Is honey a healthy alternative to sugar?

[Jackdean1]

I have heard honey is a great alternative to sugar as it still has all its minerals and vitamines where as with sugar they has all been taken out. I know honey has more calories but people say you use less as its sweeter.

I would be using it mostly in tea, coffee and probably oatmeal

I have been using artificial sweetners for a while now but hate the idea of them what with all the chemicals they use making them. So I want to sacrefice the calories to have a healthier option with either pure sugarcane sugar or honey or some other alternative if any existe

[rhadam]

20g of carbs = 20g of carbs = 20g of carbs

[Mrpb]

No significant difference.

[SuffolkPunch]

You'd probably get more vitamins and minerals in a small handful of spinach leaves than in 300 calories worth of honey. Just guessing here but I bet I'm not far off.

[chamelious]

I have been using artificial sweetners for a while now but hate the idea of them what with all the chemicals they use making them.

It's alarming that no one has addressed this.

OP: There is nothing wrong with "chemicals" in artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners have been tested (a lot) and shown to be perfectly safe in anything but ridiculous dosages. Worrying about one in your cup of tea is absolutely asinine.

And once more for the record: EVERYTHING is a chemical. Water is a chemical. You are made of chemicals.

[Mrpb]

I'd say the topic of artificial sweeteners is a bit more nuanced. It's true that most studies found no problems, but some studies have shown some negative effects on gut bacteria and insulin sensitivity.

Personally I prefer honey in my yoghurt. Tastes better too. But I don't go out of my way to avoid AS either.

[ironwill2008]

I have heard honey is a great alternative to sugar as it still has all its minerals and vitamines where as with sugar they has all been taken out. I know honey has more calories but people say you use less as its sweeter.

I would be using it mostly in tea, coffee and probably oatmeal

I have been using artificial sweetners for a while now but hate the idea of them what with all the chemicals they use making them. So I want to sacrefice the calories to have a healthier option with either pure sugarcane sugar or honey or some other alternative if any existe

There is some evidence that using honey can help prevent allergies. I like it just for it's taste, which will vary depending on where it was harvested. As mentioned above, carb calories are all the same.

IMO, artificial sweeteners aren't a problem, but given a choice between them and sugar or honey, I'll go with the latter two. I don't care for the aftertaste from some artificials; YMMV.

[chamelious]

I'd say the topic of artificial sweeteners is a bit more nuanced. It's true that most studies found no problems, but some studies have shown some negative effects on gut bacteria and insulin sensitivity.

Personally I prefer honey in my yoghurt. Tastes better too. But I don't go out of my way to avoid AS either.

Sure. In this case though, we are talking about presumably a single tiny tablet of sweetner in cups of tea, and i'd be utterly shocked if replacing this has the greatest contribution to OPs dietary health if we were able to see OPs diet as a whole.

[HotDogManB]

Honey is sugar

[rhadam]

Honey is sugar

No way. Seriously?

[gbullock32]

Honey is sugar

Just changed my entire outlook on life.

[DreadPir8]

There is some evidence that using honey can help prevent allergies

I think this was something found to not be true. Or if it was true, it had to be very locally farmed honey to where you live, and the benefits are negligible.

Not trying to call you out; I use to eat a big spoonful of honey everyday when I first heard it could help allergies.

Edit: trying to find a good source; but it seems like control groups experience the ‘benefits’ too. Meaning it’s just placebo

[DrunkenMoron]

Honey is sugar

Impossibruuuu!!!

That's almost like saying chicken is meat.. you can't fool me.

[Mrpb]

Honey is a sweet, viscous food substance produced by bees and some related insects.

It contains a lot of sugars and some other stuff

https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/sweets/5568/2

[DreadPir8]

When I went through my naturopath phase, I would put honey and olive oil in my hair.

Never used shampoo. My head did not smell sweet

[Jackdean1]

I think this was something found to not be true. Or if it was true, it had to be very locally farmed honey to where you live, and the benefits are negligible.

Not trying to call you out; I use to eat a big spoonful of honey everyday when I first heard it could help allergies.

Edit: trying to find a good source; but it seems like control groups experience the ‘benefits’ too. Meaning it’s just placebo

I do buy locally farmed honey quite often

[s2grand]

20g of carbs = 20g of carbs = 20g of carbs

I dont really agree with this. Look into the benefits of Raw honey...I order a brand from amazon called "really raw honey" and it is completely unprocessed. Most of the honey sold in grocery stores is heated and alot of the nutrients are lost. Natural sugar is always a better source of sweet than granulated white sugar.

[DreadPir8]

I dont really agree with this. Look into the benefits of Raw honey...I order a brand from amazon called "really raw honey" and it is completely unprocessed. Most of the honey sold in grocery stores is heated and alot of the nutrients are lost.

What nutrients?

Natural sugar is always a better source of sweet than granulated white sugar.

How so?

I feel like the honey thing is just an appeal to something natural being automatically better. Which isn’t actually a good argument in itself.

[rhadam]

I dont really agree with this. Look into the benefits of Raw honey...I order a brand from amazon called "really raw honey" and it is completely unprocessed. Most of the honey sold in grocery stores is heated and alot of the nutrients are lost. Natural sugar is always a better source of sweet than granulated white sugar.

No.

[mrgrtt123]

Sugar is higher on the glycemic index (GI) than honey, meaning it raises blood sugar levels more quickly. This is due to its higher fructose content, and the absence of trace minerals. But honey has slightly more calories than sugar, although it is sweeter, so less may be required.

[Mrpb]

Sugar is higher on the glycemic index (GI) than honey, meaning it raises blood sugar levels more quickly. This is due to its higher fructose content, and the absence of trace minerals.

The other way around: honey has more fructose than glucose. Fructose doesn't raise blood sugar. And this does not mean it's healthier.

But honey has slightly more calories than sugar.

100 gram honey has about 304 kcal, 100 gram table sugar has 387 kcal.

[Nedo]

Honey has its benefits for diabetics especially as it does not increase their blood sugar. Knew a few people who worked in nursing homes who told me about this.

[Mrpb]

Honey has its benefits for diabetics especially as it does not increase their blood sugar. Knew a few people who worked in nursing homes who told me about this.

You may want to inform them: Honey still raises blood sugar, just slightly less than sugar. Look at the GL and sugar content for example: https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/sweets/5568/2