Honeycomb is a sweet treat made from beeswax that contains honey inside its wax cells. It’s a popular snack that offers a crunchy texture along with a rich, sweet honey flavor. But like other sweets, honeycomb is high in calories and sugar, so it’s important to enjoy it in moderation. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the calorie and nutrition content of honeycomb.
The Calorie Content of Honeycomb
The main nutrient in honeycomb is sugar in the form of honey. The calories in honeycomb come primarily from this honey content. According to the USDA, 100 grams of honeycomb contains:
- 329 calories
- 0 grams of fat
- 0 grams of protein
- 82 grams of carbohydrates
- 82 grams of sugar
As you can see, honeycomb is high in calories and carbohydrates, mainly from natural sugar. The 82 grams of sugar make up most of the 329 calories found in 100g of honeycomb.
Calories from Different Types of Honeycomb
All honeycomb contains high amounts of calories and sugar since honey is the main ingredient. However, the calorie content can vary slightly depending on the honey used to produce the honeycomb.
For example:
- Acacia honeycomb: 322 calories per 100g
- Wildflower honeycomb: 327 calories per 100g
- Clover honeycomb: 329 calories per 100g
- Buckwheat honeycomb: 333 calories per 100g
As you can see, the calorie difference is minor between varieties. Buckwheat honeycomb has the most calories, while acacia has the least. But overall, all types of honeycomb are high in sugar and calories.
The Calories in Honeycomb vs. Other Sweets
Compared to other popular sweets and desserts, honeycomb is on the higher side for calorie density.
Here’s how 100g of honeycomb compares to other sweet treats:
| Food | Calories per 100g |
|---|---|
| Honeycomb | 329 calories |
| Dark chocolate | 545 calories |
| Milk chocolate | 535 calories |
| Marshmallows | 313 calories |
| Cheesecake | 318 calories |
As you can see, honeycomb has a similar calorie density as marshmallows and cheesecake. It’s lower in calories than chocolate, which is extremely energy dense. So while honeycomb is high in calories, it’s not unusual for a sweet confection.
The Honey Content Contributes Most of the Calories
It’s evident when looking at the nutrition facts that the majority of calories in honeycomb come from honey. The honey packed inside the waxy comb is nearly pure sugar.
Sugar has 4 calories per gram. With 82 grams of sugar in 100g of honeycomb, over 80% of the calories come just from the sugar content alone.
The beeswax comb itself is low in calories. Beeswax contains about 0.2 calories per gram. So the waxy structure of honeycomb contributes very minimal calories compared to the honey filling.
This means that the calories are concentrated in the sweet honey, rather than coming from the beeswax comb.
The Calculation
To determine how many calories come from the honey versus the beeswax in 100g of honeycomb:
- Honeycomb is about 82% honey and 18% beeswax by weight.
- 82g of honey x 4 calories per gram = 328 calories
- 18g of beeswax x 0.2 calories per gram = 4 calories
Adding those together:
- Calories from honey: 328 calories
- Calories from beeswax: 4 calories
- Total calories in 100g of honeycomb: 332 calories
This confirms that over 98% of the calories in honeycomb come from the honey alone, rather than the wax comb.
Nutrition Facts for Honeycomb
Now that we’ve looked at the calories in honeycomb, let’s examine the full nutrition facts. Here is the total nutrient breakdown for a 100g serving:
| Nutrition Facts | 100g Honeycomb |
|---|---|
| Calories | 329 |
| Fat | 0g |
| Carbohydrates | 82g |
| Sugar | 82g |
| Protein | 0g |
| Calcium | 14mg |
| Iron | 0.9mg |
| Potassium | 52mg |
| Vitamin C | 0.5mg |
As you can see, the main nutrients in honeycomb are sugar and carbohydrates. There are minimal amounts of vitamins and minerals. Honeycomb does contain small amounts of calcium, iron, potassium and vitamin C.
Health Benefits of Honeycomb
Despite being high in sugar and calories, honeycomb does offer some health benefits:
- Antioxidants – Honey contains antioxidants like phenolic compounds that may help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the body.
- Healing properties – Consuming honey can help coat and soothe a sore throat thanks to its viscosity and antimicrobial effects.
- Probiotics – Raw honey contains traces of bee pollen and probiotics that support digestive health.
- Energy boost – The natural sugars in honeycomb provide a quick energy boost and carb replenishment.
In moderation, honeycomb can provide a tasty, energizing treat with traces of beneficial nutrients and compounds. Just be mindful of portion sizes due to the high sugar and calorie density.
How to Enjoy Honeycomb
Wondering how to eat this sweet treat? Here are some delicious ways to enjoy honeycomb:
- On its own – Simply enjoy small pieces of honeycomb on their own as a snack or treat.
