Stingless bee honey is a precious bee product of the stingless bee. Stingless bee honey is different from that produced by the bees of the genus Apis (i.e., the honey bee) in terms of its color, taste and viscosity (Almeida-Muradian et al., 2014, Guerrini et al., 2009).
At Rancho Bonanza we harvest the honey directly from the forest from the meliponary.
Melipona honey has traditionally been consumed directly. It is used in numerous medical practices:
There is solid evidence (numerous cases and scientific studies) showing that honey Melipona (stingless bees) contains bioactive compounds such as proteins, flavonoids, and polyphenols. With its high antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity, Melipona honey is a natural product indicated for the treatment of diseases, even serious ones like cancer.
Science shows that Melipona honey`s chemopreventive and immunoregulatory properties have served in the remission of degenerative diseases.
Some of the beneficial effects of Melipona honey are:
- Moisturizing effect on the skin, great for the honey Face Mask
- Wound healing Properties
- Treatment of respiratory system diseases such as asthma and bronchitis
- Treatment of eye diseases such as conjunctivitis, glaucoma, and cataracts
- To relieve coughs, sore throats, and mouth ulcers
- Gastrointestinal tract diseases
- Ease menstrual period pain
- Supplementary aid to kill harmful bacteria and cancer cells, especially mouth and colon.
- Cholesterol and lipid-lowering effects in cardiovascular diseases
- Increase energy and stamina
Melipona bees can only produce 350g-1000g of honey per year. A colony produces less than 1kg (735ml) per year which accounts for why it is expensive.
When you take a tour at Rancho Bonanza we take you to our meliponary. After a short explanation of the honey making process and health benefits, we invite you to try the honey.
At the end of the tour you can buy melipona honey at our souvenir store. A 1oz jar/28 grams currently costs 180 MXN pesos or 10USD. Typically you will pay a retail price of at least $500 pesos for this quantity eslewhere.
If you would like to learn more about melipona bee culture, please leave a comment below.
Better still, come and visit us next time you are in the Riviera Maya. We will be delighted to give you a tour of the ranch. We guarantee that you will fall in love with nature on a gentle horseback trail through the Maya jungle.