Sweet And Healthy: MP Biodiversity Board Develops 13 Unique Varieties Of Medicinal Honey
Simultaneously creating awareness about bees, Madhya Pradesh Biodiversity Board is producing 13 different natural flavours of honey, each with unique medicinal benefits.
Published : October 4, 2025 at 7:27 AM IST
Bhopal: Most people know honey as wild or forest honey, but in Madhya Pradesh, one can now taste it in different natural flavours, thanks to the Madhya Pradesh Biodiversity Board, which has developed 13 different types of honey that have distinct colour, taste and medicinal properties.
Helped by various organisations in fructifying this, the Board says aim is to spread awareness about the importance of bees and encourage beekeeping to promote biodiversity in the state.
Biodiversity Board expert Anand Patil explained that around 13 flavours of honey including multiflora, litchi, neem, eucalyptus, jamun, plum, celery, forest, mustard and basil honey are being produced in different regions. "The specialty of this honey is that it is completely natural, with no artificial flavours added. Scientifically, honey is considered a complete food. If stored in an airtight glass container, it will remain odourless even after years," he said.
How Flavoured Honey Is Produced
Bees usually fly within a radius of 2-3 KM, collecting nectar and pollen from flowers in that particular area. The dominant flowers in the area impart flavour and colour of the honey. For example, honey from litchi flowers may appear lighter, while wild honey is usually dark in colour.
"Honey with different flavours is fully natural. For this, bees are reared in different areas and the honey is collected in honey boxes. Each production cycle takes about 15 days, and one box yields nearly 3 KG of honey," Patil said.
Medicinal Properties
Each honey has its own unique medicinal properties. The medicinal value of honey depends on the plants from which bees collect nectar. "The richer our flora, the more medicinal properties it possesses. For example, wild basil honey is commonly used for treating cold and cough. If the bee has taken nectar from basil flowers, the resulting honey will have more medicinal properties, making it more effective in boosting immunity. Similarly, honey collected from the vicinity of jamun trees can be beneficial for diabetes. Neem Honey and Celery Honey also have unique medicinal properties," he said.
Pollen, Wax More Expensive Than Honey
Honey is usually extracted from combs, but the byproducts like wax and pollen are equally valuable. Cosmetics companies use beeswax extensively. Patil stressed that beekeeping is not just about honey. "Our main focus is on pollination services. Where bees are abundant, crop yields rise automatically because they help complete the pollination process by transferring pollen from male to female flowers," he said.
"Pollination is vital for life. Even Albert Einstein had said if there were no bees, life on earth would only last four years," added Patil.
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