3 Reasons Why Honey Should Not Be Banned In Diabetic Diet
The diabetic diet is strictly controlled in terms of sugar and mineral compounds intake. Hence it's not surprising that "whether honey is allowed for diabetic patients" is a frequently asked question for Benefits of Honey. Diabetes is a deficiency of the pancreas, whereby insulin is not produced sufficiently or utilised properly. It's basically a disorder of metabolism, primarily that of carbohydrates. The ingested sugars and starches cannot be deployed, and hence are eliminated in the urine. Symptoms of diabetes include frequent urination, extreme thirst or hunger, weight loss, fatigue, numbness, and infections. There are 2 types of diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body doesn't produce any insulin, whereas, people with type 2 diabetes either don't produce enough insulin or their cells resist the insulin, and they tend to be overweight, because the high insulin levels, unable to channel glucose into muscle cells, convert glucose into fat and cholesterol instead. This results not only in obesity, but also very often heart disease, poor blood circulation in the legs and eye diseases. While type 1 diabetes is treated with insulin injections, which help glucose get into the body cells and maintain blood glucose control, type 2 diabetics commonly use glucose-lowering drugs. Most diabetics are type 2 and are usually in their 40s. 1. Not All Sweeteners are Made Equal You get (99 per cent of the time) a "no-no" answer when you ask doctors if honey is allowed for diabetics. With appropriate control, many diabetics and pre-diabetes (people with blood glucose levels higher than normal person but not high enough to be considered diabetic) are still able to safely enjoy natural honey (Journal of Medicinal Food, September 2007, 10(3): 473-478). Before incorporating honey into their Continue reading >>
Can Diabetics Eat Honey?
Is honey bad for diabetics? I hear this question a lot. And for good reasons! Diabetics are advised a low-sugar diet. Its simple science actually — the less sugar you put into your body, the more stable your blood sugar levels. And since honey is nature’s sweetener, by default, many diabetics avoid it. But is raw, organic, all-natural honey actually bad for diabetics? Can diabetics eat honey, if they take extreme care to purchase only the highest quality raw honey? Let’s find out. Is Honey Bad for Diabetics? The answer to that question is – it depends. On what, you ask? On what kind of honey you eat, if it’s organic and all-natural or not, and how much of it you add to your diet. Let’s first understand how honey differs from sugar. 100 grams of honey contains about 82% sugar by weight, while 100gm of sugar contains 99.9% sugar. While pure honey has a glycemic index of 58, sugar’s glycemic index is 60. But where honey trumps over sugar is in its vitamin and mineral content. It contains nearly 200 different substances, especially antioxidants, which may protect against several diseases. Additionally, honey and sugar have different impacts on blood sugar levels. A study conducted at Dubai Specialized Medical Center and Medical Research Laboratories proved that natural honey lowers plasma glucose, C-reactive protein, homocysteine, and blood lipids in healthy, diabetic, and hyperlipidemic subjects. Researchers found that while 75g of honey did raise blood sugar and insulin levels in the first two hours, 75g of pure glucose raised them both significantly more. The initial blood sugar spike measured at 30 minutes was greater from honey than from glucose. However, blood sugar levels in the honey group then dropped lower than sugar, and remained lower for the next Continue reading >>
Honey Vs. Granulated Sugar: Which Sweetener’s Better For Diabetes?
Keeping blood glucose levels under control is important for people with diabetes. Good control can help prevent or slow down complications of diabetes, such as nerve, eye, or kidney damage. It can also help save your life. No one knows exactly why high glucose levels cause complications in people with diabetes, but keeping glucose levels as normal as possible might save your life, according to the American Diabetes Association. Added sugars, such as white granulated sugar and honey, are near the top of the list of foods that can cause blood sugar levels to spike. But do all added sugars affect blood sugar in the same way? Health benefits of honey Researchers have studied many potential benefits of honey, from how a topical application may help treat wounds to benefits for cholesterol management. Some research has even looked into whether honey could be used for blood glucose management. For instance, a 2009 study found that regularly consuming honey could have beneficial effects on body weight and blood lipids in people with diabetes. However, a significant increase in hemoglobin A1c was also observed. Another study showed that honey caused a lower glycemic response than that of glucose alone. In addition, honey has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, and is a source of antioxidants, all of which can benefit people with diabetes. Does this mean it’s better for people with diabetes to consume honey instead of sugar? Not exactly. Both of these studies recommended more in-depth research on the subject. You should still limit the amount of honey you consume, just as you would sugar. Honey vs. sugar Your body breaks down the foods you eat into simple sugars such as glucose, which it then uses for fuel. Sugar is made up of 50 percent glucose and 50 percent fructose. Continue reading >>
How Does Honey Help Diabetics?