- With cheese – Pair squares of honeycomb with cheese and crackers for a snack.
- In tea or coffee – Add small honeycomb pieces to hot drinks for a sweetener.
- Over yogurt – Top plain yogurt with crunchy honeycomb bits for contrast.
- Baked goods – Fold honeycomb into muffin or quick bread batters before baking.
- Cereal topping – Crush up honeycomb and sprinkle it over cereal or oatmeal.
- Salad topping – Toast honeycomb pieces and sprinkle over fruit, veggie, or spinach salads.
- Ice cream – Mix honeycomb chunks into ice cream for extra crunch.
The options are endless for using this bee-made treat! Honeycomb pairs well with creamy cheeses, tangy yogurt, fruit, coffee, tea, oats, cereals, salads, and more.
Storing Honeycomb
To retain freshness and prevent crystallization of the honey, it’s best to store honeycomb properly. Here are some tips for storing honeycomb:
- Keep it cool – Store honeycomb tightly wrapped in the fridge. The cooler temperature will help prevent weeping and crystallization.
- Wrap it up – Make sure honeycomb is tightly sealed in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap.
- Watch humidity – Exposure to humidity can cause honeycomb to weep or lose its crunchy texture.
- Use quickly – Try to eat honeycomb within 2-3 weeks for best texture and flavor.
- Freeze it – For long term storage, you can freeze wrapped honeycomb for several months.
With proper storage methods, honeycomb can retain its delicious, crunchy quality for your enjoyment.
Is Honeycomb Safe for Diabetics?
For people with diabetes, honeycomb should be enjoyed cautiously and in very small amounts due to its high sugar content.
Honeycomb has an extremely high glycemic index, meaning it can cause rapid spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels. Even small portions contain significant amounts of carbohydrates.
Most healthcare providers recommend limiting consumption of sweets like honeycomb for diabetics. The carbs and sugars can be challenging to account for with insulin dosing.
If enjoyed, the recommended serving size for diabetics is around 1-2 small pieces of honeycomb at a time. But it’s best to avoid it if possible, and always pair it with protein, fat or fiber to help control blood sugar response.
Checking blood glucose carefully after eating honeycomb is also a smart idea for diabetics.
Is Honeycomb Keto-Friendly?
The keto diet involves strictly limiting carb intake, so most forms of honeycomb would not fit into a ketogenic eating plan.
Even a small serving of 1oz (28g) would contain over 20g net carbs, which is the maximum daily allotment on keto.
There are some low-carb alternatives, like sugar-free honeycomb made with alternative sweeteners. But in general, regular honeycomb would be difficult to incorporate into a true ketogenic diet.
Other options like dark chocolate, nut butters, and berries make better keto-friendly alternatives to satisfy a sweet craving.
Honeycomb and Weight Loss
Honeycomb is high in sugar and calories, so it’s not the best choice when trying to lose weight.
However, enjoying honeycomb occasionally in small servings can be worked into an otherwise balanced, low-calorie diet. Moderation is key.
When eating honeycomb as part of a weight loss plan, be mindful of portion size and balance it out with more nutrient-dense foods to keep calories in check.
Some tips for enjoying honeycomb without derailing weight loss goals include:
- Measuring 1-2 small pieces for a serving
- Pairing it with protein like nuts or Greek yogurt
- Balancing it out with low-calorie foods at the same meal
- Accounting for the calories in your daily intake
- Treating it as an occasional treat rather than a daily habit
Used strategically in moderation, honeycomb can be integrated into an overall healthy diet geared towards weight management.
Making Honeycomb at Home
Want to try your hand at making crunchy honeycomb candy? Here is a simple recipe to make it at home:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1-2 tablespoons honey (optional)
Instructions:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease with cooking spray.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and water. Cook over medium heat until mixture reaches 300°F on a candy thermometer.
- Once at temperature, immediately remove from heat. Quickly stir in the baking soda and honey until foamy.
- Pour onto the prepared baking sheet and allow to cool completely before breaking into pieces.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Be extremely careful when cooking sugar to these high temperatures. Have a parent’s supervision if trying this recipe.
Conclusion
Honeycomb is a delicious treat that packs a punch of sweet honey flavor. Each serving contains over 300 calories, mainly from natural sugar.
Moderation is key when enjoying this candy. But the honeycomb can provide a quick energy boost along with some beneficial antioxidants when savored in small amounts.
Pair honeycomb with cheeses, fruits, yogurt, cereals and more for a sweet touch. Or try making your own for a fun candy project.
Just be mindful of portion sizes of this sweet snack if you need to monitor blood sugar levels or weight.
