Is honey healthy?

Drizzling honey into your tea, yoghurt, or dressing is always delicious. Honey can be used to sweeten your food, and it’s produced by our friendly bees as a natural sweetener. This often leads us to think it’s healthy, but is it really?

What’s in honey?

Your body processes all sugar the same way, including honey. Therefore, honey is not healthier than sugar. However, honey has a higher water content, resulting in fewer calories per 100 grams compared to, for example, granulated sugar.

Sugar and honey: essentially the same

Honey contains various minerals, vitamins, and proteins, but in minimal amounts to contribute significantly to your body. While honey is a natural product made by bees, sugar is also derived from natural sources such as sugar beets or sugarcane.

Anti-inflammatory properties

Although, in essence, any sugar is the same, there are some health benefits to using honey. Research has explored whether honey might aid in wound healing. The findings suggest that honey is effective in treating wounds infected after surgery. The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of honey are believed to contribute to this. Additionally, honey may help combat cardiovascular diseases by containing high levels of flavonoids and antioxidants. These components are thought to lower cholesterol levels, reducing blood vessel narrowing risk.

Is honey healthy?

Determining if honey is healthy is challenging because the quantity consumed varies among individuals, and there is limited research on the subject. Of course, using biological honey is far better than using honey in moderation, such as adding it to your yoghurt or tea, which is not a cause for concern. It is difficult, in general, to definitively label any food as healthy or not. However, we can assert that honey can be part of a healthy diet.