Honey is popular as a natural sweetener. But, did you know that it can help keep diabetes in control? Given that anything ‘sweet’ is out of bounds for diabetics, this sounds impossible, right? Just because honey is sweet to taste, it does not mean that honey and sugar act in the same fashion. The former is actually good for diabetes. Curious? Read on to know how can diabetics eat honey. Diabetes – A Brief Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that is characterized by high blood sugar levels. It is a disease where your body fails to either produce insulin or use it properly. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that allows the cells to use glucose from the food as energy. When this glucose can no longer reach the cells, it stays in your blood, thus raising the blood sugar levels. The ingested sugars and starches cannot be used up as energy, and hence are eliminated through urine (1). Signs And Symptoms Symptoms of diabetes include: Frequent urination Extreme thirst or hunger Weight loss Fatigue Numbness Infection Types Of Diabetes There are two types of diabetes – type 1 and type 2. In type 1 diabetes, the body doesn’t produce any insulin. On the other hand, people who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes either don’t produce enough insulin or their cells do not use it properly. As a result, type 2 diabetes patients tend to be overweight and obese due to the high insulin levels. Their bodies are unable to channel glucose into the muscle cells, and end up converting glucose into fat and cholesterol instead. Can Diabetics Eat Honey? is honey good for diabetics? Well, many people are of the opinion that honey should not be consumed by people who have diabetes. But, is it true? Let’s find out. What makes honey better than refined sugar for diabetes? People ar Continue reading >>
Can Diabetics Eat Honey? The Research Will Surprise You
Honey is an all-natural food nicknamed Nature’s Sweetener. Humans have likely been eating it for tens, if not hundreds of thousands of years. And not only for its sweet flavour, but for its medicinal properties too. Sounds like something we should be eating more of right? Yet when you break it right down, honey is essentially sugar. We know that a high sugar diet is bad for you, which is why many consider honey unhealthy. So is honey good for us or not? Perhaps more importantly… Can diabetics eat honey? Honey vs Sugar: How does it compare? Honey is made in the bee-hive from flower nectar. The process is a collective effort that requires honey bees to consume, digest and regurgitate nectar repeatedly. For this reason the nutritional properties of honey depend on the nectar available around the hive. A typical batch of honey compared with sugar looks like this (1): You can see honey contains water and many trace vitamins and minerals that sugar doesn’t. That’s why honey is only 82% sugar by weight, while sugar is 99.9%… And that’s also why honey contains fewer calories than sugar. It’s hard to argue the winner here. Honey is also reported to contain at nearly 200 different substances, especially antioxidants. Antioxidants are thought to protect against many forms of disease (2). The Glycemic Index (GI) ranges considerably depending on the type of honey, but the entire GI concept itself is unpredictable anyway. Summary: Honey is not pure sugar. It also contains water and small amounts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which vary depending on the type of honey. Honey vs Sugar: Effects on blood sugar and insulin The impact of honey consumption on blood sugar levels tends to be slightly better than regular sugar. One small experimental study on healthy sub Continue reading >>
Can Diabetics Eat Honey?
Those with diabetes may feel like they are doomed to never again taste chocolate, or spoil themselves with a sweet dessert after a meal. The good news is, with a controlled diet, diabetics can still enjoy sweet things… as long as they are careful. Why does sugar affect diabetics? First of all, let's dispel the common myth that eating a lot of sugar can give you diabetes. This is well ‘known’ by most people. In fact, eating sugar has nothing to do with developing Type 1 diabetes. Genetics and other factors trigger the onset of the disease. Type 2 diabetes is slightly more complicated, with being overweight the biggest contributing factor. Of course a high intake of sugar adds to obesity, which can lead to diabetes, but the sugar itself is not directly responsible. Diabetes occurs when glucose levels in the blood are too high. This is a problem because most of the food we eat is turned into glucose for our body to burn as energy. The pancreas produces a hormone called insulin to help this transition from glucose to energy. In diabetics, the body either doesn’t produce insulin at all (Type 1), or can’t regulate the amount it produces (Type 2). Difference between honey and sugar When it comes to carbohydrates, there’s really not much difference between honey and sugar. However, this doesn’t tell the full story. Sugar is basically 100% sucrose, and has no nutritional value whatsoever. Honey on the other hand, contains many different vitamins and minerals, including zinc, iron, magnesium and potassium. Because of this, honey is sweeter than sugar, and so less is needed when cooking. Sugar is made up of fructose and glucose, two molecules which are bonded together to form sucrose. Our body needs to break this sucrose down before turning it into energy, but when i Continue reading >>
Can Diabetics Eat Honey?
