Honey Blog

We receive this question almost every week, usually after a video on Instagram or TikTok. The short answer: no, that is not correct. We already wrote a blog about it last year, which has since become one of the most visited pages on our site. Because new research has emerged since then, we are providing an update here. Where does histamine actually come from? Histamine is not created by cooking. It forms when bacteria act on a substance in meat called histidine and convert it into histamine. This happens mainly when meat or bones are left at room temperature for too long, are not fresh enough, or are stored carelessly. Once formed, histamine does not disappear through cooking. But the cooking time itself does not create new histamine. Whether you simmer for two hours or thirty hours makes no difference in itself. What does matter is how fresh and hygienic your meat or bones were before they went into the pot. Is meat more sensitive than bones, then? Rather the other way around. Meat, especially minced or marinated meat, provides more nourishment for bacteria than bones do. Bones that are processed fresh or frozen contain less moisture and muscle tissue in which bacteria can grow. So presenting meat broth as a “safer alternative” is incorrect; the facts actually point in the opposite direction. What is new in 2025? Until recently, research on histamine mainly focused on one question: how many milligrams per kilogram does a product contain? A study published this year asks a more interesting question: how much of that histamine does your body actually absorb? Researchers compared two types of dry sausage, one with little histamine (357 mg per kilogram) and one with much more (1141 mg per kilogram, or more than three times as much). They then simulated digestion in the laboratory. The result: only 29 percent of the histamine from the high-histamine sausage was released in a form that could be absorbed by the body. For the low-histamine sausage, that figure was 72 percent. The difference on the label was therefore much greater than the difference your body ultimately takes in. In other words: the number in a laboratory analysis does not tell the whole story. The amount of histamine in a product is not automatically the same as the amount that ends up in your body. A second publication this year, a major review of histamine in food, also confirms the pattern we already knew: fresh, quickly processed meat generally contains little to no histamine. The highest levels are found in products that are aged or stored for a long time, such as mature cheese, dry sausage, and spoiled fish. One fair qualification: these two new studies examined dry sausage, not broth itself. As far as we know, no study has yet done exactly the same with broth. What does apply across foods, and therefore to broth as well, is this: bacteria present before preparation determine the histamine level, not the preparation method itself. Is histamine only found in meat, then? No. Histamine also occurs naturally in certain plants, independently of bacteria or spoilage. Research mainly identifies eggplant, spinach, tomatoes, and avocado as plant-based foods with significant histamine levels, although this varies greatly from one specimen to another. Is it really that harmful? Two things are often confused here. The first is acute food poisoning caused by severely spoiled fish or meat, with histamine levels far above what you would normally consume. This is real and well documented, which is precisely why freshness matters. The second is chronic histamine intolerance, in which normal amounts already cause symptoms. It exists, but the evidence behind it is less robust than it is often presented online. Estimates range from approximately 3 to 6 percent of the population, with no clear diagnostic test. Research into the DAO gene, which is responsible for breaking down histamine, has even found no clear difference in the occurrence of suspected risk variants between people with symptoms and people without them. For most people, the amount of histamine in ordinary food is simply not a problem. Why does this myth keep circulating? Because it sounds convincing and is easy to share. “Cooking for a long time is bad for you” is a simple message for a fifteen-second video. “It depends on how fresh your ingredients were before you started” is not. The strange thing is that today we can check for ourselves within a minute whether a claim is true, using Google or a language model such as ChatGPT or Claude. Yet the most assertive video still often wins out over a simple check. Even when the video comes from a dietitian: having a large number of followers is not proof, and repeating something without checking the source is still repeating something without checking the source. What remains the same: our recommendations Always use fresh or immediately frozen bones. Never leave meat or bones at room temperature, not even briefly. Cool your broth quickly after cooking. Do not use leftovers of questionable quality, no matter how long you cook them. What we do at HANT We use only fresh, halal-slaughtered beef bones, which we freeze immediately after receiving them. After simmering, we heat our broth in an industrial autoclave, which increases food safety by eliminating any bacteria that may be present after packaging. We also have our broth tested by an accredited laboratory. View the analysis report View our bone broth Sources Braga, D.E. et al. (2025). Dilute and shoot HPLC-fluorescence method for the quantification of free bioactive amines in dry-fermented sausage. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 141, 107340. Gloria, M.B.A. et al. (2025). Histamine in Brazilian Foods: A Comprehensive Review of Occurrence and Risk Assessment for Intoxication and Intolerance. Food Science & Nutrition. Matrix-dependent bioaccessibility of bioactive amines in Milano dry-fermented sausages after in vitro digestion (2025/2026), PubMed ID 42666533. US FDA, Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance, 4th edition. EFSA Journal (2011), opinion on biogenic amines.

