Acacia

When you picture a perfect jar of honey, acacia honey may come to mind. Its light amber color telegraphs exactly what you’ll experience; it’s very sweet with floral accents and a pure honey flavor that doesn’t alter the taste of tea or oatmeal. One other reason acacia is a popular honey: it is high in fructose and low in glucose, so it’s slow to crystallize on the shelf and one of the few honeys that most diabetics can enjoy without issue.

Acacia honey is another variety that’s high in flavonoids, the antioxidants believed to help fight heart disease and even some forms of cancer. It’s also believed to be effective against a number of resistant bacteria because its ingredients slowly release hydrogen peroxide, an acid that breaks down the bacteria’s cell walls. Some people also use acacia honey as a treatment or preventative for acne and other skin conditions, because of its antibacterial power.

(One note: acacia honey doesn’t actually come from the acacia trees native to Australia and Africa, which produce little or no honey nectar. The honey we call acacia is actually sourced from the black locust tree, sometimes called the “false acacia” tree, a different member of the same plant family. And we’re on the subject of misnomers, be aware that honeydew honey isn’t made from nectar at all; it’s made from the waste products of sap-sucking insects.)