If you are a diabetic and in love with everything sweet, you dont really have to give up on your sweet cravings just yet. There is hope for you! People who have diabetes are often told to steer clear of foods that are high on sugar content. But substituting regular or refined sugar with Honey is an alternate they can opt for (in consultation with the doctor of course). We would not say that if you are suffering from diabetes you should consume honey without restriction or without doctors consultation. Anything taken in excess can run you the risk of falling sick and especially if you are a diabetic, you have to be extra careful of what you eat as it can drastically effect your blood sugar levels. Honey is a natural sweetener and considered to be a healthier alternative to regular sugar. No doubt, owing to the lesser amount of carbohydrates found in honey, its impact on the ones blood sugar levels is slightly better than that of sugar. Also, honey is easy to digest compared to sugar and works well in keeping the metabolism levels high. This difference arises because honey is broken down in the body by the enzymes already present in honey. In the case of sugar, you may require enzymes from your body itself. Note that honey should be taken by diabetics after consultation with their doctors. Diabetes is a disease that occurs due inability of the pancreas to produce or sufficiently utilize insulin. There are four most common forms of diabetes that people suffer from. They are: Type 1 diabetesa form of diabetes where the pancreas produces little or no amount of insulin Type 2 diabetesa chronic type of diabetes that affects the way the body processes blood sugar or glucose Prediabetesa condition in which the blood sugar levels are high but not high enough as in the case of ty Continue reading >>
Raw Honey
by Angela Ysseldyk, Nutritionist and Beekeeper's Daughter A common question I get is whether or not diabetics can consume honey. It has long been thought that honey should be severely limited (along with most sugars) by diabetics. But the science strongly indicates that this is not the case. Below I cover three studies on raw honey in diabetics, all of which show positive health benefits for those who consume honey. In the first study, scientists set out to investigate the effect of consuming honey with one of two common diabetes drugs - metformin or glibenclamide. Diabetic rats were randomized into six groups and administered distilled water, honey, glibenclamide, glibenclamide and honey, metformin or metformin and honey for four weeks. What the scientists found was that honey significantly increased insulin, decreased hyperglycemia and fructosamine (fructosamine are used to identify blood glucose concentration over time). Although the two drugs alone significantly reduced hyperglycemia, when they were combined with honey they produced significantly much lower blood glucose as compared to the drugs alone. Similarly, glibenclamide or metformin combined with honey produced significantly lower fructosamine levels whereas glibenclamide or metformin alone did not decrease fructosamine. Even more interesting was that glibenclamide or metformin combined with honey also significantly reduced the elevated levels of creatinine, bilirubin, triglycerides (blood fats), and VLDL cholesterol (VLDL cholesterol is considered a type of "bad" cholesterol because elevated levels are associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease). Wow. It seems counterintuitive that honey actually lowers blood sugar levels. But the science clearly shows that it does. And furthermore, it appe Continue reading >>
Diabetes Foods: Is Honey A Good Substitute For Sugar?
I have diabetes, and I'm wondering if I can substitute honey for sugar in my diet? Answers from M. Regina Castro, M.D. Generally, there's no advantage to substituting honey for sugar in a diabetes eating plan. Both honey and sugar will affect your blood sugar level. Honey is sweeter than granulated sugar, so you might use a smaller amount of honey for sugar in some recipes. But honey actually has slightly more carbohydrates and more calories per teaspoon than does granulated sugar — so any calories and carbohydrates you save will be minimal. If you prefer the taste of honey, go ahead and use it — but only in moderation. Be sure to count the carbohydrates in honey as part of your diabetes eating plan. Continue reading >>
Can Diabetics Eat Honey?