Almost everyone grew up with it. A slice of bread, a thick layer of butter underneath, and an equally thick layer of chocolate spread on top. For many children, it was the reason to get out of bed in the morning. For many parents, it was sometimes the easiest way to get that sandwich eaten after all. But what is actually in that jar we all love so much, where does it come from, and why do we at HANT believe it can be done differently? We explain that in this article, along with a little of our own story. A jar with a history of scarcity Chocolate spread did not arise from abundance, but from shortage. The story begins in Turin at the start of the nineteenth century. In 1806, Napoleon blocked trade between the European continent and Great Britain, with the aim of disrupting the British economy. One consequence was that cocoa, which entered Europe through British colonial trade routes, suddenly became scarce and expensive. In the hills around Turin, meanwhile, there were masses of hazelnut trees, and no one really knew what to do with the abundance. Chocolatier Michele Prochet came up with the idea of supplementing the little cocoa he had with ground hazelnuts. Thus gianduja was born, named after a local carnival character. In 1852, that idea officially became a product: together with Pierre Paul Caffarel, Prochet made the first gianduiotti, the well-known triangular chocolates made from cocoa, sugar, and hazelnuts. From wartime solution to Nutella Almost a century and a half later, history repeated itself. After the Second World War, cocoa was once again nearly unaffordable in Italy. Pastry chef Pietro Ferrero, who worked in the Piedmont region, returned to the same idea as Prochet: supplementing a small amount of cocoa with lots of hazelnuts. In 1946, he brought Pasta Gianduja to the market, also known as Giandujot. This was not a spread, but a solid block that you cut into slices and placed on bread, just as you would with cheese. According to tradition, the shift to a spreadable version happened by accident. During the exceptionally hot summer of 1949, the gianduja melted on shop shelves and in warehouses. Instead of throwing the product away, it was poured into jars and sold as a cream. Ferrero refined the formula and called the result Supercrema. In 1962, Italy introduced a law banning superlatives such as "super" from product names, forcing Ferrero to look for a new name. Michele Ferrero, Pietro's son, came up with the name Nutella, a combination of the English word "nut" and an Italian-sounding ending. The name was registered in October 1963, and on 20 April 1964, the first jar rolled out of the factory in Alba. The logo and shape of the jar have barely changed since then. Nutella grew into a global phenomenon and is estimated to hold more than half of the global chocolate spread market today. From bread block to breakfast icon What began as a practical solution to a shortage of raw materials grew into one of the most recognizable products in the world. The marketing evolved along with it: chocolate spread was no longer sold as a treat, but as part of a "balanced breakfast," with a glass of milk and a slice of whole-wheat bread included in the advertising photo. There is even an official World Nutella Day, celebrated since 2007 on 5 February. That framing as a breakfast product is precisely where the problem lies, because when you look at what is actually in a jar of classic chocolate spread, it has far more in common with a dessert than with a healthy breakfast. What is actually in that jar? On most ingredient lists for conventional chocolate spread, sugar is clearly number one. In Nutella, for example, sugar accounts for approximately 56 to 57 percent of the weight, followed by vegetable oil, usually palm oil. Only after that come hazelnuts, making up around 13 percent, and cocoa, accounting for about 7 percent. The remainder consists of skimmed milk powder, whey powder, emulsifiers such as soy lecithin, and synthetic vanillin. In concrete terms, this means that a single 15-gram tablespoon already contains around 8.5 grams of sugar, approximately as much as a large portion of a doughnut. If you generously spread two tablespoons on a slice of bread, you are consuming more sugar than in one and a half doughnuts. Nutrition experts therefore classify this type of chocolate spread as a highly processed food, with a nutritional profile closer to that of a dessert than a healthy bread topping. That does not make it a forbidden product, and there is nothing wrong with enjoying it occasionally. But it is useful to know exactly what you are eating, especially if it appears on the breakfast table every day. And yet, so incredibly delicious Having said all that, we also understand why it is so popular. Sugar and fat in that ratio literally form a combination that our brains find difficult to resist. Add the nostalgia of the school sandwich, the image of a deliciously thick layer on white bread with another generous lump of butter underneath, and you understand why generation after generation loves it. Chocolate spread is not an accidental success; it is a product that has been perfected over decades to evoke precisely that feeling. Ayse's story At HANT, this is not an abstract story; it is our own story too. Ayse, our co-founder, was heavily addicted to chocolate spread for years. Every day, sometimes straight from the jar. When she switched to a strict keto diet, with hardly any room left for sugar, she had to break that habit, and after a difficult period, she managed to quit. What did not disappear was the desire to enjoy a chocolate sandwich from time to time. That taste, that association with comfort, does not simply vanish. When Ayse later became a mother, a new question arose: did she want her daughter to grow up with a jar whose main ingredients were sugar and palm oil, packaged as something healthy? The answer was no. But she did not want to give up enjoying that taste altogether either. That's why we created Melicao That search led to Melicao. No long ingredient list, no sugar, no palm oil, no lactose or soy. Melicao consists of exactly two things: raw, unfiltered honey and cocoa. Unheated, organically certified, and without additives. We do want to be honest about this, because that fits with the way we view food ourselves: honey is and remains sugar. It naturally contains fructose and glucose, with approximately the same number of calories per gram as regular sugar. So Melicao is not a product you can eat unlimited amounts of simply because it contains "no sugar"; that would be a dishonest claim. The difference lies elsewhere: no additional refined sugar is added on top of the sugar naturally present in honey, it contains no palm oil to make it spreadable, and the ingredient list is one you could recreate in your own kitchen. Raw, unheated honey also retains some of the enzymes, pollen, and minerals that are largely lost in heated, filtered honey, although it is important to remain realistic about how much difference that makes to your health in practice. It is a more honest jar, not a miracle cure. For Ayse, and for us as a family, that was the balance we were looking for: that familiar, comforting taste of cocoa on bread, made with ingredients we ourselves stand behind and can happily give to our daughter. If you would like to try the same, you can find Melicao here: Organic Melicao, raw honey with cocoa Finally Chocolate spread has a fascinating history, from a wartime cocoa shortage to a global breakfast phenomenon. It is also, let's be honest, simply delicious. But the classic jar has little to do with what marketing has made it out to be for decades. At HANT, we believe you do not have to give up that taste to make more conscious choices about what is in your jar, and that is precisely why Melicao exists.

