Why’s adulterated honey worth getting a bee in your bonnet over? Because it’s generating a lot of buzz in the global food chain. (We can’t resist a good bee pun.) Honey is the third-most-faked food in the world. And it’s bad for bees and buyers for a lot of reasons:

• • Fake honey costs less, which drives the price down for real honey. You may save a few cents at the store, but these prices make it harder for real honey farms to survive and keep pure honey on shelves. Adulterated honey drives down the availability of authentic honey.

• • Adulterated honey is less healthy. Real honey contains simple sugars that benefit your immune system (read more about the health benefits of real honey here). But the high-fructose ingredients in adulterated honey can increase blood sugar and your chance of diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure.

• • It puts bees out of business. Less real honey means fewer hives. To survive, some beekeepers may even shift their operation from production to pollination, meaning bees travel more and put their hives at greater risk.

• • Consumers aren’t always aware that the “honey” they’re buying is actually full of fillers and corn syrup. Bottom line: you should know if the honey you’re buying is real or not.

    So, what should you do if you suspect your favorite natural sweetener isn’t the real deal? Take an extra minute at the grocery store, or do a few at-home experiments on the honey already in your pantry.