Is Honey Good for Diabetes? The Truth About This Natural Sweet Liquid

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Some people use honey as a natural sweetener for their hot drinks or baked goods, while others prefer eating honey as a dessert. No matter how you enjoy honey, there’s no denying that it’s one of nature’s tastiest treats. But is it suitable for people with diabetes?

That’s what we’re going to discuss in this comprehensive guide. We’ll look at how honey affects your blood glucose level, as well as whether or not there is any form of honey that is safe for people with diabetes to eat. Read on for all the information.

What Is Honey?

Honey is a golden, thick liquid produced by honeybees and various other insects, such as wasps and bumblebees. It is derived from nectar found in flowers, which is collected and stored by bees to be deposited in their hives later.

This nectar consists of water, sucrose (a form of sugar), and other substances. It comprises around 20% water and 80% carbohydrates, and bees use it to produce honey. They do this by ingesting the nectar, then regurgitating it, repeating this process until all the water is removed.

While natural honey consumption can be a good sweetener, honey does have slightly more calories and carbohydrates per teaspoon than standard table sugar.

How Does Honey Affect Blood Sugar?

Honey affects blood sugar because it is a natural sugar and carbohydrate. However, compared to standard table sugar, it does not raise your blood sugar quite as quickly – though it still causes a significant increase.

A study conducted in 2004 tested the effects that both sugar and honey had on blood sugar levels, with the participants including people with and without type 1 diabetes.

The researchers found that, in the participants who had diabetes, honey caused an initial blood sugar increase after 30 minutes. This is substantially slower than the blood sugar increase experienced after eating carbohydrate-rich foods, which increase your blood sugar after just 15 minutes.

However, their blood sugar levels later decreased and remained at safe, low levels for 2 hours. This leads us to believe that, unlike table sugar, honey can increase insulin – one of the most important hormones in managing blood sugar.

Nutritional Value of Honey

As we have already mentioned, raw honey contains a range of healthy nutrients that are beneficial to the body. Here’s a quick breakdown of those nutrients:

Honey

Sweeteners

Not Keto Friendly

Key nutritional facts (per 100g):

Net carbs

82.4g

Total carbs

82.4g

Fats

–

Protein

0.3g

Calories

304

Glycemic Index

58

Fiber

0.2g

Sugars

82.1g

As you can see, pure honey contains plenty of energy and water per 100g, and while it might seem to contain a lot of sugar, it is not enough to cause blood sugar levels to spike to dangerous levels in people with diabetes.

In fact, raw natural honey has anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce some of the complications related to diabetes, like edema.

Glycemic Index of Honey

One of the greatest benefits of honey is that it has a medium glycemic index, lower than sugar. The glycemic index is a measurement of how quickly a carbohydrate raises blood sugar levels.

Honey has a glycemic index score of 58, while sugar has a score of 65. Honey causes your blood sugar to increase fairly quickly, as do all carbohydrates. However, this increase is not as rapid as with regular sugar.

So, if you are living with diabetes, you can still eat raw honey (in moderate amounts) without compromising your health.

How to Consume Honey for Diabetes

While it is a natural ingredient, honey is, unfortunately, still classified as an added sugar to our everyday diets. That said, it can still be enjoyed safely by people living with diabetes if eaten in moderate amounts and incorporated into a balanced, healthy diet.

A fiber-rich diet of fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, whole grains, and legumes can help manage blood sugar effectively.

It’s important to keep the overall carb intake of your meals as low as possible when you eat honey so as not to cause hyperglycemia. It helps balance any snack or meal that includes honey with various healthy foods low in carbs.

If you want to be better about controlling your blood glucose levels and want to manage your sugar intake, then you can substitute honey in place of sugar. Or, try using substitutes like monk fruit extract, stevia, or yacón syrup.

Plus, if you would like to lower your glucose levels as well as blood pressure, you can mix honey, apple cider vinegar, and water. If that is too bitter for you, you could also mix honey into a glass of lemon water for a refreshing summer drink.

NOTE: If you follow a plant-based diet for managing diabetes, you may want to consider where you stand on consuming honey, as vegans consider honey an animal product as it contains bee saliva.

FAQs

Conclusion

Honey is a natural sweetener with a lower glycemic index measurement than table sugar. It can be used as a replacement for sugar, but, as with any sweetener, it is important to consume it in moderation.

We recommend consulting with your doctor before you add honey to your diet – it’s not right for everyone, especially those who have to work on lowering their blood glucose levels.