Honey Health Benefits and Risks

Despite all the claims that honey is a wonder food, its nutritional value is very limited: Honeys are mostly sugars—fructose and glucose, with some sucrose. Some types provide minute amounts of B complex and C vitamins. Honey (especially dark varieties) does contain some antioxidants, but fruits and vegetables are much better sources. Some new studies are looking into the antimicrobial and wound-healing properties of honey. The flavor of honey varies based on the type of flowers from which the bees collected their pollen.

Health Benefits

Raises blood glucose levels.
The high sugar content of honey can boost low blood sugar levels for those with hypoglycemia. When hypoglycemia strikes, eat one tablespoon of honey and wait 15 minutes before eating anything else.

Helps quiet coughing.
In one study, children age 2 and older with upper respiratory tract infections were given up to 2 tsp (10 mL) of honey at bedtime. The honey seemed to reduce nighttime coughing and improve sleep. Honey appeared to be as effective as the cough suppressant dextromethorphan in typical over-the-counter doses. However, note that it may be dangerous for a child under 1 year of age.

Helps lower “bad” cholesterol.
A study from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates found total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels dropped while “good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels rose in healthy people after they drank a solution containing honey, but not after they drank solutions containing glucose.

Health Risks 

Weight gain.
Volume for volume, honey is higher in calories than sugar: A tablespoon of honey contains 64 calories, compared to 46 in a tablespoon of sugar. This is partly because a tablespoon of honey weighs more than the same volume of sugar. Limit intake if on a weight loss plan.

Risk for babies.
Spores of Clostridium botulinum have been found in about 10% of honeys sampled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States. Although not dangerous to adults and older children, infants should not be fed honey because C. botulinum can cause serious illness in the first year of life.

Allergic reactions.
Honeybees collect and store pollen from one flower to another. For people who are allergic to certain types of plants, the honey containing the pollen from the plants may trigger life-threatening allergic reactions.

Eating Tips
• Whisk with lemon juice and cinnamon as a fresh fruit dip.
• Brush honey over apple slices, then dip into chopped peanuts.
• Microwave a mug of milk with a spoonful of honey and a dash of nutmeg.

Buying Tips
• Most commercial honeys are blends from different plant sources.
• Honey ranges from pale off-white to dark brown; in general, the deeper the color, the stronger the flavor.

Storing Tips
• Store honey in a cool, dry place. It will keep up to a year.
• Heat the bottle of honey in a pot of shallow water if it crystallizes.

QUICK TIP:
Substitute honey for sugar
Honey can be substituted for sugar at the ratio of one part honey for every 1 ¼ parts sugar: The liquid in the recipe may need to be decreased, however, to compensate for the water that is present in honey.