Everyone and their grandmother has a good old-fashioned honey bear bottle sitting inside their pantry. You never know when that little guy could come in handy. Got a sore throat? Take a spoonful for its soothing, antibacterial properties. Wanna sweeten your tea or toast? Crank some on there. However, as much as we love an old-fashioned squeeze of honey, even the classics can be improved upon. (Well, except one thing.) Hot honey, for example, is one of my favorite ways to spice up pizza. Until recently, it never occured to me how delicious honey could be when intertwined with chocolate—my biggest vice. (I eat a lot of chocolate. It’s one of my absolute favorite foods at all hours of the day and is a massive mood booster for me. I’m always looking for more ways to consume the stuff—and any chocolate product that has potential health benefits gets extra points right off the bat.)
This is all what led me to the perfect condiment to add to my lineup: Beekeeper’s Naturals Superfood Cacao Honey.
With only two ingredients—unpasteurized, raw wildflower honey and organic cacao powder—it may seem simple, but it satisfies my two biggest cravings (chocolate and sugar) as richly and cleanly as possible. This isn’t just any cacao powder, by the way—this cacao powder is made from raw Ecuadorian Arriba cacao beans, which are rare and known to be super high-quality. (The honey is also sustainably sourced.) A spoonful of this stuff delivers a major dose of antioxidants thanks to its raw state, as well as the burst of serotonin you get from enjoying a delicious sweet treat.
When I first popped the jar open, the honey was completely solid, similar to a bottle of room-temperature coconut oil. It’s not the honey texture I’m used to—like most American consumers, I’ve gotten used to honey looking kind of like corn syrup, for better or for worse—so I was a little confused. But, I just plopped a spoonful into a cup and melted it down for a few seconds in the microwave. Then, BAM, liquid honey. The cacao honey tastes and smells like dates, which I’m not mad about at all. It has subtle notes of caramel with a supremely sweet after taste. I drizzled it all over my unflavored Greek yogurt, which made my unexciting bowl of high-protein dairy pop with sweetness for a great morning pick-me-up. The possibilities didn’t end there; I’ve been pairing it with almond butter for sandwiches ever since, and the sweet/salty/creamy combo is unstoppable. Reviewers have found plenty of creative ways to enjoy its enticing flavor; they love it in a cup of joe, on bagels, over vanilla ice cream, in tea, or straight outta the jar.
While jars of the stuff come in two sizes (125 grams and 500 grams), there’s also a monthly subscription option if you’re a huge honey freak, and you’d save 15%. “I really enjoy this product in my elixir every morning,” one reviewer writes. “I also enjoy it in tea, or just a teaspoon when you are feeling like you are coming down with a cold.”
My TL;DR: If you’re not a sugar fiend, you probably won’t love this stuff. It’s extremely sweet, which is not a bad thing; it just has to be your thing. (It’s mine, for sure.) If you do have a sweet tooth, like me, you’ll appreciate the combo of chocolate and honey with a health-food spin. I like things au natural whenever possible, and I also love hoarding a variety of condiments, which makes this a match made in heaven.
If you have a sweet tooth, this is a must-have pantry staple. Of course, nothing beats the classics, but there’s no crime in expanding your horizons and giving it a whirl. Don’t worry, the honey bear in your pantry won’t be jealous.
Beekeeper’s Naturals Cacao Superfood Honey is available for purchase at Beekeeper’s Naturals.
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The post This Cacao Honey Is a Game-Changer for My Unapologetic Sweet Tooth appeared first on VICE.
