Raw Honey

Manuka honey contains MGO (methylglyoxal), a potent antimicrobial compound used clinically on wounds. Raw honey costs 6 to 8 times more per pound than refined sugar, making honey-based fermentation commercially non-viable at industrial scale. Honey has a long history as a respiratory remedy with multi-layered benefits. Raw honey is said to contain live microflora that drives fermentation. Honey naturally contains hydrogen peroxide, which kills pathogens on contact. Raw honey contains over 180 distinct bioactive compounds, including glucose oxidase, invertase, defensin-1, antimicrobial peptides, polyphenols, flavonoids, and B vitamin precursors. The fermentation is attributed to microbes from both the raw honey and the plant surface. When a Jun SCOBY metabolizes raw honey, its bioactive compounds interact with microbial fermentation pathways in ways that refined cane sugar cannot replicate. Raw, unpasteurized honey is specified for the tonic rather than clear filtered grocery-store honey. Raw honey must be unprocessed and unheated to deliver its core therapeutic benefits. Pasteurized filtered honey is rejected for this preparation because it will not ferment. Heated or pasteurized…