Can a fat person eat honey? Can diabetics eat honey? Isn’t the glycemic index too high? Honey is sweet. Really sweet. Even sweeter than sugar. So how come there are people saying that they eat honey even if they have Type 2 Diabetes? All doctors say we should not consume sweet food if we have this condition, and of course, if we are overweight. Yet, clinical studies and practice say it’s good. The mystery lies in the type of the sugar. There are good sugar, bad sugar, and even toxic sugar. To understand this we will begin from the beginning. Food contains carbohydrates. There are all sorts of diets, with carbs, without carbs… Some people use something that works, others use something else and they work too. And some other people cannot find anything to work at all. Perhaps they miss the holistic approach and forget that food is not the only important thing in someone’s life. But that’s another story, in a different post. What’s all the fuss with carbohydrates? Scientists say: food contains carbohydrates. They can be simple or complex. The simple ones contain one or a few sugars, and the complex ones contain many many sugars. In order to digest and assimilate them, our body breaks all of them into simple sugars. After we eat, our digestive system breaks down the carbohydrates, meaning that it turns them into simple sugars, (monosaccharide) so they can be absorbed into the bloodstream. The speed of them entering the blood, leads to a term called glycemic index (GI). When we eat food that contains lots of simple carbs, they don’t need to be digested anymore and enter the blood immediately. We say they have a high GI. When our digestive system takes more time to digest them and the sugars enter the blood slower, we say these are carbs with slow GI. Very simpli Continue reading >>
Can A Diabetic Eat Honey?
Yes! Honey can be taken in moderation by an individual with Diabetes. I will briefly explain the scientific mechanism behind this. Keeping blood glucose levels under control is important for people with diabetes. Honey is a carb food as well, just like rice, potatoes, thus just keep in mind that 1 tablespoon of honey has approximately 17 grams of carbohydrate , and taking that into account when counting your total daily intake of carbohydrates, diabetics can work it out just like any other sweetener or carbohydrates. Both honey and sugar will affect your blood sugar level but Clinical studies have shown that pure honey is a healthier choice in diabetic diet than table sugar and any other non-nutritive sweeteners such as Splenda, saccharin, aspartame. Honey requires lower levels of insulin compared to regular white sugar and does not raise blood sugar levels as rapidly as table sugar, that is, it has a lower Glycemic Index than sugar. Honey facilitates glucose intake to the liver, hence preventing an overload of glucose entering the blood circulation. And nature's honey is the only sugar that possesses this special ability. Anyway you must consider that honey has more calorie than granulated sugar or sugar substitutes. One tablespoon of honey comes in at 68 calories, whereas 1 tablespoon of sugar contains 49 calories. So you can use raw honey instead other sugar substitutes but only in moderation. Be sure to count the carbohydrates in honey as part of your diabetes eating plan. List of Best and Worst Foods for individuals with Diabetes Download a free android app called 'Beat Diabetes' to get the latest list of Top 40 good and bad foods for Diabetes based on Glycemic Index. Continue reading >>
Can People With Type 2 Diabetes Eat Honey?
People with diabetes are often told they should not eat sweets and other foods that contain sugar because they may cause a spike in blood sugar levels. So, could honey be a healthful alternative to sugar-filled sweets and snacks? Blood sugar (glucose) levels are the amounts of sugar found in the blood. Sugar is the body's primary source of energy. Insulin is secreted from the pancreas to maintain blood sugar. The bodies of people with diabetes do not produce enough insulin or use it correctly. Contents of this article: What are carbohydrates? Carbohydrates, which are broken down into sugar provide the body with most of its needed energy. Carbohydrates make up half of recommended daily caloric intake. Carbohydrates are present in most foods, including: fruits vegetables milk grains beans honey white sugar brown sugar candy desserts The amount and type of carbohydrates consumed affect blood sugar levels. To keep their blood sugar at a safe level, people with diabetes should limit their total carbohydrate intake to between 45 grams (g) and 60 g per meal or less. As such, it is important to choose healthful, non-processed, high-fiber carbohydrates and control portion sizes. What is honey? Raw honey starts out as flower nectar. After being collected by bees, nectar naturally breaks down into simple sugars and is stored in honeycombs. The honeycombs trigger the nectar to evaporate, which creates a thick, sweet liquid known as honey. Honey, like other sugars, is a condensed source of carbohydrates. One tablespoon of honey contains at least 17 g of carbohydrates. While this amount may seem small, it adds up pretty quickly depending on how many carbohydrates a person consumes at a meal sitting. While honey is made up of sugar, it also contains vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant Continue reading >>
