This article is for general information only and is not medical advice.
Raw organic honey contains a genuine set of active enzymes — diastase, invertase and glucose oxidase among them — that support digestion and give honey its natural antibacterial properties. Here's what they actually are, and why raw honey retains them while processed honey loses them.
What Are Enzymes?
Enzymes are molecules that help break substances apart so the body can use them. They usually end in "-ase" — lactase breaks down lactose (milk sugar), and lipase breaks down lipids (fats). Raw organic honey retains a genuine, well-documented set of active enzymes that heat-treated, processed honey loses.
Diastase
Also known as amylase, diastase breaks down complex carbohydrates, like those in rice, pasta, grains, potatoes and bread, into simpler compounds the body can absorb. Diastase content varies significantly by floral source — published measurements across different honeys commonly range from single digits up to 30 or more, with darker, more robust honeys such as eucalyptus typically measuring towards the higher end, and lighter honeys such as clover towards the lower end. Diastase content also decreases when honey is heated or stored for a long time, which is why raw, unprocessed honey retains meaningfully more of it than supermarket honey.
Invertase
Invertase breaks down sucrose, the sugar found in table sugar, into glucose and fructose, helping the body digest sugar.
Glucose Oxidase
Glucose oxidase produces hydrogen peroxide, the source of raw honey's genuine, well-documented antibacterial properties.
Other Enzymes and Compounds
Honey also contains other enzymes in smaller or less consistently documented amounts, including proteolytic enzymes that help break down proteins into amino acids. Altogether, researchers have identified over 180 distinct substances in raw honey — sugars, enzymes, organic acids, amino acids, minerals and antioxidant compounds working together — which is part of what makes raw honey a genuinely complex natural food rather than simply a sweetener.
How to Get the Most From Raw Honey's Enzymes
Mix a teaspoon of raw honey into a glass of cold or warm (not hot) water and drink it on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. Taking it this way, before other food, may help the body make the most of these active compounds as part of your morning routine.
Our honeys with particularly high enzyme content include the 20+ Active Raw Organic Coffee Bean Honey and, from our standard range, Raw Organic Pink Lychee Honey.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many enzymes does raw honey actually contain? Honey contains a genuine, documented set of active enzymes, most notably diastase, invertase and glucose oxidase, alongside other compounds in smaller amounts. Altogether, over 180 distinct substances have been identified in honey through peer-reviewed research.
2. Why does raw honey have more enzyme activity than supermarket honey? Heat treatment and filtration, standard steps in processing supermarket honey, break down and remove much of this enzyme activity. Raw, unheated honey retains far more of it.
3. What does diastase actually do? It breaks down complex carbohydrates into simpler compounds. Its level varies naturally by floral source and decreases with heat and long storage, making it a useful indicator of how raw a honey genuinely is.
4. Where does honey's antibacterial activity come from? Mainly from glucose oxidase, an enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide, a natural, mild antiseptic.
5. What's the best way to take raw honey for its enzyme content? A teaspoon in a glass of cold or warm water, on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning.
Sources & References
- Ajibola A, et al. — Honey and Its Role in Relieving Multiple Facets of Atherosclerosis (over 180 substances in honey), peer-reviewed review
- Wikipedia (independently sourced) — Weston A. Price Foundation: documented criticism for spreading medical misinformation, including FDA warnings about its advocacy
Note: an earlier version of this article cited a figure of "over 5000 enzymes" from the Weston A. Price Foundation. That figure doesn't match documented honey science, which identifies a small number of major, well-characterised enzymes alongside roughly 180 total distinct substances in honey overall — it has been removed and corrected above.