"Honey is unique, made by honey bees with little need for human intervention or processing," says Marissa Karp, MS, RD, CDN, and spokesperson for the National Honey Board (NHB). Raw Honey vs. Raw honey: "There is no regulated definition as to what constitutes 'raw' honey, but the National Honey Board defines raw honey as 'honey as it exists in the beehive or as obtained by extraction, settling, or straining without adding heat,'" Karp says. "This amount of processing can remove or destroy some of the beneficial components found in raw honey," Mok says. Filtered honey: Even raw honey can be lightly filtered or strained, preserving many of its natural nutrients and antioxidants.