Clover Honey: What It Is, Nutrition, Benefits and Raw vs Regular

October 3, 2026 avinashmittal

This mild, golden honey is what many people picture when they think of honey. But what is clover honey exactly, is raw clover honey better, and is it actually good for you? Here’s what the evidence says.

Quick answer: Clover honey is honey made by bees from the nectar of clover flowers. According to the National Honey Board, it has a sweet, flowery aroma and a mild taste. Nutritionally, it’s mostly sugar: about 64 calories and 17 grams of sugar per tablespoon. Honey may help soothe a cough in adults and children over 1, but never give any honey, raw or regular, to a baby under 12 months.

What Is Clover Honey?

Honey gets its color and flavor from the flowers bees visit. The National Honey Board says there are more than 300 types of honey in the United States, and that lighter honeys generally taste milder while darker honeys taste stronger.

Clover honey comes from several kinds of clover plants, including White Dutch, red, sweet and white clover. The Honey Board describes it as having a sweet, flowery aroma and a pleasing, mild taste, which makes it an easy everyday choice for tea, toast, baking and cooking.

Clover Honey Nutrition

Here’s what’s in one tablespoon (21 g) of honey, based on USDA nutrient data as listed by Eat This Much:

Nutrient	Amount per tablespoon
Calories	About 64
Carbohydrates	17 g
Sugars	17 g
Fiber, fat, protein	Essentially none
Potassium	About 11 mg

In other words, it’s almost entirely sugar. Its vitamins and minerals are present only in trace amounts, so it isn’t a meaningful source of nutrients. On U.S. food labels, honey’s sugar is listed as added sugar.

Is Clover Honey Good for You?

It can be part of a healthy diet in small amounts, but it’s still a sugar. Here’s a balanced look at the benefits and downsides.

Clover Honey Benefits: Soothing a Cough

The best-supported use for honey is easing a cough from a cold. The CDC recommends honey to relieve cough in adults and children 12 months and older. According to Mayo Clinic, studies suggest honey may calm coughs and help sleep, though higher-quality studies are needed. For children 1 and older, Mayo Clinic suggests 0.5 to 1 teaspoon.

The Downsides

It’s high in sugar. A tablespoon has 17 grams of sugar, so it adds up quickly.
It raises blood sugar. If you have diabetes, count honey as carbohydrate. Our guide to normal A1C levels explains how blood sugar control is measured.
It isn’t safe for babies. See below.

Never Give Honey to Babies Under 12 Months

This is the most important safety rule for any honey. The CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Honey Board all advise that honey should not be given to infants younger than 12 months, according to the University of Florida IFAS Extension. Honey can carry spores of the bacteria that cause infant botulism, a rare but serious illness, and a baby’s gut can’t yet stop the spores from growing.

That includes pasteurized honey and honey mixed into water, food or formula. As Michigan State University Extension explains, avoid giving an infant any form of honey until they’re at least 12 months old.

Raw Clover Honey vs Regular Clover Honey

“Clover” describes the flower source. “Raw” describes how the honey was handled. So you can buy it either raw or regular (processed).

There’s no official U.S. federal definition of raw honey. The National Honey Board defines it as honey as it exists in the hive or as obtained by extraction, settling or straining without adding heat, but notes this definition has no legal authority. Raw honey may contain small amounts of pollen that are often removed during processing, which is the main reason people say it’s healthier.

	Raw	Regular
Heating	Not heated	Usually heated
Filtering	Strained, may contain small bits of pollen	Often filtered
Calories and sugar	About the same	About the same
Safe for babies under 12 months?	No	No

Is clover honey raw? Only if the label says so, and even then, because “raw” isn’t legally defined, it’s worth choosing a brand you trust.

Clover Honey vs Wildflower Honey

Clover varieties come mainly from clover blossoms, which is why they taste so consistent and mild. Wildflower honey comes from a mix of whatever flowers the bees visit, so its color and flavor vary from jar to jar and season to season, often darker and stronger. Nutritionally, both are mostly sugar, so the choice comes down to taste.

How to Enjoy Clover Honey

Stir a teaspoon into tea or warm water with lemon. (If you’re intermittent fasting, honey ends your fast: see what breaks a fast.)
Drizzle a little over yogurt, oatmeal or fruit.
Use it in salad dressings, marinades and baking.
Keep portions small, ideally a teaspoon at a time, to limit added sugar.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is clover honey?

It’s honey made from the nectar of clover flowers. It’s light in color with a sweet, mild flavor.

Is clover honey good for you?

In small amounts, it can fit into a healthy diet, and it may help soothe a cough. But it’s mostly sugar, so it’s best used sparingly.

Is clover honey raw?

Not necessarily. Clover honey can be raw or processed. Check the label.

Is raw clover honey healthier?

Raw honey may contain small amounts of pollen, but its calories and sugar are about the same as regular honey. Neither is safe for babies under 1.

Can people with diabetes eat clover honey?

Honey raises blood sugar like other sugars, so if you have diabetes, count it as carbohydrate and talk with your care team about how it fits your plan.

The Bottom Line

This is a mild, versatile honey made from clover nectar. It’s mostly sugar, so enjoy it in small amounts. It may help soothe a cough in adults and children over 1, but never give honey of any kind, raw or regular, to a baby under 12 months.