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Honey varieties

Alfalfa honey

Bees make this honey from the nectar of alfalfa, a forage crop that farmers cut for hay.

  • Photo of Medicago sativa from an iNaturalist observation.Alfalfanectar

White to extra light amber

Alfalfa honey

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The honey

Color

White to extra light amber

In the Intermountain West, it is mostly light. In California, it seldom grades lighter than extra light amber. [1][2]

Illustrative screen color. A screen cannot show a laboratory color.

Aroma

A mild, pleasing aroma, similar to beeswax. [1][3]

Flavor

Mild, light, and floral, with a spicy note. [3][4]

Crystallization

Fast. Crystallizes readily, like other honeys from legumes. [2]

Where it comes from

Blossom (nectar)Botanical variety

  • Alfalfa

    Medicago sativa

    primary source · nectar

    Published honey references and standards name this source. In other regions, the honey can come from more or different species.

Documented in
United States, Canada, Argentina

The catalog names these countries. Honey of this type can come from other regions too.

insiderelic published the photo of Medicago sativa on iNaturalist under CC0 1.0: iNaturalist observation 114117768.

Evidence

Emerging Profile

Published evidence exists but is limited, for example a government or trade-board description or one small study.

The U.S. National Honey Board and the USDA grading manual give the color, aroma, and crystallization. A University of Arizona extension guide adds the flavor notes.

Studies

  1. Honey Varietals

    National Honey Board

    The U.S. National Honey Board describes the color, aroma, and flavor of seven U.S. honey varieties.

    Open the source

  2. Extracted Honey Grading Manual

    U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, 1985

    The USDA manual for honey graders describes the main U.S. floral sources and groups them by flavor.

    Open the source

  3. Honey Color and Flavor

    National Honey Board

    The U.S. National Honey Board describes the color and flavor of common U.S. honey varieties.

    Open the source

  4. Monofloral Honeys

    Lesenne, A.

    University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, 2023

    A University of Arizona extension guide to the flavors of monofloral honeys.

    Open the source

References

  • Main European unifloral honeys: descriptive sheets — International Honey Commission
  • Standard for Honey CXS 12-1981 — FAO / WHO Codex Alimentarius
  • Council Directive 2001/110/EC relating to honey — European Union
  • Criteria for identifying monofloral and multifloral manuka honey — New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries
  • United States Standards for Grades of Extracted Honey — United States Department of Agriculture
  • Honey for nutrition and health: a review — Journal of the American College of Nutrition

We reviewed this record on .

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