Bouillon and bone broth are meat products, and that determines how you should store them safely. We explain which three methods European and Belgian legislation permits, the real risks such as botulism and histamine, and why we consciously choose pressure sterilization in glass jars.

From olive tree to bottle: what happens between the harvest and your kitchen fully determines the quality of your olive oil. We’ll take you through the entire production process of authentic extra virgin olive oil and explain why every step matters.

Do you know where your olive oil really comes from? Most bottles in the supermarket are blends or refined—and that’s rarely stated prominently on the label. Discover how to recognize real extra virgin olive oil, where to buy it in Belgium, and what to look out for.

What does extra virgin olive oil really do to your body? From healthy fats to antioxidants—we explain it honestly. Including why the quality of your olive oil matters much more than you think.

What does raw honey actually do to your body? From antibacterial effects to energy and digestion—we explain it honestly. Including the downsides, because there are some. Everything you need to know about using raw honey daily.

Do you know where your honey comes from? New EU legislation requires producers to state it — and the truth surprises many. Discover how to recognize real raw honey, where to buy it in Belgium, and what to look for on the label.

In this blog, numbers in parentheses refer to the sources listed at the bottom. Introduction: eating meat means slaughtering an animal To eat meat, an animal must be slaughtered. That is a biological reality that still applies today—meat is not grown in a laboratory, at least not on a large scale yet. The question, then, is not so much whether an animal is slaughtered, but how. The guiding principle must always be: as quickly, efficiently, cleanly, and painlessly as possible. This applies to every slaughter method, religious or otherwise. Nevertheless, halal slaughter regularly features in public debate, often amid misunderstandings about what it actually entails, whether it violates animal welfare, and whether or not it conflicts with Flemish legislation. In this blog, we examine this specifically for cattle in Flanders. What is halal slaughter? Halal slaughter is the Islamic method of slaughter. The word "halal" simply means "permitted" in Arabic—the opposite is "haram" (forbidden). Meat is only halal if the animal was slaughtered according to specific religious regulations. What does the Quran say? The basis of halal slaughter comes from three references in the Quran: Surah 5, verse 3, lists which foods are forbidden: an animal that was already dead before slaughter, blood, and an animal that was strangled or has fallen. The animal must be alive at the time of slaughter, and the blood must flow completely out of the body. Draining the blood has both a religious and a practical basis: blood provides a breeding ground for microorganisms, and removing it contributes to the shelf life of meat. Surah 6, verse 121, states that one may not eat animals over which the name of Allah (God in Arabic) has not been pronounced. This confirms that the animal is not killed pointlessly, but deliberately and in the name of God. Surah 6, verses 118–119, once again confirms that one may eat animals over which the name of Allah has been pronounced, and that one may rely on divine guidance regarding what is permitted. What does the Hadith say? The Hadith are accounts of the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, recorded in the major collections. While the Quran provides the principles, the Hadith provides their practical application. The following rules for halal slaughter are derived from them: The slaughterer must be Muslim, Jewish, or Christian (a person of the Book) The knife must be razor-sharp; a blunt knife prolongs suffering The throat cut must be made in one smooth motion, not by sawing The knife must not be sharpened within the animal’s sight, as this causes fear Other animals must not watch during slaughter The animal must be calm and stress-free before slaughter The slaughter area must be clean and hygienic. The animal must bleed out completely before further procedures are carried out—this has a practical reason in addition to a religious one: residual blood in the meat promotes bacterial growth and shortens shelf life Conventional slaughter versus halal slaughter: what is the difference? In conventional, non-religious cattle slaughter, the animal is first stunned—either with a captive-bolt device in which a steel bolt is shot forcefully into the skull, or by means of an electric shock. In traditional halal slaughter without stunning, the animal’s throat is cut while it is conscious. This is the point over which debate exists—both scientifically and religiously. What does science say about pain during slaughter? A frequently cited study is the research by Professor Wilhelm Schulze of the University of Veterinary Medicine in Hanover, conducted between 1974 and 1978 (1)Using surgically implanted electrodes, EEG (brain activity) and ECG (heart activity) were measured in sheep and calves. With the Islamic throat cut, the EEG showed no change during the first three seconds. With the captive-bolt method, the animals appeared to be stunned, but more brain activity was measured than expected. The study remains controversial: it dates from the 1970s, its methodology was criticized, and Schulze himself pointed out that the captive-bolt device may not have functioned correctly in his experiments. For sheep, later EEG studies exist that confirm similar findings regarding relatively rapid loss of consciousness after a correct throat cut (2)For adult cattle, comparable confirmatory studies are lacking.  The American animal scientist Temple Grandin, internationally recognized as an expert in slaughterhouse design and animal behavior, also states that slaughterhouses that correctly implement the recommended halal practices cause the animal little pain. She emphasizes that animal suffering in slaughterhouses is more often related to poor execution than to the method itself—but generally prefers effective stunning beforehand (4). Stunning in conventional slaughter: not without problems either Stunning is often presented as the ultimate answer, but it also has problems. Research shows that stunning methods fail to effectively stun an animal in a significant number of cases; the reported percentages vary widely depending on the animal species and method used (5)With poultry that passes through an electrical water bath, stunning is insufficient for some of the animals, and they undergo throat cutting while conscious (6). Some animals are already dead before the throat cut because of failed stunning, meaning that, strictly speaking, the meat is no longer halal, but also no longer compliant with the general slaughter regulations. Animals that are stunned and slaughtered in groups see and hear their fellow animals suffering, causing severe