Can You Eat Beeswax? Adding A Sweet Tale To Taste Buds

Can you eat beeswax?

Beeswax is completely edible if they are of the food grade. In fact, many renowned chefs all over the world use a portion of beeswax in their cooking because its sheen and subtle undertones of honey are said to be incredible. Honey is considered a superfood and the antiviral and the antibacterial properties of honey boosts the immune system.

Beeswax is packed with proteins and nutrients. Beeswax which is a natural source of wax from the honey bees is turned into hexagonal shapes for storing nectar, honey, pollen and propolis that helps in raising their off-springs. It consists of 284 different compounds such as acids, long-chained alkanes, polyesters, esters and hydroxy esters. It is completely safe to eat the beeswax along with the honey. In fact, their chewy texture along with a sweet taste is liked by many.

Beeswax which secretes from 8 glands that that produces wax is present on the abdomen of the honeybees. At first, these are clear and colorless but gradually turns to opaque and yellow as pollens and propolis begin to add. In order to secrete wax, the temperature in the hive needs to be 91 to 97 °F.

Advantages of eating beeswax

It has enzymes, antioxidants and vitamins that provide benefits to the immune system. It also has pollen which acts as a supplement helping in strengthening the immune system.

Raw honeycomb and the honey carry vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals and sugar which is a good source of natural energy.

Compounds such as antioxidants and phenols are found in raw honey and raw honeycomb. These have a connection in reducing the risks due to heart diseases and also protects the body from suffering cell damage.

Eating raw honeycomb provides a good night’s sleep. It is useful in supplying a good balance of sugar that helps in raising the insulin. It triggers serotonin which is a chemical that helps in stabilizing the mood and brings in sleep.

Ways to eat beeswax

One of the easiest ways to eat beeswax is having a bite over a piece and chew. The sweetness of honey immediately releases from the cell and the piece of wax is left behind. The wax has a chewy, gum-like texture. It can be chewed and swallowed or be spat out.

Another way is to spread the honeycomb over bread toast. A freshly toasted bread having a light spread of butter over it tastes delicious if honeycomb is added as a top layer.

Adding honeycomb on charcuterie boards makes a great and delightful combination of cheese platter and meat. By topping a cracker along with a piece of cheese and honeycomb. The sweet along with the salty combination turns it delicious.

Interesting facts

It is the young worker bees between 12-20 days old, that are the main producers of beeswax

To produce a pound of wax, a honeybee requires to consume 6-8 pounds of honey.

Bees secrete wax in their hives having a temperature range of 91 to 97 °F to make wax.

Initially, the beeswax is colorless, the opaque forms after honey, pollen and propolis are added.

Old combs are reused by bees upon chewing it off and placing elsewhere.

The size to which the wax glands of the bees shall become depends upon the bee’s age. With multiple flights, the glands degenerate.

European and Roman Catholic churches have been using candles made out of beeswax.

Beeswax can work as a natural cover for cheese due to its lower melting point.

Beeswax is used as a wood lubricant over old furniture or wooden doors and windows.

In 150 B.C. when the Greek physician Galen of Pergamon created the first cosmetic cream, it was made out of olive oil, water and beeswax.

So, these researches findings lead to the understanding that beeswax is edible and are used for multiple purposes too.