Buckwheat honey has a beautifully rich and dark red-brown color, and is more flavorful and less sweet than other types of honey. It’s by far my favorite honey out of the ones that I’ve sampled. Generally, the darker the honey the more antioxidants it contains, and this rule is certainly true for buckwheat honey. Researchers have found that buckwheat honey (but not heated buckwheat honey) increases the level of antioxidants in the blood. Antioxidants fight oxidation of chemicals. Oxidation in the body is believed to lead to a number of health problems. For example, oxidation of LDL cholesterol causes it to stick to the lining of the arteries, forming the plaque deposits that can block blood flow and lead to strokes and heart attacks.

Buckwheat honey has been found to work well as a cough suppressant in children. Children given this honey before bedtime were found to sleep better and cough less than children given a medicine containing dextromethorphan, which is a common cough suppressant, or children given no medicine at all.

Like all honey, buckwheat honey should not be given to children younger than twelve months. The honey may contain spores of the botulism bacteria, which more mature immune systems can destroy.

Bees produce buckwheat honey when they feed on the nectar produced by the flowers of the buckwheat plant. Despite its name, this plant is not a type of wheat and is not a grain. It contains no gluten, but its seeds can be used to make a porridge or can be ground into a flour to make bread. Since it is gluten free, buckwheat can be eaten by people with celiac disease.

The buckwheat honey sold in my local stores is more expensive than the common grocery store honeys, but I ration it carefully so that it lasts a long time. One piece of whole grain bread spread with low-fat cream cheese and buckwheat honey makes a nice after-supper treat.