Quercetin in Honey: How Much Is There and Does It Matter?
Quercetin in honey shows up in many lab analyses, and it is one of the best known flavonoids in the human diet. You probably eat more of it in onions, apples and tea than you ever will from honey. Still, it is part of what makes each honey chemically unique. This article explains what quercetin is, how it gets into honey, how honey compares with other foods, and what the research can and cannot tell us. For the broader story, see honey antioxidants.
For general education only, not medical advice. Our honey is a food and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
What quercetin in honey is
Quercetin is a flavonol, part of the flavonoid family. Plants use it to protect themselves from ultraviolet light and stress. It gives some fruits and vegetables part of their color.
Scientists who study honey composition often list quercetin alongside other flavonoids such as kaempferol, chrysin and pinocembrin. Together they form a chemical fingerprint that can hint at a honey's botanical origin.
Studies analyzing honeys from different regions have reported quercetin in many samples, usually in very small concentrations measured in milligrams per kilogram.
How honey compares with other foods
Because honey is eaten by the spoonful and contains only traces of quercetin, it is a minor source in most diets. Everyday foods supply far more:
- Onions, especially red and yellow onions
- Apples with the skin on
- Berries such as blueberries and cranberries
- Kale, capers and leafy greens
- Black and green tea
Why floral source matters
Each flower brings its own chemistry. A honey from a field of one plant will have a different flavonoid pattern than a honey from mixed wildflowers. Darker honeys often contain more phenolic compounds overall, as our dark honey benefits article explains.
Weather, soil and season also shift the numbers. Two jars of the same variety from different years may test differently, which is one reason honey is such a living, variable food.
What research on quercetin covers
Quercetin is widely studied as a supplement and as part of fruits and vegetables. Most of that research uses amounts far larger than anything honey can supply.
Reviews of honey composition, such as the Molecules review hosted by the National Library of Medicine, describe quercetin as one of many polyphenols in honey that contribute to antioxidant activity in lab tests. They do not show that honey's quercetin produces specific effects in people.
If quercetin interests you for health reasons, a conversation with a doctor or dietitian about whole foods is a better starting point than any single sweetener.
Pairing honey with quercetin-rich foods
Here is a nice idea that keeps honey in its proper role. Use it as the finishing touch on foods that are naturally rich in flavonoids. A drizzle over sliced apples, a spoonful in green tea, or a honey-mustard dressing on a kale salad all work well.
Our honey and fruit pairing guide and honey in tea guide have plenty of ideas.
How quercetin in honey is measured
Labs usually extract the phenolic compounds from honey and then separate them with liquid chromatography. Each compound appears at a characteristic point, which lets researchers identify and measure quercetin in honey along with dozens of other substances.
Studies using this method, such as work on honeys from Bosnia and Herzegovina that measured quercetin, naringenin and hesperetin, show how much variation exists between samples.
A special issue of the journal Foods on honey composition, stability and authenticity gathers research on how chemical and pollen profiles help describe a honey's botanical source.
Quercetin in honey at a glance
If you only remember a few points about quercetin in honey, make them these. It is real, it varies, and it is a small part of a sweet food.
- Quercetin in honey comes from nectar and pollen, not from the bees.
- Levels change with flower, region, season and handling.
- A spoonful of honey supplies far less than an onion or an apple.
- Research on quercetin mostly uses supplements or whole fruits and vegetables.
- Raw honey keeps its natural makeup, but no honey is a quercetin supplement.
Other flavonoids found alongside quercetin
Quercetin in honey rarely appears alone. Kaempferol, chrysin, galangin, luteolin and apigenin are often measured in the same samples. Each adds a little to honey's antioxidant activity in lab tests.
Our article on pinocembrin in honey looks at a flavonoid that comes mostly from propolis rather than nectar.
Choosing honey for flavor
Choose honey for its taste and how it is handled. Al Safa honeys are raw, never heated above hive temperature, and strained only of wax.
Try a mild jar for tea and a darker one for cheese and baking. Compare them all in our shop.
Sources
Outside health sources we used for this article. They open in a new tab.
- Honey: Chemical Composition, Stability and Authenticity · Foods journal (via National Library of Medicine)
- Honey and Health: A Review of Recent Clinical Research · National Library of Medicine (PMC)
- Flavonoid and phenolic acid analysis of honeys (Food Science and Technology) · Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO)
Frequently asked questions
- Which honey has the most quercetin?
- It varies by sample. Floral source, region and season all matter, and there is no single variety that always tests highest.
- Is honey a good source of quercetin?
- Not compared with onions, apples, berries or tea. Honey contains only small amounts.
- Does raw honey have more quercetin than processed honey?
- Raw honey keeps more of its original character, but flavonoid levels depend mostly on the flowers. There is no simple rule.
- Can I take honey instead of a quercetin supplement?
- No. Honey supplies tiny amounts and is mostly sugar. Talk to a health professional about any supplement.
- Does buckwheat honey contain quercetin?
- Studies on buckwheat honey have reported a range of flavonoids. Levels vary, and darker honeys tend to contain more phenolic compounds overall.
- Is quercetin in honey destroyed by heat?
- Flavonoids are more stable than enzymes, but heavy processing can still change honey's chemistry. Raw honey that has not been heated keeps its natural profile best.
- Can I use honey with high-quercetin foods?
- Yes. A little honey over sliced apples, in green or black tea, or in a dressing for leafy greens is an easy way to enjoy honey with flavonoid-rich foods.
Al Safa Honey is a food producer, not a medical provider. Nothing here is medical advice, and these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Talk to your doctor about any health concern. Never give honey of any kind to a baby under 12 months old.