Honey: Too Sweet for Diabetes?

Honey Has High-Carb Content That Isn't Recommended for Diabetics

Beverages like tea and coffee taste good with sugar but nowadays, there are many individuals moving onto other form of sweeteners including honey or palm sugar to make it healthier. But, the fundamental question is whether honey is recommended for those with diabetes? The answer is a simple yes, but there are many ifs and buts behind this answer which we would be seeing in detail below. Basically, it’s highly beneficial for all to have control over their sugar intake and in the case of diabetics, it’s mandatory to restrict their sugar and carbohydrates intake to keep blood glucose levels under control. But, it’s not necessary to cut down sugar intake totally.
 
Sugar is sugar, whatever form it might take and honey is a sweetener just like many other sweeteners available in the market. If you have the practice of looking at the food label, it falls under the category of ‘added sugars,’ meaning that the food isn’t sweet naturally but we add it to foods to make it sweet.
 
Adopting Healthier Natural Products
 
Food adulteration is reaching new peaks, even fruits and vegetables don’t add nutrition like previously due to overuse of pesticides, and as a result of this, people are inclining toward organic products and natural foods, herbs, and even honey for diabetes management. Diabetes, once termed a non-reversible illness is now seen in a new light—diabetes remission is possible with active lifestyle changes, daily exercise routines and consumption of healthy foods. Combining these with traditional medications including honey elevates the possibility of diabetes management and improves overall health.
 
While honey is not something new to the world, especially India where it has been used since long, until recent times, their advantages were known only from observations without proper research evidence. But, in the last decade or so, scientists and researchers have made significant research concerning honey’s effects—its potential to act as an antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and a cardioprotective agent.
 
Owing to honey’s high carbohydrate content, there have always been controversies surrounding its effect on diabetes patients. Let’s get reading to understand how exactly honey has an effect on diabetes and whether or not it’s advisable for people with diabetes.
 
Composition of Honey
 
There are more than 200 different components in honey and the dominant components include fructose, glucose, and water. Fructose can be anywhere between 21 and 40% in honey and being the most sweetest natural sweetener, it has a glycemic index of 19, a number very much lesser when compared to glucose or sucrose which have a number of 100 and 60 respectively.
 
 
Comparing Honey with Sugar
 
Honey is comprised of 80% carbohydrates and 20% water and on a comparative basis, its carbohydrate and calorie content per tablespoon are slightly higher than white sugar. For instance, in one tablespoon of honey, there are around 60 calories and 17 grams of carbohydrates in accordance with the United States Department of Agriculture. In contrast, one tablespoon of sugar contains around 80 calories.
 
In terms of nutrients, sugar has zero nutrients while honey consists of nutrients such as sodium, phosphorous, zinc, vitamin C, potassium and calcium. There are also research evidences supporting the fact that honey might contain prebiotics that benefit the gut bacteria but we need better conclusive evidence to support this.
 
Also, honey has a low glycemic index (GI) of 58 in comparison to sugar which has a GI value of 60. Such numbers clearly prove that honey does raise blood sugar levels just like many other sweeteners but not as rapidly as sugar.
 
Effect of Honey on Blood Sugar Levels & Diabetes
 
The cornerstone of diabetes management is reduction of carbohydrate intake and increment of whole grains consumption. Honey predominantly comprises of carbs, has a GI value almost close to processed sugar, and does increase blood sugar levels. Though anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties are some of the benefits of honey, we have plenty other foods that provide the same advantages minus the sugar consumption.
 
Research studies also provide varying results and most of them are on animals. Some studies do show that honey reduces plasma glucose levels, blood lipid levels, and aids in weight loss but there are research results showing that honey raises HbA1c levels and blood glucose levels in the body. We need long-term and large-scale studies that clearly establish the effect of honey on diabetes. Until then, it is recommended to consume this ingredient in moderation or avoid its consumption as much as possible in the case of individuals with diabetes.
 
In case diabetes is under control, seek the advise of your healthcare professional and choose any natural, raw honey as this does not have added sugars. Due to honey’s anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, reduction of diabetes-related complications and improvement in insulin levels, thereby leading to control of blood glucose levels is possible.
 
Conclusion
 
Honey as a standalone product comes with different benefits for the human body. But, when considering it for consumption for people with diabetes, moderation is always the key and confirming its safe of use is still a question mark. Honey isn’t the solution for sugar substitution. Consult a doctor, get the help of a dietitian/nutritionist to plan a meal that includes honey if you crave for it, and ensure that the total carbohydrates intake stays within recommended levels for diabetics.