Madeeha Syed

Uncover the truth about your honey. Learn if it's pure or laced with added sugars. Get the facts on Meri Sehat.

Does My Honey Have Sugar In It?

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Overview

Ever since white granulated sugar has been proven to be extremely bad for your health, we have been in search of alternate options when it comes to sweeteners. Honey is one option that&rsquo;s naturally occurring. As such, it is often considered a healthier alternative to sugar. Let&rsquo;s see if there&rsquo;s any truth to it. 
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What is Honey?

It&rsquo;s common knowledge that bees make honey by collecting and processing nectar from plants as well as some secretions of other insects, such as honeydew of aphids. But what does it contain? 

Turns out that along with two sugars &mdash; fructose and glucose &mdash; honey also contains trace amounts of enzymes, amino acids, <a href="https://merisehat.pk/article/the-abcs-of-vitamin-a-a-guide-for-a-healthier-you">vitamin C</a>, vitamin B, minerals and antioxidants such as flavonoids. However, not all honey is the same &mdash; the taste, colour, and composition of honey is based on its origin. 
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Sugar Profile Of Honey: The healthier option to raw, granulated sugar does contain &lsquo;sugar.&rsquo; Honey can contain up to 38 percent fructose and 32 percent glucose along with trace amounts of other forms of sugar, such as maltose and sucrose. These sugars float freely in honey instead of being bound together to form sucrose and that&rsquo;s what differentiates it from white sugar. 

While fructose metabolism does not require insulin and has a low impact on blood glucose levels, sucrose depends entirely on insulin to metabolise it and it instantly increases our blood sugar levels. This is what makes sugar entirely bad for us, even in smaller quantities.

Given that these percentages can vary drastically, honey&rsquo;s glycaemic index can range from 31 to 78. A substance&rsquo;s glycaemic index is used to measure how quickly it affects our blood sugar when eaten on its own. Since the sugars present in honey are processed at a much slower rate, it means they provide a sustained increase in our blood sugar levels as compared to the unhealthy and erratic spikes caused by white sugar. 

Another good thing about honey is that it is at least 25 percent sweeter than sugar. It means we need lesser quantities of honey if and when we use it. For example, as a sweetener for tea. 
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It can also substitute sugar in almost all recipes, especially while baking something or making a smoothie. It&rsquo;s healthier because there are less calories per serving and flavonoids are powerful antioxidants. Not to say, honey also tastes better than white sugar. It enhances the flavour of anything it&rsquo;s used with. 
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Conclusion

At the end of the day, any sweetener used in excess will have a deleterious impact on our health. Even if we&rsquo;re using honey, we have to make sure not to go overboard with it. In case of diabetes or other health conditions, it&rsquo;s best to consult a dietician or a nutritionist before helping ourselves to some sugar. 
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