Sage Honey


Sage honey is made by bees from nectar the bees have gathered from Salvia officinalis, a plant also known as Common Sage, Garden Sage, or in some parts of the world, Dalmation Sage.

Sage is a popular herb, with culinary use.

Description And Properties Of Sage Honey

Sage honey may have an orange or slightly reddish tinge to its colour, and a strong aroma1.

A Croatian study assessed sage honey as follows1:

Visual assessment:

Colour intensity: medium to dark

Colour tone: normal honey colour with reddish/orange tone

Olfactory assessment:

Intensity of odour: strong

Description: floral – fresh fruit

Tasting assessment:

Sweetness: medium
Bitterness: absent
Aroma: floral – fresh fruit
Acidity: weak
Intensity of aroma: strong
Persistence/aftertaste: long-lasting

Physical characteristics:

Crystallisation rate: moderate

(Adapted from Kenjerić et al, 20061).

Honey has been found to have a number of health benefits, and in particular, its anti-bacterial properties are well documented. 

However, there is some slight variation in efficacy, depending on the type of honey.

Whilst I have found little scientific study relating specifically to sage honey, one study2 found 3 chemical markers distinct to sage honey indicating the presence of the anti-oxidants:

  • resveratrol, 
  • epigallocatechin and 
  • pinostrobin.






Reference

1. Čačić Kenjerić, Daniela & Primorac, Ljiljana & Mandić, Milena & Bubalo, Dragan & Pirički, A.P. & Flanjak, Ivana. (2006). Dalmatian sage (Salvia officinalis L.) honey characterization. Deutsche Lebensmittel-Rundschau. 102. 479-484.

2. Mărgăoan R, Topal E, Balkanska R, Yücel B, Oravecz T, Cornea-Cipcigan M, Vodnar DC. Monofloral Honeys as a Potential Source of Natural Antioxidants, Minerals and Medicine. Antioxidants (Basel). 2021 Jun 25;10(7):1023. doi: 10.3390/antiox10071023. PMID: 34202118; PMCID: PMC8300703.