Here at the London Honey Company there is one incredible trend that over the years has become evident; as those lovely longer and warmer days kick in and the air fills with the gorgeous floral notes of spring our London Honey sales start flying through the roof.  Most customers buying London honey at this time of the year seem to be trying to fight off their seasonal hay fevers, however it has not been proven to be a remedy so we are not allowed to claim the heath benefits it might have.
The science around the subject seems to be inconclusive, so we decided to approach a specialist in allergies and rhinology from the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital in London to see if there could be some truth in this popular belief. Glenis Scadding MD said, "it is an interesting observation that possibly honey consumption helps to reduce hay fever symptoms. If the pollen contains proteins (allergens) to which the patient is sensitive then perhaps they are being desensitised by oral administration”
 
So assuming there is a honey out there that may help with hay fever how do you go around finding the right one for you? 
The fist step is to pick a honey variety which you know is from your area and is most likely to be packed with pollen grains you might be responsive to. Your local beekeeper will be able to help you with this, drop us an e-mail or check out our regional honey range here. 
Secondly, the honey needs to be unblended and minimally filtered and unpasteurised. Most British honeys are so look out for the origin on the jar. 
Thirdly, keep in mind that not all hay fevers are caused by pollen grains that the bees forage on. Steve, our founder, has been eating copious amounts of honey all is life and still suffers terrible hay fevers from grasses. 
Last thing to remember is that a lot of the supermarket honeys will be blends from non-EU countries so these will be most unlikely to carry the same pollen you might be allergic to.