stress. Moreover, the quality of stunning is difficult to monitor in practice: in an industrial slaughterhouse, hundreds of animals pass through the line per hour, making thorough individual checks virtually impossible. Flemish legislation: decree of 7 July 2017 In Flanders, slaughter without prior stunning has been prohibited since 1 January 2019, based on the Flemish decree of 7 July 2017 amending the law on the protection of animal welfare (7). It provides for a specific arrangement: the stunning must be reversible, and the animal's death must not result from the stunning. This means the animal remains technically alive at the time of the throat cut, meeting the Islamic requirement. For many halal certification bodies, reversible stunning before the throat cut is therefore permitted, although acceptability depends on the method used and the animal species. The penetrating captive-bolt device, which permanently damages the brain, is rejected by most bodies because the animal cannot recover from it. Its application is carefully assessed for each slaughterhouse and each case; the animal must not suffer unnecessarily, and the stunning must be carried out perfectly. The latter is not guaranteed in practice: even when stunning is performed before the throat cut, it fails in some cases, meaning the animal still undergoes the throat cut while conscious. Stunning after the throat cut, cattle: the legal exception Cattle are subject to a specific transitional measure: stunning after the throat cut. The reason is technical: when the decree was enacted, no broadly applicable and sufficiently reliable method for reversible stunning of adult cattle was available (7). Therefore, a temporary solution was provided: The cattle are slaughtered without prior stunning Immediately afterward, during or no more than 2 seconds after the throat cut, the animal is stunned with a captive-bolt device The animal is then unconscious and bleeds out This method is legally established as a transitional measure, pending the reliable application of reversible electrical stunning to large cattle as well. Flanders is no exception in this regard: within Europe, stunning after the throat cut is also legally required in Austria, Estonia, Latvia, and Greece (8). In most other European countries—including France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Poland—unstunned ritual slaughter is still fully permitted. Are we violating the law? No. Halal slaughter of cattle in Flanders, carried out with stunning after the throat cut in an approved slaughterhouse, fully complies with Flemish legislation. The 2017 decree explicitly provides for this as a lawful method for cattle, as long as electronarcosis for this species has not yet been perfected. Double oversight: FASFC and halal certification Slaughterhouses that carry out halal slaughter in Flanders are subject to two levels of oversight. The FASFC—the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain—inspects all slaughterhouses for hygiene, animal welfare, and compliance with legislation. This is the standard statutory inspection for every slaughterhouse in Belgium. In addition to FASFC inspections, recognized halal certifiers conduct their own audits. They check whether slaughter complies with Islamic requirements: the presence of a Muslim slaughterer who knows the rules, the quality of the cut, the treatment of the animals before and during slaughter, and the cleanliness of the surroundings. Consequently, alongside statutory inspections, halal slaughterhouses are also checked by independent certifiers for compliance with religious requirements—an additional layer that does not exist in conventional slaughter. Stunning before the throat cut: accepted by Islamic scholars? A separate question is whether stunning before the throat cut can be halal. Islamic scholars and certification bodies are not unanimous on this, but a growing majority accepts it, provided that the stunning is reversible. (9)Various authoritative bodies and countries led the way: Egyptian Fatwa Committee (1978) Al-Azhar, one of the world's highest Islamic institutions (1982) Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran European Council for Fatwa and Research Malaysia, Indonesia and the Emirates In Turkey and Morocco, an increasing number of more modern slaughterhouses are in practice switching to stunning before the throat cut. Worldwide, it is currently estimated that 75% of halal beef is produced using stunning before the throat cut.(9). However, this does not mean that just any method is acceptable. The stunning must be correct, controlled, demonstrably reversible, validated on a case-by-case basis, and carried out under strict supervision. The penetrating captive-bolt device, which permanently damages the brain, is not accepted. It is precisely this combination of religious oversight on top of legal oversight that distinguishes halal slaughter from standard slaughtering practices. Final verdict Halal slaughter of cattle in Flanders using stunning after the throat cut is legally permitted and subject to a double layer of oversight. Scientific evidence shows that a skilled, rapid throat cut with a sharp knife leads to rapid loss of consciousness in sheep, although comparable, conclusive studies on adult cattle are lacking. Common stunning methods are likewise not without risks. Proponents argue that Islamic slaughter requirements are intended to minimize animal suffering as much as possible. Sources (1) Schulze, W., Schultze-Petzold, H., Hazem, A.S., & Gross, R. (1978). Attempts to Objectify Pain and Consciousness in Conventional and Ritual Methods of Slaughtering Sheep and Calves. Deutsche Tierärztliche Wochenschrift, 85(2), 62–66. (2) Gregory, N.G., & Wotton, S.B. (1984). Sheep slaughtering procedures: II. Time to loss of brain responsiveness after exsanguination or cardiac arrest. British Veterinary Journal, 140(4), 354–360. (4) Grandin, T. (2012). Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines and Audit Guide: A Systematic Approach to Animal Welfare. American Meat Institute Foundation. (5) Atkinson, S., Velarde, A., & Algers, B. (2013). Assessment of stun quality at commercial slaughter in cattle shot with captive bolt. Animal Welfare, 22(4), 473–481. (6) European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). (2004). Welfare aspects of the main systems of stunning and killing the main commercial species of animals. EFSA Journal, 45, 1–29. (7) Flemish Parliament. (2017). Decree amending the law of 14 August 1986 concerning the protection and welfare of animals, with regard to the permitted methods for slaughtering animals. Belgian Official Gazette, 7 July 2017. (8) European Parliament. (2017). Parliamentary question P-002607/2017: Slaughter without stunning. Retrieved via europarl.europa.eu. (9) Riaz, M.N., Irshad, F., Riaz, N.M., & Regenstein, J.M. (2021). Pros and cons of different stunning methods from a Halal perspective: a review. Translational Animal Science, 5(4), txab154. https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txab154

