6 Perfect Tea and Raw Honey Pairings for All Seasons

August 30, 2022

by Cal Orey


For centuries, people all around the world have enjoyed the simple, soothing pleasures of a good cup of tea with a good teaspoon of honey, and nowadays there is more reason to do so. Together they pack a punch of nutritional and health benefits.

Here are my six favorite tea and honey marriages, but there are infinite combinations for you to try. There is no right or wrong pairing and what's sweet to you makes honey-tea beverages a sweet sip.

1. Black Tea: The first tea -- which does contain caffeine -- can include a sweet flavor boost to it.  Also, Earl Grey and English Breakfast (perfect for an Irish breakfast, complete with fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, and scones) are part of the Black Tea group.

Best Honey Matches:
Sourwood boasts a caramel taste that can make a common black tea come to life with taste. Earl Grey teams well with avocado, blueberry, and eucalyptus honeys, too. It's more exotic and exciting than just a simple all-purpose clover honey that comes without pleasant surprises.


2. Green Tea: Touted for its wide array of health virtues, this tea does contain caffeine, like black tea, but not as much. It's an acquired taste and that's where honey comes into play so you can get the best of taste and nutritional benefits. 

Best Honey Matches:
Blueberry honey has a fruity taste which can give a nice kick to Green tea. Sage honey is mild, a California favorite that brings out the best of green tea.


3. Fruit Tea: Welcome to lemon, orange, rose hips, and apple teas. These fruity Herbal teas are sweet and sometimes tart, which call for a honey sidekick.

Best Honey Matches:
Mild flavored honeys such as black locust, sage, and alfalfa brings out the best in fruit teas because it doesn't overpower the fruity taste but maintains the integrity of the fruit flavor.


4. Herbal Tea: Garden Herbal teas aka tisanes come from a variety of plants other than the tea plant. They are made from the leaves, berries, flowers, fruits and bark of herbs and spices.
Although most herbal teas do not contain the antioxidant properties of real tea, they do possess other good-for-you compounds that can enhance your health and well-being. There is a wide range of herbal teas, including ginseng, cinnamon, licorice, and mint.

Best Honey Matches:
Teaming earthy and warm herbal teas go well with a mild alfalfa, clover, orange blossom, and sage honeys--common honeys that complement distinct herbal flavors.


5. Oolong Tea: This tea, popular in Asian countries, contains health perks of both black and green teas. Oolongs can be a robust flavored-tea that can have a sweet taste lends to different honeys. 

Best Honey Matches:
Oolong is a friendly match with California orange blossom honey with its citrusy sweet taste. Another oolong mate is tupelo honey its light amber color and herbal, fruity flavors.


6. White Tea: And last but not least welcome to this pale tea. White Tea is believed to rank high for its immune-enhancing antioxidants. It's a bit sweet and mellow. It's the new tea on the block for tea lovers.

Best Honey Matches:
Goldenrod honey is light colored and smooth, like white tea--the two complement each other. Wildflower, one of honey fans favorite mild honeys also goes nicely with white tea, or even Fireweed honey.


These tea and honey pairings also depend on the season and your mood. But popular and friendly honeys, such as clover and orange blossom are suitable any time, any place because they are not too strong and will not overpower teas -- and you can't go wrong for yourself or if you're serving other people.

Adapted from The Healing Powers of Honey: A Complete Guide to Nature’s Remarkable Nectar! (Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation)

Cal Orey, M.A., is an accomplished author and journalist. She penned the popular Healing Powers Series.