HONEY has many health benefits but choosing the right one is important, says beekeeper Raymond Sim.
What started off as a hobby six years ago, Sim, 50, has turned it into a business as he possesses in-depth knowledge of bee keeping and honey harvesting.
Sim is the founder of Greenplanade Eco Farm based in Bukit Sungai Ara, the place where he rears his stingless bees, his favourite, in a tropical environment.
“Although stingless bee honey was recognised as a superfood by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) in 2016, its health benefits still need more awareness among people.
“Stingless bee honey has had a long history of traditional indigenous use with a range of purported therapeutic properties, including its antidiabetic and antioxidant activity.
“Unlike honey from normal bees, stingless bee honey has very reduced sugar content and it can be beneficial for both men and women, for various purposes.
“The physical characteristics of stingless bees that differentiate them from honeybees are that they don’t sting, have the ability to pollinate small-sized flowers, are less vulnerable to diseases and their products are easier to be extracted,” Sim told Buletin Mutiara during an exclusive interview today.
According to Sim, there are some 300 bee cages in the farm housing 15 different kinds of species.
Apart from supplying honey to local traders in Malaysia, he also supplies to places such as Brunei, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China and many others.
Sim also added that honey bees would take a span of 45 days to produce about 500 grams of honey per hive while stingless bees would take at least 100 days to produce about the same amount of propolis honey, including for the fermentation process to complete.
He also said that it was advisable for people to consume stingless bee honey one tablespoon daily with empty stomach.
“For those interested, this can be done first thing in the morning before breakfast. Trust me, if you continuously do this for next six weeks, you feel different about yourself.
“It is important to note that the honey must be kept in room temperature so that you can enjoy the best taste possible,” he added.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by Darwina Mohd Daud