These days, everyone wants to eat healthier. But one of the hardest things to give up is sugar. Sugar can be pretty addicting. Most people enjoy at least a couple of cups of coffee in the morning, and for many, it is just not the same without some sugar in it, especially if you enjoy the flavored coffees you get at your local coffeehouse.
But, there are some pretty significant reasons why you should drop sugar in favor of something healthier. One sugar alternative getting more attention these days is raw honey. Raw honey can easily replace sugar for coffee, tea, and cooking in some cases, and there are some pretty significant benefits to making the switch.
3 Benefits of Honey over Sugar
There are many benefits to using honey, but we will be looking at three of the biggest ones. These benefits offer significant health improvement for just about anyone who starts using honey instead of the sugar they usually use. It may even help prevent or treat some illnesses, precisely due to these three benefits. But, you’ll always want to verify this with your family health professional.
1. Plenty of Sweetness with Fewer Calories
There is no doubt that obesity has become an epidemic in the United States and many other places worldwide. So, reducing calories is an important part of improving your health. Luckily, honey does exactly that – reducing the number of calories that you take in over sugar.
Many people will try to argue this with you, explaining that gram for gram, honey has a few more calories than sugar. That is very true, but there is one significant modifier that they are failing to consider. You use less honey to get the same sweetened taste, a lot less. That makes a big difference.
Adding honey to your coffee to replace the amount of sugar that you usually use might reduce the number of actual calories you take in by more than 50%, and that percentage goes up the more calories your coffee was in the first place. Just imagine if you replace the sugar in other foods and drinks too.
2. Vitamins & Minerals
| Per 100 G | Honey | Sugar |
|---|---|---|
| 50 % fructose + 50% glucose | 50 % fructose + 50% glucose | |
| Glycemic Index | 58 (pure honey) | 60 |
| Calories | 300 (1255 kJ) | 387 (1619 kJ) |
| Sugar | 82.12g | 99.91 g |
| Fat | Nil | Nil |
| Protein | 0.3 g | Nil |
| Calcium (%RDA) | 6 mg (1%) | 1 mg (0%) |
| Iron | 0.42 mg (3%) | 0.01 mg (0%) |
| Vitamin C | 0.5 mg (1%) | Nil |
| Vitamin B2 | 0.038 mg (3%) | 0.019 mg (1%) |
| Vitamin B3 | 0.121 mg (1%) | Nil |
| Vitamin B5 | 0.068 mg (1%) | Nil |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.024 mg (2%) | Nil |
| Vitamin B9 | 2 µg (1%) | Nil |
| Magnesium | 2 mg (1%) | Nil |
| Phosphorus | 4 mg (1%) | Nil |
| Zinc | 0.22 mg (2%) | Nil |
| Potassium | 52 mg (1%) | 2 mg (0%) |
| Water | 17.10 g | 0.03 g |
Another huge benefit that can have a significant impact on your health is the nutritional profile of honey. Sugar does not contain vitamins and nutrients that your body needs, but honey actually does.
The exact nutrients that your honey contains will vary, because the nutritional profile is based upon the origin of the nectar used to make honey. However, you can find antioxidants, trace minerals, amino acids, vitamins and enzymes that your body needs in honey. Also, one of the benefits of honey is that it is less processed than sugar, so you don’t lose any of the vitamins and minerals through processing like you do with some foods.
The nutritional profile of honey is important because most people do not get nearly enough of the nutrients they should be getting, so many people are taking multivitamins these days. Honey can give you some of the nutrients your body lacks, all while providing you with the sweetness that you cannot live without in your coffee, tea, or other consumables.
3. Honey Digests More Slowly
Something else that you should be aware of is that honey digests much more slowly than sugar. What normally happens when someone eats or drinks something with a significant amount of sugar in it is that it enters the bloodstream almost immediately and gives them a huge burst of energy. But then your body has to counter that glucose with insulin, and these massive spikes and consequent releases of insulin can lead to diabetes or exacerbate existing diabetic conditions.
However, honey digests much more slowly which means that you get the energy that you are going for without compromising your health. In addition, the honey keeps you going for longer and there is no crash at the end like you experience when you have had sugar.
This digestive property of honey also makes it really great for treating other related conditions such as acid reflux, gastrointestinal conditions, and many more.
In Summary
The bottom line is that raw honey is pretty amazing. You will likely have to get used to the new taste, but it doesn’t take most people very long to start enjoying honey as much as they did sugar. Many people actually say that they enjoy honey even more.
Besides the three health benefits listed here, there are numerous other benefits that honey provides as well. If you want to reap the benefits of honey, grab a bottle or jar and try replacing your morning sugar rush with a more natural one.
