Glossary
A dark, robust, molasses-like honey produced from buckwheat blossoms (Fagopyrum esculentum). Buckwheat honey has the highest antioxidant content of any common honey variety, approximately 8 times that of clover honey, and is the specific variety used in the clinical study proving honey's effectiveness as a cough suppressant.
Buckwheat honey is nearly black with deep amber highlights when held to light. Its color comes from exceptionally high concentrations of phenolic compounds and flavonoids, the same antioxidant compounds that make dark chocolate, red wine, and blueberries nutritionally valuable. Studies have shown buckwheat honey contains approximately 8 times the antioxidant activity of clover honey and 2 to 3 times that of most wildflower honeys.
Buckwheat honey is not for everyone. It has a bold, earthy, malty, almost molasses-like flavor with notes of barnyard, toffee, and dark fruit. It is assertive on the palate in a way that delicate honeys like acacia or orange blossom are not. Fans describe it as complex and satisfying; first-time tasters sometimes find it overpoweringly strong. It pairs well with strong-flavored foods: dark bread, aged cheese, barbecue sauces, and dark beer.
Buckwheat honey became internationally famous through the 2007 Penn State study published in Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. The study compared buckwheat honey, dextromethorphan (Robitussin DM), and no treatment for nighttime cough in children with upper respiratory infections. Buckwheat honey outperformed dextromethorphan on every measured outcome: cough frequency, cough severity, sleep quality (child's and parents'). This study is cited by the WHO and AAP in their recommendations for honey as a first-line cough treatment.
For antioxidant content and therapeutic use (cough, wound healing), buckwheat honey's higher phenolic concentration gives it an objective advantage. For everyday sweetening and cooking, flavor preference determines which honey is 'better.' There is no single 'best' honey; there is the best honey for each purpose. Buckwheat excels at medicinal applications; lighter honeys excel at delicate culinary uses.
Buckwheat honey is produced primarily in northern U.S. states (New York, Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin) and Canada where buckwheat is grown as a cover crop and grain substitute. It is a short, intense nectar flow (buckwheat blooms for only about 3 weeks). Production is limited compared to clover or wildflower, making genuine buckwheat honey a specialty product.
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