Cinnamon & Honey | Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community
Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community Find support, ask questions and share your experiences. Join the community I am a type 2 Diabetic and my levels have been all over the place and rising. I have spoken with my DN and all the time I get is increase your tablets 3 Glicazde + 2 Metformin a day. I have asked many questions, but same old bloody story eat starchy foods and loose weight. Have lost 1.5 stone in 12 months and increased exercise (14STONE 7 NOW), but still having high BS (10 - 15). Have started reducing carbs, against my DN instructions........... slapped wrists I came across a website called www.diabetesselfmanagement.com, which had quite a few threads about the use of Cinnamon & Honey, which has significantly lowered BS with many of the forum's personnel significantly reducing the amount of medication that they take. I was wondering if anybody on the forum had tried or are using Cinnamon & Honey as part of their daily program. The site looks to be run by a qualified Diabetes Nurse and the advice seems very genuine, sorry not plugging the site, but would like to do something else rather than rattle with tablets, hate taking tablets. I sprinkle about half a teaspoon of cinnamon on my breakfast. I seem to be doing ok with this. Not tried honey, would have thought it had too many carbs to do any good. As you may read in many threads on this forum I would suggest you ignore your DN and keep the carbs down; starchy carbs in practice can be highly refined and quickly turned to glucose. If you haven't already got a meter then do obtain one and see what affects you. I've heard that cinnamon may help but I would avoid honey as it's just sugar in another form. See how it affects you with the meter. I have cinnamon several times a day sprinkled on joghurt as I kn Continue reading >>
Effects Of Natural Honey Consumption In Diabetic Patients: An 8-week Randomized Clinical Trial.
Abstract OBJECTIVES: We investigated the effect of natural honey on body weight and some blood biochemical indices of diabetic subjects. METHODS: Forty-eight diabetic type 2 patients were randomly assigned into two groups: the honey group received oral natural honey for 8 weeks, and the control group did not take honey. Before the onset of the study (week 0) and after 8 weeks, weight measurements were taken and fasting blood samples were drawn. RESULTS: After adjustment for the baseline values, there were no significant differences in the fasting blood sugars between the two groups. Body weight, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and triglyceride decreased (P = 0.000), and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol increased significantly (P < 0.01) in honey group. The levels of hemoglobin A(1C) increased significantly in this group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrate that 8-week consumption of honey can provide beneficial effects on body weight and blood lipids of diabetic patients. However, since an increase in the hemoglobin A(1C) levels was observed, cautious consumption of this food by diabetic patients is recommended. Continue reading >>
Can A Diabetic Eat Honey?
Diabetics used to be told that they shouldn't eat any sugar, sweets or desserts. However, it is not the amount of sugar you eat that matters the most, but your total carbohydrate intake, according to the American Diabetes Association. Carbohydrates are not only found in sugar, such as in honey, maple syrup, white sugar, brown sugar and agave syrup, but are also present in large quantities in grains, starchy vegetables and fruits. You should restrict your carbohydrate intake to 45 g to 60 g per meal for best blood sugar control, according to the American Diabetes Association. Video of the Day Honey, like all other sugar, is a concentrated source of carbohydrates. A tablespoon of honey provides 17.3 g of carbohydrates, while a teaspoon has 5.8 g of carbohydrates, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database. Although these amounts may appear small, it can add up quickly depending on how much you use at one time. It is a good idea to track your carbohydrate intake. Write down the food you eat, with the corresponding serving size, and estimate the carbohydrate content of each of these foods using food labels or food composition tables. Add it up and make sure that each of your meals provide no more than 45 g to 60 g of carbohydrates. If honey can fit within your carbohydrate budget, your blood sugar control should not be impaired. Honey is often considered a healthy sweetener when compared to white sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. Although it is more natural and less processed, it still contains about the same amount of sugar as any other type of nutritive sweeteners. For example, 1 tsp. of granulated sugar has 4.8 g of carbohydrates, 1 tsp. of brown sugar has 4.5 g of carbohydrates, 1 tsp. of corn syrup has 5.6 g of carbohydrates and 1 tsp. of maple syrup has 4.5 g o Continue reading >>
