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Why Your "Organic" Honey Is Full Of Pesticides (w/ Eric Mason)

PS

Paul Saladino1h 40m · 2025-05-20

Support Rate

82%

164 of 199 claims supported

Support rate

164 of 199 claims supported

164 supported35 partial / not

Claims from this content

98

Well SupportedDiabetic patients consuming high amounts of honey (up to 180+ grams/day) in a study lost weight and became more insulin sensitive, despite an increase in hemoglobin A1c.Well Supported5 grams of creatine daily is sufficient for saturation and benefits within weeks for most individuals.Well SupportedTo obtain health benefits from honey, it should be raw, filtered, organic, and tested for glyphosate contamination.Well SupportedLineage offers a 'nose-to-tail' collagen supplement containing types I, II, and III collagen, derived from beef, trachea, and scapula cartilage.Well SupportedHoney collection is widespread among foragers in warm climates, including the Hadza, and has been part of ancestral diets since early hominins.

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A. Volkovreader

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Bookmarking — the dossier-vs-overview split is the right call. Most of the time I want overview; sometimes I want receipts.

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Would love a "what would change this verdict" RSS feed. Sign me up if it exists.

Well SupportedProcessed sugar intake can lead to gut dysbiosis, increasing endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide) levels, which triggers inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Well SupportedHoney can be contaminated with glyphosate and other pesticides, and glyphosate-free, raw, and organic honey is available.

Well SupportedThe Hadza people prioritize eating meat, berries, and honey, using tubers as a fallback food.

Well SupportedHoney has prebiotic properties and can contribute to high gut diversity, low inflammation, and good health markers.

Well SupportedIncreasing insulin sensitivity is the primary goal in managing insulin resistance, achievable through diet and exercise.

Partially SupportedThe Hadza people, who have been studied for cardiovascular health, consume honeycomb with larvae and honey during hunting expeditions.

Partially SupportedRoyal jelly, bee pollen, and propolis may have beneficial nutritional components.

Partially SupportedHoney consumption has been shown to improve the oral microbiome, teeth health, and potentially reduce oral candidiasis.

Partially SupportedHoney may help balance the microbiome and decrease dysbiosis due to its rich compound content.

Partially SupportedSugar is harmful because it causes gut dysbiosis, leading to increased endotoxin, inflammation, and metabolic dysfunction.

Partially SupportedChoose organic, cold-pressed, recently harvested olive oil with a visible harvest date, packaged in dark glass bottles.

Partially SupportedIndustrial agriculture is unhealthy for the environment, bees, and humans.

Partially SupportedGlyphosate-free honey certifications may indicate a product free from glyphosate contamination.

Well SupportedThe rise of industrial food systems after World War II coincided with a significant increase in the use of pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides.

Partially SupportedMany ornamental plants purchased from nurseries have coated seeds that introduce toxins into the ground.

Partially SupportedFor most people in suburban America, the primary goal should be to consume good honey and good food.

Partially SupportedAn organic honey label does not guarantee glyphosate-free status.

Partially SupportedThreats to bee populations are similar to those that threaten human health, such as diet and environmental stressors.

Partially SupportedHoney has been found to be edible even after thousands of years, as evidenced by apocryphal stories of honey from Egyptian tombs.

Partially SupportedA product advertised as 'made with real honey' can be considered a 'fake honey product' if honey constitutes only 1-3% of the ingredients.

Partially SupportedHoney is a beneficial food, whereas highly refined sugars added to products are not.

Partially SupportedBees producing Lineage honey are fed only their own honey, not sugar.

Partially SupportedRaw honey is preferable to processed honey because processing, such as heating, constitutes refinement.

Partially SupportedRaw, unfiltered honey likely contains trace amounts of propolis, royal jelly, and bee pollen.

Partially SupportedGlyphosate and pesticide contamination are detrimental to human health.

Partially SupportedBees create 'bee bread' by mixing pollen and honey, which is then fed to the larvae to support their development into adult bees.

Partially SupportedResearch suggests honey consumption may improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity.

Partially SupportedProducts labeled 'honey syrup' should be assumed not to be pure honey.

Partially SupportedRaw honey is minimally processed and contains more of the natural components of honey.

Partially SupportedPurity testing for honey should include testing for 400 different substances.

Partially SupportedHoney is a healthy full food that is not pure sugar.

Partially SupportedThe Maasai people, who are primarily pastoralists, consume milk as a staple food.

Partially SupportedWheat is not pollinated by bees.

Partially SupportedProducts with the 'True Source' label indicate that the honey used is genuine.

Partially Supported50-70% of olive oil is contaminated or adulterated.

Partially SupportedBees are generally docile because they are not interested in humans or human food, but rather in honey and pollen.

Partially SupportedBees transfer nectar between individuals multiple times, potentially mixing microbiomes to increase diversity.

Partially SupportedSome beekeepers may use insecticides within the hive to manage pests like mites.

Partially SupportedThere are approximately 20,000 different species of bees.

Partially SupportedHoney has an almost infinite shelf life due to trace amounts of hydrogen peroxide derived from bee enzymes.

Partially SupportedNeonicotinoid insecticides sprayed on seeds expose bees and insects when 80-90% enters the soil and the remainder is absorbed by the plant.