How raw honey can make your hair shine (And what the science says about it) Honey has been a beauty secret for centuries. From Cleopatra’s bathing rituals to modern hair masks, this golden ingredient keeps making a comeback. But there is one variety that really stands out: raw honey. Raw honey is honey that comes straight from the beehive (only coarsely filtered) and is not heated or industrially processed (read the blog about raw honey for more information) This type of honey is not only better for bees and soil, but also gentler, purer, and more powerful for your hair masks. Is raw honey the secret to a perfectly shiny hair mask? The natural power of honey Honey is much more than sugar. It contains amino acids, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants that hydrate and strengthen your hair (Medicopublication.com).Research shows that honey helps with a dry or flaky scalp—and may even help reduce dandruff (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11485891/). Honey is also rich in bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and phenolic acids, which act as natural antioxidants. They help protect against damage caused by the sun, styling, and air pollution (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39324175/). A recent study even showed that a honey formula could partially repair damaged hair after exposure to UV-A and pollution (https://tressless.com/research/honey-repair-on-asian-hair-from-uv-a-pollution-lvZ7). In short: honey nourishes, softens, and protects—and gives your hair a natural shine, without silicones or synthetic additives. Why raw honey makes a difference Not all honey is created equal. With “regular supermarket” honey, these wonderful benefits are refined away until only sugar remains; using raw honey preserves these compounds. Conventional honey may contain pesticide residues or artificial additives. Raw honey comes from bees that work in unsprayed, biodiverse environments—and you can feel that in the quality. Studies show that raw honey is often richer in antioxidants and bioactive compounds because bees collect nectar from a more diverse ecosystem (https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/9/1540). In addition, you are choosing a product that contributes to healthy bee populations and natural pollination. That makes it better not only for your hair, but also for the planet. How to use it in your routine Hair oil with honey extract often contains more oil than honey, so its restorative value  As a mask: Mix a tablespoon of organic honey with a little lukewarm water or a light oil (such as coconut oil). Apply to towel-dried hair, leave it on for 20–30 minutes, and rinse thoroughly. Conditioner: Mix the honey with your favorite conditioner, apply to dry ends, and leave it on for 15–30 minutes. Then wash your hair as usual. For your scalp: For a dry or irritated scalp, you can gently massage in diluted honey (approximately 70–90%), leave it on, and rinse it out (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11485891/). Use this once or twice a week for visibly softer, shinier hair. What else does the science say? Although the results are promising, research on honey and hair growth remains limited. Most studies focus on skin repair and scalp health, not directly on hair thickness or growth (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11485891/). Still, the trend clearly points in one direction: natural ingredients work—especially when they are pure and organically produced. In short Raw organic honey is gentler on your hair, richer in antioxidants, and better for the world around you.It nourishes, softens, and protects—while you choose a routine that is truly natural. A small step in your beauty routine, a big difference for your hair and nature. 🌿🐝

