicinal grade honey, “Manuka” is not claimed free of Glyphosate after testing.
Human health is supposed to be affected by this and some individuals and wellness communities are more concerned with the effects of Glyphosate as :
- The trace amounts of Glyphosate is not expected to cause harm but the classification of glyphosate as a "probable human carcinogen" comes from a 2015 report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organization (WHO) which can lead to cancer over prolonged use.
- May cause skin and eye irritation on contact
- Concerns about hormone disruption and effects on gut microbiome
- Controversial links to non-Hodgkin lymphoma in high-exposure cases
With the considerable side effects of the honey containing Glyphosate in the long run, these wellness enthusiasts have started seeking alternatives. One of which is the raw Himalayan honey harvested from high cliffs of Nepal also known as Mad Honey, claimed to be 100% organic and Glyphosate free.
What makes Mad Honey Glyphosate free?
As stated above Mad Honey is not like the normal honey made by the domestic bees. Rather it is a special type of honey made by the Wild Himalayan Honey Bees from nectar of Rhododendron and some wildflowers. In the height above 3500 meters the bees love to forage on the nectar of wildflowers and Rhododendrons which are found in abundance. Since, the bees don’t prefer human intervention, they prefer Himalayan cliff as their prime destinations and don’t precede human settlements. This is one main reason why Mad Honey is claimed to be Glyphosate free.
Also people living in the Himalayan region are involved in less agricultural activities but more in Tourism, Herb extraction and minimal agricultural practices. First of all the plants on the region are untouched by modern agriculture and even if they practice the use of Glyphosate in their crops, the bees are far from foraging on them. That makes Rhododendron Honey completely pesticide and Glyphosate free but keep this in mind, Mad Honey may be completely free of Glyphosate but never free of Grayanotoxin.
This is the reason why Medicinal Mad Honey has stood strong as a pioneer among Glyphosate free honey brands. The brand has been a top supplier and distributor of authentic raw honey sourced from high cliffs of Nepal.
How to know the honey is Glyphosate free?
Finding Glyphosate free honey has been a great hurdle among the wellness communities for the purpose of the honey. Here are some general tips on how one can find and choose Glyphosate free honey.
- Check the labels : One great way is to identify using the labels. Check for labelling stating something like Glyphosate free. Don’t fall for organic labels as they may not be fully organic or have been checked for Glyphosate and other synthetic compounds.
- Non-GMO Project Verified – Since glyphosate is often used on GMO crops (like corn and soy), this label can be an indicator.
- Research the brand : If you are health conscious and have some time to do research before buying the product you can visit their website and find if it contains Glyphosate or not.
- Check for third party lab testing: Third party lab testing can further confirm the honey you are purchasing is Glyphosate free.
- Avoid suspicious sources: Avoiding suspicious sources can be the best way to be free from Glyphosate in honey. You can go for some local