Partially SupportedHoney contains over 300 characterized chemicals, including prebiotics, pollen, royal jelly, and propolis.

Partially SupportedThe breakdown products of neonicotinoids can affect the gut biome of bees, hindering their nutrient absorption.

Partially SupportedPure raw honey labeled with a specific origin is likely to be genuine.

Partially SupportedHoney is heated during processing to reduce fluid, prevent crystallization, improve shelf appearance, and facilitate transport.

Partially SupportedBees collect nectar using their proboscis, which functions like a straw with hairs that conduct nectar via capillary action, serving as their carbohydrate source.

Partially SupportedHoney is a biologically diverse food containing prebiotics, pollen, royal jelly, and propolis.

Partially SupportedCompounds from flowers consumed by bees positively affect the human microbiome.

Partially SupportedHoney is twice as sweet as sugar, allowing for less to be used in cooking.

Not SupportedBees fed high-fructose corn syrup have compromised gut biomes, making them less healthy and less able to absorb nutrients.

Partially SupportedProducing organic honey in the US is difficult due to pesticides and herbicides near hives.

Partially SupportedFeeding bees sugar when they are stressed or unhealthy can exacerbate their condition.

Partially SupportedThe presence of bees increases environmental diversity, which decreases water runoff and erosion, leading to cleaner water and air.

Partially SupportedRoyal jelly is a secretion from nurse bees focused on brood care.

Partially SupportedBeekeepers can treat verroa mites using enzymatic or chemical methods, followed by a six-month break before the next treatment.

Partially SupportedPesticides like Roundup can contaminate honey even from pesticide-free yards if neighbors use them.

Partially SupportedNeonicotinoids are a contributor to colony collapse disorder in bees.

Partially SupportedRoyal jelly is a secretion from bees that contains higher amounts of nutrients, sugar, and protein, and is fed to all bees at the start of their life, with queens receiving it throughout their development.

Partially SupportedLineage collagen includes sea salt to aid in collagen absorption.

Partially SupportedHoney is considered healthy for humans.

Partially SupportedFor honey to be labeled organic, there must be a five-mile radius around the farm where no herbicides or pesticides are used.

Partially SupportedThe EPA does not regulate seed coating with neonicotinoids, allowing systemic contamination.

Partially SupportedHandling approximately 500,000 to 600,000 bees over two to three hours without a suit resulted in two stings, one on the ear.

Partially SupportedFactors harming bees, such as consequences of food systems, also contribute to human health issues like obesity.

Partially SupportedGlyphosates and neonics can contaminate water sources, posing a risk to bees.

Partially SupportedLeaving leaves in the yard in the fall and spring can support bees that live in the ground.

Partially SupportedBees are a keystone species and an early indicator of health.

Not SupportedNeonicotinoid insecticides in industrial farming negatively affect the bee gut biome and health.

Not SupportedHoney Nut Cheerios contains glyphosate, pesticides, and high fructose corn syrup.

Not SupportedHoney sold in plastic containers is likely adulterated.

Partially SupportedBeekeepers may feed bees a mixture of white cane sugar and water to ensure colony survival or strength when natural sources are scarce.

Partially SupportedHoney produced by bees fed sugar water is not true honey because it lacks pollen and nutrients and is essentially processed sugar water.

Partially SupportedChildren should be provided with real food for dinner that sustains them until lunch, rather than food that causes a sugar rush before school.

Partially SupportedConcentrating managed bees for almond pollination creates a high risk of pathogen sharing.

Partially SupportedRaw honey is produced through centrifugation without further straining or heating.

Partially SupportedBee colonies in urban environments can collect trace amounts of lead and arsenic in their comb and honey from local plants.

Partially SupportedBees can act as an indicator of environmental contaminants, which can then be found in honey.

Partially SupportedHumans generally need more exposure to 'wild' elements in their lives, and bees can serve as a way to achieve this.

Partially SupportedThe verroa mite transfers pathogens to bees, weakening their gut biome and contributing to colony decline.

Partially SupportedMigratory bees in the US are fed a diet of single crops, contributing to poor health.

Partially SupportedHoney labeled with a specific origin is likely real honey due to verifiability.

Partially SupportedIngredient honey testing often only verifies the point of origin, not its integrity during transit or before product integration.

Partially SupportedPesticides or heavy metals can concentrate in the wax of comb honey if the producer is not reputable.

Partially SupportedThe Hadza people do not typically eat vegetables other than tubers or salads.

Not SupportedNeonicotinoids can disrupt bees, causing disorientation, shortening their lifespan, and potentially leading to immediate death.

Not SupportedAlmonds may not be beneficial for the human gut due to difficulty in digestion.

Partially SupportedThe sound octave of a beehive can have therapeutic help for individuals with bipolar disorder or other mental health issues.

Partially SupportedStudies suggest 30-70% of store-bought honey may contain contamination.

Partially SupportedBees can reflect human emotional states; if a person approaches them calmly, the bees will respond calmly.

Partially SupportedRoyal jelly, propolis, and bee pollen are potentially beneficial bee products that warrant further research.

Partially SupportedRoyal jelly is analogous to bee colostrum as a potent initial nutrient source.

Partially SupportedCreatine is tasteless and does not require flavoring or sweetening agents.

Partially SupportedWorker bee hairs have a positive electrical charge that facilitates pollen collection via electrostatic interaction.