Paris Honey Awards 2026 – Gold Quality Award Our honey was awarded a Gold Quality Award at the Paris Honey Awards in 2026. This is an international quality competition in which honey is blind-tasted by a jury of specialized tasters. The assessment is conducted entirely independently of the brand or packaging and focuses on sensory criteria such as taste, aroma, texture, and overall purity. The Gold Quality Award confirms that our honey achieved a very high score within this professional and independent evaluation system. Global Honey Stars Awards 2026 – second place for crystal honey In addition, our crystal honey took second place in its category at the Global Honey Stars Awards 2026. This international competition compares honey products within specific categories, such as crystal honey, and evaluates them based on quality, consistency, and taste experience. Finishing second in this context means that our crystal honey stood out among other high-quality entries. This recognition underlines that this honey variety is also internationally appreciated for its quality and careful processing.

Honey is not just a sweetener. It is a complex natural product full of enzymes, minerals, and antioxidants. But did you know that most commercial honey largely loses these valuable properties before it reaches your cupboard?  What is raw honey (Raw Honey)? Raw honey is honey that comes directly from the beehive (only coarsely filtered) and has not been heated or industrially processed. This preserves all the natural substances: Enzymes (important for digestion) Antioxidants (natural protectors) Pollen (with essential micronutrients) Vitamins and minerals Three ways the industry removes nutrients Most supermarket honey undergoes three processes that seriously reduce its nutritional value: Heating (The culprit) Honey is heated to prevent crystallization and keep the product liquid for longer. Unfortunately, above 40–42 °C, enzymes and antioxidants lose their effectiveness. What remains is a beautiful, liquid, but biologically inferior sweetener. Filtering (The mystery) Honey is heavily filtered to remove pollen and particles. This creates a commercially clear product, but pollen is actually a carrier of valuable vitamins and minerals. This filtering is done purely for aesthetics, not for your health. Blending (The deception) Supermarket honey is often a “blend” or “mixture” of EU and non-EU honey, without transparency about its origin. The quality of this foreign honey can vary greatly. Our honey is 100% of EU origin, harvested exclusively in Bulgaria. No blend, just complete transparency. Why you should choose raw honey Raw honey is more than just a sweetener; it is an unprocessed treasure of nature. Choosing raw honey means choosing pure quality. These are the main reasons to choose the unheated, unprocessed variety: 1. Preserving natural protectors Raw honey is never heated. This is crucial because heating destroys its most valuable properties. That is why our honey retains: Enzymes: These contribute to honey’s natural antibacterial and antifungal action. Antioxidants (polyphenols): These are substances that help protect your body against free radicals, which is beneficial for overall health. Pollen: Pollen is a miniature nutritional powerhouse. It contains proteins, amino acids, and traces of vitamins and minerals. This is completely absent from most filtered honey. 2. The mark of genuine quality Most honey is heated to keep it beautifully liquid. Raw honey shows the opposite: Natural crystallization: The fact that raw honey becomes firm over time is proof of quality. It means the product is unheated and the natural sugars have remained in their original state. Complete traceability: Raw honey often comes from transparent, small-scale sources (such as our Bulgarian honey). This contrasts with the often blended and heavily processed supermarket honey, whose exact origin is unclear. 3. Traditional use and digestion The active, unprocessed components in raw honey support the body in various ways: Soothing effect: It is a proven, traditional remedy for soothing the throat. Prebiotic support: Raw honey naturally contains prebiotic substances that help support the growth of “good” bacteria in your gut flora. Choosing raw honey means choosing a product that is as close to nature as possible, with all its original benefits intact.

