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 >>
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 >>
5 Sugar Substitutes For Type 2 Diabetes
1 / 6 A Small Amount of Real Sugar Is Best, but Sugar Substitutes Can Help If you think that people with diabetes should always avoid sugar, think again — they can enjoy the sweet stuff, in moderation. "The best bet is to use a very minimal amount of real sugar as part of a balanced diabetic diet," says Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN, of Nutritious Life, a nutrition practice based in New York City. That being said, sugar substitutes offer sweetness while controlling carbohydrate intake and blood glucose. There are many sugar substitutes to choose from, but they’re not all calorie-free and they vary in terms of their impact on blood sugar. "The major difference between the sugar substitutes is whether they are nutritive or non-nutritive sweeteners," says Melissa Mullins, MS, RD, a certified diabetes educator with Johnston Memorial Hospital in Abingdon, Va. "Non-nutritive sweeteners provide no calories and no changes in blood glucose levels, which is perfect for people with diabetes.” Here are six sweet options to consider. 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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
Can I Have 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 type 2 diabetic can I have honey or is it off the list. Honey contains sugar but it depends how much you have and how it affects you. The usual advice is to try it once, test before, test 2 hours afterwards and decide based on your findings. Honey is around 82% carbohydrates, nearly all of that is sugar. So it is generally inadvisable for T2s to eat honey, in the same was as it is inadvisable to eat sugar. For non-diabetics honey can be a better option than refined sugar because it isn't processed with loads of chemicals. Because of this it is generally classified as "healthy". However as with most other things "healthy" for non-diabetics doesn't necessarily mean "healthy" for diabetics. I am type 2 diabetic can I have honey or is it off the list. we are all different in our reactions to foods. I will page @daisy1 to give you the basics for people new to diabetes and self testing. Welcome to the forum. I am type 2 diabetic can I have honey or is it off the list. PS Answers to what foods and drinks will be affected by what medication you are on. I notice, from your profile, that you are a man, but havent mentioned any meds yet. May i ask if you are taking medication please? I am type 2 diabetic can I have honey or is it off the list. My husband, upon going for a pre op, had a blood glucose of 19. They asked if he was diabetic, which he isn't. When he came home and told me, I tested his blood and it had gone down to 17. Two hours later it was back down to 5.6. We realised upon testing the next morning that it was the spoonful of honey he put on his porridge because it was normal beforehand, but spiked to 20 within an hour of eating. He no longer ha 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 >>
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 >>
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 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 >>
Can A Diabetic Person Have Honey Instead Of Sugar? (question Of The Day)
This is one of the most common questions asked about diabetes. When it comes to diabetes, you might feel that anything sweet should be banned from your diet. However, this may not necessarily be true. While sugar is a strict no-no for you, there are many innovative ways to replace your dietary sugar with healthy alternatives. One such healthier replacement is honey (but beware anything in excess is harmful). Honey – how much is too much for diabetics? Clinical studies have shown that pure honey is a healthier choice for diabetics than sugar and other sweeteners. This is because – Honey has a lower glycaemic Index (GI) i.e. it does not raise blood sugar levels as quickly as sugar. Additionally, it also requires lower levels of insulin compared to regular white sugar to metabolise (take up sugar molecules from blood and transport to cells for storage or breakdown). One tablespoon honey = 17 grams of carbohydrate The key consideration when it comes to diabetics is that the total carbohydrates in your diet and not the amount of sugar are of significance. Honey is higher in calories and is sweeter than sugar. Also, one tablespoon of honey has approximately 17 grams of carbohydrate. Hence, if you use honey instead of sugar, you can add less honey and get the same sweetness (as that obtained from addition of sugar). Important — Points you should remember Before you decide to make the switch, make sure to first consult your doctor or dietician. An important fact you should keep in mind while using honey, is to be sure that you are using pure honey and not an adulterated one. Also, monitor your intake of honey to avoid any health complications due to excess consumption. Here are 10 healthy resolutions every diabetic should follow for a better life. You may also like to rea 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 >>
A Taste Of Honey
I am a diabetic. Can I eat a limited amount of honey when it is called for in recipes? — Jennean, Oregon Yes, absolutely. Cautious consumption of natural unprocessed honey, when factored into your total caloric requirement, will not raise your blood sugar levels. In fact, in some studies, honey has been linked with reduced weight and an improved blood lipid profile (a measurement of fats in your blood). It also has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. However, fructose is the main sweetener in honey, and eating more than 50 grams of fructose a day can increase your blood sugar levels and result in an unfavorable lipid profile that is bad for your health. This is especially true for high-fructose corn syrup. So, you should first determine your daily caloric requirement. There are many Web-based calorie calculators that you can use to do this, including My Calorie Counter. Then, factor your honey intake into your total daily caloric requirement. One tablespoon of honey has 64 calories and contains 8.1 grams of fructose. Finally, avoid food items that contain high-fructose corn syrup. Learn more in the Everyday Health Diabetes Center. Continue reading >>
