Honey is a natural sweetener that has been used for centuries around the world. It has many potential health benefits when consumed, but there are also some important factors to consider regarding when honey should be drunk.
What is honey?
Honey is a thick, golden liquid produced by honey bees from the nectar of flowers. Bees collect the nectar, add enzymes to break down the sugars, deposit it in honeycombs inside their hives, fan it with their wings to remove excess water, and store it as food. Honey gets its sweet flavor and viscosity from the monosaccharides fructose and glucose, and it has approximately the same relative sweetness as granulated sugar.
In addition to fructose and glucose, honey contains small amounts of other sugars as well as enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other beneficial compounds. The specific composition of any batch of honey depends largely on the flowers available to the bees that produced it.
Potential benefits of honey
There are several ways that drinking honey may positively impact health:
- Natural energy booster – With roughly 17 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon, honey can provide a quick burst of energy. The glucose in honey is absorbed rapidly for an immediate energy boost, while the fructose provides more sustained energy release.
- Antioxidant effects – Honey contains antioxidant compounds like phenolic acids and flavonoids which may help eliminate free radicals and reduce oxidative stress in the body.
- Sore throat relief – Honey can coat and soothe the throat, helping to calm coughs and ease sore throat discomfort. Its antibacterial properties may also help fight infection.
- Improved heart health – Some research indicates that consuming honey may lower unhealthy cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and markers of oxidative stress linked to heart disease.
- Better blood sugar regulation – Though high in sugar, honey has a lower glycemic index than table sugar, meaning it does not raise blood sugar as quickly. This may provide better blood sugar regulation.
- Wound healing – Applying honey topically to wounds may help accelerate healing. Its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties can fight infection and reduce swelling.
- Improved digestion – Honey can act as a mild laxative, helping stimulate contractions in the intestines to improve digestion. It also contains enzymes that aid in the breakdown and absorption of nutrients.
- Cough suppression – For children over one year of age, honey has been shown to be effective at suppressing nighttime coughs and improving sleep quality more than common OTC cough medicines.
Potential concerns with honey consumption
While honey does offer some health upsides, there are also a few cautions to consider:
- High in sugar – Honey is very high in sugar and calories. Just one tablespoon contains 17 grams of carbohydrates. This can be detrimental for people with diabetes or prediabetes and may contribute to weight gain.
- Toxic to infants – Honey can contain spores of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which can germinate in an infant’s immature digestive system and cause infant botulism, a rare but dangerous illness. Children under one year of age should never be given honey.
- Allergic reactions – Honey can cause a severe allergic reaction in people with a honey allergy. People who experience hay fever or pollen allergies should exercise caution since locally produced honey may contain traces of pollen.
- Quality concerns – Honey can contain traces of pesticides, antibiotics, or heavy metals from environmental contaminants. Only high quality honey that is raw, organic, and from a reputable source should be consumed.
Best times to drink honey
Considering both the benefits and potential drawbacks of honey, here are some of the best times to drink honey:
- First thing in the morning – Consuming honey first thing in the morning can provide a burst of sustainable energy to start your day off right. Try stirring a spoonful into hot tea, yogurt, or oatmeal.
- As a pre-workout boost – The glucose in honey makes it ideal pre-workout fuel to provide muscles with energy and help power through an intense gym session.
- During allergy season – Local raw honey packs a double-punch for allergies since it may contain traces of local pollen that can help desensitize your body’s reaction when you’re exposed. Choose honey from your area and have a spoonful daily.
- When trying to wean off sugar – For those trying to cut back on processed sugars or break sugar addiction, honey can help satisfy your sweet tooth thanks to its natural sugars while avoiding the blood sugar spike and crash cycle of refined sugar.
- To soothe a sore throat – Thanks to its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, honey can be very soothing for sore throats. Drink a warm mug of tea sweetened with honey to coat your throat and help suppress coughs.
- To aid digestion – A spoonful of honey in warm water first thing in the morning can help stimulate contractions in your digestive tract to relieve constipation and improve regularity.
- Before bedtime – The carbohydrates in honey can increase serotonin and melatonin levels in the brain which can help you feel sleepy. Enjoy it in herbal tea or warm milk before bed.
How much honey should you drink per day?
Though honey has some excellent health benefits, it is still a form of sugar and consuming it in excessive amounts is inadvisable. The appropriate amount can depend on your age, activity level, and overall diet.
As a general rule of thumb, the World Health Organization recommends limiting added sugars to less than 10% of your total daily caloric intake. For a standard 2,000 calorie diet, this would equal around 12 teaspoons or 50 grams of added sugars per day.
Most health authorities recommend sticking to around 2-3 teaspoons (10-15 grams) of honey per day to reap its benefits without going overboard on fructose and excess calories. This is just 100–150 calories worth of honey, so a little goes a long way.
Those with diabetes or prediabetes should be even more cautious and limit daily honey intake to 1 teaspoon (5 grams) at most when substitution it for other added sugars due to its high carb and sugar content.
As long as you consume honey in moderation as part of a balanced diet, adding a small amount to your routine can provide health perks without adversely impacting your sugar and calorie consumption.
How to incorporate more honey into your diet
Here are some easy ways to start enjoying a bit of honey each day without going overboard on the sweet stuff:
- Stir into tea or coffee
- Drizzle on yogurt, oatmeal, or cold cereals
- Use in salad dressings and marinades
- Spread on nuts or cheese for an easy snack
- Use in place of sugar in baked goods like muffins, cakes, or cookies
- Whisk with oil and vinegar for a DIY honey mustard
- Mix with peanut or other nut butters on toast for added sweetness
When cooking and baking with honey, you can substitute it for sugar, but you’ll typically need less honey than sugar. Since honey is sweeter, you can use about 3/4 cup of honey for every 1 cup of sugar.
You can also use less liquid in a recipe when swapping in honey for sugar. Lower the liquid by 2-4 tablespoons for each cup of honey used. And since honey can add moisture, you may need to slightly increase baking time.
Honey drink recipes
Sipping on honey in drinks is one of the tastiest ways to incorporate it into your daily routine. Here are some energizing honey drink ideas to try:
Honey ginger lemonade
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 inch ginger, peeled and grated
- 1-2 tbsp honey
Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and add lemon juice, ginger, and honey. Let steep 5-10 minutes, then strain into a glass over ice. For extra flavor, add sliced lemons or oranges.
Green honey detox smoothie
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1/2 banana
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1 tbsp honey
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Honey balances out the greens for a sweet, energizing smoothie.
Honey vanilla milk
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- Pinch cinnamon
Heat milk over medium until steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat and whisk in honey, vanilla, and cinnamon. Enjoy this warm, soothing beverage before bedtime.
Mint honey iced tea
- 2 cups brewed black tea
- 2 tbsp honey
- 5-10 mint leaves
- Squeeze lemon juice
Allow tea to cool to room temperature. Remove mint leaves and stir in honey until dissolved. Add lemon juice. Serve over ice for a refreshing pick-me-up.
Key takeaways
- Honey provides antioxidants, enzymes, vitamins and minerals, and other beneficial compounds that can positively impact health.
- It may help boost energy, regulate blood sugar, soothe sore throats, aid wound healing, and more when consumed.
- But honey is still high in sugar and excess calories and unsafe for infants, so moderation is key.
- For most people, 1-2 teaspoons daily is a safe and healthy amount.
- The best times to drink honey are in the morning, pre-workout, during allergy season, and before bed.
- Add it to smoothies, tea, yogurt, oatmeal, etc. for an easy health boost.