Europe’s honey market is in turmoil. Recent studies show that almost half of imported honey is adulterated with cheap sugar syrups. The EU is responding with new rules, but consumers can already make a difference. It starts with one word on the label: “blended”. The problem with “Blended EU and non-EU honey” In most supermarkets, honey labels use one of the following vague terms: "Blended EU honey" "Blended non-EU honey" "Blended EU and non-EU honey" These designations, which are permitted under the old EU guidelines, are not transparent. They give consumers no insight into the actual origin or, crucially, the proportions of honey from the different countries. For example, a jar may contain 99% cheap honey from a country with a high risk of fraud and 1% expensive EU honey, yet the vague “blended” designation is legally sufficient. This lack of transparency makes it very easy to market cheap, diluted honey in Europe. Shocking results: Honey adulterated with sugar syrups This lack of transparency has major consequences. Coordinated EU investigations found that a significant proportion of honey imported into Europe did not meet the definition of honey because it had been diluted with cheap sugar syrups, such as rice, wheat, or beet syrup. This is pure fraud that undercuts beekeepers who comply with the rules and deceives consumers. This “fake honey” is cheaper to produce, does not have the same nutritional and medicinal properties as pure honey, and puts the entire beekeeping sector at risk. European Coordinated Investigation (2023): The European Commission’s report on the coordinated action "From the Hives" (carried out in 2021–2022). This investigation revealed that 46% of the tested batches of imported honey were suspected of adulteration with added sugar syrups. European Parliament and Council (2024): The political agreement on the revision of the "Breakfast Directives" (Honey Directive). This confirms that the EU is tightening legislation to address fraud and the lack of transparency regarding countries of origin and their percentages. Type of fraud: News articles and scientific analyses by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) confirm that the adulteration primarily involved the use of cheap sugar syrups, such as rice syrup or beet syrup, to dilute the honey. The organic guarantee and inspection You may wonder how the inspection process works, especially for organic honey. Our honey carries organic certification. This means that inspections in Bulgaria and subsequently in the EU are particularly strict. Organic certification bodies check not only for the absence of pesticides and antibiotics, but also: The bees must collect nectar within a 3-kilometre zone free from pesticides and pollution (no motorways, no industry). Supplementary feeding during periods of scarcity is permitted only with organic honey or organic sugar. Chemical treatments and the use of antibiotics are prohibited to protect the health of the bees. Processing must preserve the honey’s natural composition and nutritional value. The finished product is strictly tested for purity (no added sugar syrups) and for the absence of chemical residues and antibiotics. Complete records are mandatory so that the honey can be traced from the jar back to the original beehive. The future: Clearer labels are on the way The good news is that the European Union has responded to the widespread fraud. A political agreement has recently been reached on the revision of the labelling rules, known as the “Breakfast Directives”. In the future, blended honey will have to: List the countries of origin on the label. State the percentage share for each country, in descending order. This is a major victory for consumers and honest beekeepers. However, these new rules are not yet in force. Make a difference now You do not have to wait for new legislation to be sure of your honey’s quality. The solution is simple: Buy honey with a transparent ingredients list Our honey is 100% organic Bulgarian blossom honey. Not blended, completely transparent, and directly traceable.

Recently, more and more blogs, posts, and advertisements have appeared claiming that bone broth “contains a lot of histamine because of prolonged cooking.” Meat broth is often presented as a supposedly safer alternative. Although that may sound logical, it is not scientifically correct. In fact, this claim is being widely copied online without any scientific basis. It is a classic example of internet myths keeping themselves alive because no one checks whether they are true. That is why this blog covers the facts, the science, and why prolonged cooking does not cause a histamine problem at all—but old meat does. What is histamine and how does it form? Histamine is a biogenic amine that forms when bacteria convert the amino acid histidine through an enzyme called histidine decarboxylase. ➡️ That means: without bacteria, there is no histamine.➡️ Histamine is not produced by cooking, and certainly not by prolonged cooking. The bacteria that produce histamine grow on: Old or poorly chilled meat or fish Meat that has been at room temperature for a long time Products processed unhygienically Once formed, histamine remains present even after cooking—it is heat-stable. But cooking itself does not produce histamine. What does cooking do to histamine? Research shows: Cooking reduces or stabilizes histamine levels. Grilling or frying sometimes increases histamine concentrations, mainly due to water evaporation. When cooking broth (even for 24–48 hours), histamine remains stable if you use fresh ingredients. Long cooking therefore does not increase histamine. If you work with fresh bones, prolonged simmering is not a problem at all. So where does histamine come from? Very simply: bacterial growth before cooking. If you use meat or bones that: have not been chilled immediately remain in the refrigerator for too long already been prepackaged or marinated… then bacteria have the opportunity to produce histamine. And that histamine remains even if you then cook it for hours. So the problem lies in the quality and freshness of the ingredients, not the cooking time. Why meat broth actually carries more risk Some brands suggest that meat broth is “safer” than bone broth. But that is not true. 💡 Meat is more susceptible to bacterial growth than bones.💡 Ground or marinated meat in particular often already contains elevated histamine levels. Bones, especially when stored frozen, contain much less moisture and muscle tissue where bacteria can be active. So if you use fresh or immediately frozen bones and work hygienically, bone broth is safe and low in histamine. Why you find so much inaccurate information online The claim that “bone broth contains a lot of histamine because of prolonged cooking” is repeatedly copied, often without any sources. Many blogs cite one another, sometimes verbatim, without checking the facts. The result? One false story becomes “truth” across hundreds of websites. Meanwhile, some companies use these myths to promote their own products (bone broth, powder, supplements…) as “histamine-friendly,” even though this is not scientifically accurate. What does the science really say? A few examples: "Histamine is produced during microbial spoilage by decarboxylation of histidine and is not destroyed by cooking." – US FDA, Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance, 4th Edition “Histamine content is more influenced by microbial activity in raw materials than by thermal processing.” – EFSA Journal, 2011 “Boiling reduces or maintains histamine levels; only pre-existing contamination affects final content.” – Doeun et al., Food Control, 2013 These and other studies are clear: the freshness of the ingredient determines the histamine level, not the cooking time. How can you avoid histamine in broth? Simple: Always use fresh bonesBuy them fresh or frozen, and process them quickly. Never leave meat or bones at room temperatureNot even for a few hours. Bacteria act quickly. Store your broth safelyRefrigerate within 2 hours after cooling, or freeze immediately. Avoid leftover meat with a questionable smell or colorThese may already contain histamine before cooking. What do we do at HANT? At HANT, we use only fresh, halal-slaughtered beef bones that are deep-frozen immediately upon receipt. Our bone broth is slowly simmered for 32 hours under controlled conditions. After preparation, the broth is heated in an industrial autoclave—a device that uses pressurized steam, similar to a sterilization process in the medical field. Although an autoclave does not break down histamine (because histamine is heat-resistant), it does significantly improve food safety and shelf life. No bacteria capable of producing histamine can survive after packaging. And for those who want certainty: we had our products tested by an accredited laboratory. The results show no elevated histamine levels in our broth.👉 View the analysis report here👉 View all lab results here

