The best barberry plants for honey bees to pollinate are those that are grown in dense concentrations. This is typical when the plant is cultivated for commercial purposes.

At the same time, like any other plant source, berberis that is grown organically, without the use of harmful pesticides and insecticides will result in a higher yield.

This is because unfortunately the pesticides and insecticides can harm individual bees and whole colonies.

This is based on raw honey, filtered or pasturised honey will break down and diminish these benefits.

An interesting benefit of honey, such as barberry honey, is that it can enhance the healing process of the body. While boosting antioxidants, it also helps to support the functions of the immune system. Additionally, barberry honey is high in minerals that promote nerve and muscle health such as copper, magnesium, iron and copper.

If you’re looking for a way to speed up recovery on wounds, or soothe respiratory symptoms or symptoms of the common cold, barberry honey is great for all of these things. It is also believed that barberry honey can do things to help to regulate blood sugar levels in those who have diabetes, reduce risks of high blood pressure, and even help in the treatment of anemia.

Because of the low levels of a bacteria that could be potentially harmful, you should never give honey to any child under one year of age. Women who are pregnant or nursing should also avoid ingesting honey, due the transfer of bacteria to the baby.

Like anything else, eating too much honey can actually be harmful. Overeating barberry honey in one sitting can cause distress in your gastrointestinal tract. This means you could experience constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, and other uncomfortable symptoms.

Honey is a highly-concentrated sugar substance and can promote high blood sugar and unwanted weight gain if eaten in excess.

The Vegan Society do not consider honey vegan, this includes cornflower honey. They believe that because some honey farmers replace honey with a sugar substitute when harvesting, it will naturally lack the essential micronutrients of honey, thus being detrimental to the honey bees.

Furthermore, they believe that in conventional beekeeping, honey bees are specifically bred to increase productivity. Which they believe leads to a narrowing of the population gene pool and increases susceptibility to disease and large scale die-offs.

They also believe that many honey farmers will cull their hives post-harvest and clip the queen bee’s wings to stop them from leaving to start a new colony. Thus the Vegan Society does not consider honey vegan. That, of course, doesn’t stop some vegans arguing its fine if they source their honey from reliable sources that do not practice the above.

Barberry is commonly used as a topping for bread and dairy products and as a sweetener for beverages. It is also prized as a dietary supplement, particularly by those seeking a powerful antioxidant source. It is popular with people who prefer home remedies for the symptoms of common colds and for simple wounds and burns.