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Have you ever thought that there could be a type of honey that is poisonous?

We use honey because it has several benefits for our health: it’s also sweet and can be consumed at breakfast to make our mornings sweeter. But not the one called “mad honey.” You had better not confuse this with the regular honey and eat more than a teaspoon of it; otherwise – you can be poisoned or even die.

Mad honey is made from the pollen and nectar of such plants that contain grayanotoxin. The latter is a neurotoxin that can be nauseating and lead to hallucinations. The use of this extraordinary product and its poisonous cases has been known for thousands of years. In ancient times, they were even used as a weapon to poison and keep the territory from foreign invaders. According to history, it was used by Mithridates, king of the Pontus, to poison the enemy in 69 BC. In this way, he made Pompey’s army confused so that his troops could attack. 

Is mad honey legal?

A short answer to this question – yes, mad honey is one of the legal ways of getting high. Despite its hallucinogenic properties, this unique type of honey is produced and sold in different parts of the world but mostly in Turkey (which is known as deli bal) and Nepal. This is because the plant that is used for making honey grows mainly in those countries. However, a small amount of it grows also in New Zealand, Australia, Japan, etc.

Along with its rarity, mad honey also stands out with its unique look and taste – it’s red and tastes bitter than usual honey. There are two main purposes for using it – as a drug and for medical purposes. Experienced users know that you must not get overdosed. It’s also known for being used to enhance sexual performance.

What refers to its medical use, it’s mainly used in alternative medicine, and there is not much scientific evidence on whether it actually has health benefits or not. However, one study suggests that it can help with hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, and even cold sores.

Much like Ayahuasca and Peyote, this maddening product became so popular that many people worldwide seek to find it and even risk their lives to collect the honey from hazardous places. One example is the story of Mauli Dhan, a representative of Kulung culture, famous for “hunting honey” from Himalayan giant honeybees.

Where can you buy mad honey?

>Where to find it? Well, you don’t actually need to risk your life as Mauli does to get a bit of this food. You can find it on online stores and order a bit. Perhaps, one of the easiest ways to get is to buy from Amazon. For example, this one made in Nepal is 100% raw, pure and authentic. It’s made from the nectar of the flowers growing in the Himalayas and hunted by Gurung tribes.

Another place to look for it is Etsy. Here you can find a huge collection of both Himalayan made and Turkish made mad honey in different amounts. 

There are lots of other online stores specialized in honey production; you can also order from them. One such company is Beelixir that promises pure mad honey made in Nepal. Mad Honey Company and The Mad Honey also offer Nepalian based cliff honey, so you can have a look at their websites too. 

Whatever kind of mad honey you choose – Turkish-based or Nepalian-based make sure how much of it you are recommended to eat not to get overdosed.

Tatevik Chukhuryan