Olive oil is a plant-based oil extracted from the flesh and pits of olives. This oil has been used since the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans in cooking, skincare, and even for religious and medicinal purposes. In modern kitchens, olive oil is indispensable. Not only because of its flavor, but also because of its proven health benefits. These include a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, better cholesterol levels, and a powerful anti-inflammatory effect in the body. The benefits of olive oil: Rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (such as omega-9) Contains antioxidants such as vitamin E and polyphenols Lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) Improves the absorption of vitamins (A, D, E, and K) Easy to digest, including for children Olive oil is therefore not just any oil. It is food with a purpose. What exactly is extra virgin olive oil? Extra virgin means: the first cold pressing of the olives, without the addition of heat or chemicals. The olives are pressed immediately after harvesting, preserving all the flavor, aroma, and nutrients as effectively as possible. To be called extra virgin, olive oil must meet the following criteria: An acidity level of no more than 0.8% A perfect flavor: no defects, fruity, sometimes slightly bitter or peppery Mechanical extraction without any chemical treatment In short: it is the purest, most nutritious form of olive oil. Why should you always choose extra virgin? Not all olive oil is extra virgin. In the supermarket, you often simply see "olive oil" on the label. What does that usually mean? That you get a blend of refined oil (processed with heat or chemicals) with a small amount of extra virgin oil added to improve the flavor. That kind of oil is cheaper, but: Contains far fewer antioxidants Has lower nutritional value Tastes flat and industrial May contain traces of solvents Extra virgin olive oil: ✔ More flavor✔ More nutrients✔ More health benefits✔ 100% natural For your body and your taste buds, extra virgin is simply the better choice. Why organic? Organic olive oil involves no chemical pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. The trees are fertilized naturally, and diseases are managed with natural methods such as compost, plant extracts, or beneficial insects. That makes organic olive oil not only healthier for you, but also better for the environment and the workers who produce it. Organic means: No pesticides in your oil Better for soil and bees Less residue in your food Strictly controlled supply chain Especially if you use olive oil raw, drizzled over salads, vegetables, or bread, you want to be sure you’re not consuming any junk. In that case, organic isn’t a luxury—it simply makes sense. Why 100% European origin? Much of the olive oil in supermarkets carries the label:"Origin: blend of olive oils from EU and non-EU origins" What that actually means: a blend of olives or oil from Europe, Africa, Asia, and sometimes even industrial bulk oil from South America. No transparency, no quality control, no idea what you’re consuming. At HANT, we use exclusively 100% European, Mediterranean organic olives. Our olive oil is produced in Italy in accordance with strict EU organic regulations and with respect for traditional methods passed down through generations. Why avoid blended oil? No loss of quality through blending Better taste and aroma Control over origin and production Fair trade, short supply chain That way, you know exactly what you’re eating—and who you’re supporting. Why choose HANT olive oil? At HANT, we make no compromises on quality. Our olive oil is: Extra virgin 100% organically certified Made from European olives Not blended with cheaper bulk oil Mechanically pressed Pure with a full-bodied flavor Whether you want to feed your children healthy food, support your own body, or simply love truly delicious oil—this is the bottle you’re looking for. Order your bottle today Are you ready to make the switch to pure, organic olive oil without the junk? 👉 Click here to order your bottle from HANT

CERTIFICATE 2026 CERTIFICATE 2025 All HANT bone broth products are officially Halal certified. This means that we do not simply label our products “halal,” but undergo audits to prove it. Our certification was issued by Halal Expertise. FAQ – Frequently asked questions Is your bone broth halal? Yes, we use only cattle from Belgium and the Netherlands whose origin is known. Do you process other types of meat? No, we work exclusively with halal beef. Do you test the products in a laboratory? Yes, we conduct tests for, among other things, GMO, heavy metals, bacteria, and other forms of contamination. Are you Muslim yourselves? Alhamdulillah, yes.