Is honey suitable for diabetics?
Unfortunately there is no simple answer to this question. If you are overweight with poorly managed diabetes, then consuming honey could be health disaster. However if you have well managed diabetes, are not overweight and are otherwise fit and healthy, then using a little honey as a replacement for sugar could possibly be helpful. Diabetes is a very complicated condition and the dietary restrictions required to keep blood sugar levels under control will not be the same for everyone.
How is honey different from sugar?
Honey is naturally made by bees from nectar. It is composed of around 40% fructose and 35% glucose sugar, where the remaining 25% is made up of water and all the minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and unique things like pollen and bee propolis found in high quality honey.
Regular white sugar is almost 100% glucose and fructose with around 50% of each. So while lacking many of the amazing things found in honey, for the most part honey and sugar are both made up of the same fructose and glucose sugars.
How this difference might affect someone with diabetes.
Honey may have a lower impact on your blood sugar level than sugar and because it tastes sweeter than sugar you may be able to use less of it as a direct replacement. There is also some evidence that honey causes a greater rise in insulin than sugar. Insulin removes sugar from blood, so this may help blood sugar levels drop lower and faster compared to sugar too.
One thing we know for certain is that consuming honey will affect your blood sugar levels, so if you do have diabetes we are sorry to say that it may not be as helpful to you as you might have been hoping. The impact of honey consumption on blood sugar levels tends to be slightly better than regular table sugar, however Just Bee would not recommend honey consumption for diabetics without first speaking to your doctor or other health professional and heeding their advice.
To conclude
We would obviously love it if everyone could enjoy our honey but sadly this will not always be the case. We would urge caution around any claims that honey is 'safe' or 'better' for diabetics. In 2019 North Devon NHS Healthcare actually featured this topic as a 'Food Myth' on their website. It is very short and to the point.
Diabetics will know already that living sugar-free is virtually impossible. So there may be room for a little honey in the overall balanced diet of a diabetic but Just Bee cannot advise if it is suitable for any individual with diabetes and we would always recommend erring on the side of caution until you can consult with your doctor.
For more information on sugar, sweeteners and alternatives to honey follow the link below to Diabetes UK.
11 comments
I went for my diabetes check last week, asked if it was ok to take and the nurse said it should be ok,iam only diabetic 2 and Farley well managed, I had taken two pots before my appointment and my bloods came back ok
Jane
Hi
I have just ordered two gut health jars but unfortunately I didn’t see the questions on your honey about diabetes I have ordered can it be cancelled till I speak to my doctor next week Thanks
Jackie Russell
Thankyou for this information. Will consult my diabetic nurse and await her opinion. Many 😊 thanks
Ursula Glas
I have have been taking honey snd turmeric since Dec along with paracetamol for my joint pain and immunity .I’ve taken a teaspoon each day do I need to put black pepper with it.plus I am pre diabetic . Can you advice .I am finding the pain is more manageable and no colds or coughs
Michelle chell
I have type 2 diabetes can I take this
David Reeves
Can I have honey ,I take medication. For lowering blood pressure.
Lynn O'Hagan
I have been taking honey twice a day with turmeric to help with pain .
I am prediabetic and concerned that honey is increasing my blood sugar levels.
Mr John Noel Woodworth
I’ve been diabetic for over 10 years and I have met doctors and nurses who belong in both camps. My current GP can be trusted to cover his head in horror but then you’d have to find him first!!!¹ so I think it fair to say that he’s one of the generation who practice medicine at a distance But I have met others who are completely different and who accept that knowledge moves forward with time. So my message would be try it and see. Red!
Doug West
Hello when I had breast cancer I used manuka honey not a lot but a bit on my seeded loaf small slices and it really helped me because I was very ill with the second lot of chemo I told my doctors I using it as I had no help from my diabetic team till 5 mths of chemo I had one doctor on the cancer ward where they gave you the chemo finally got mr some help you say honeys bad for diabetics steroids are far worse as they made my blood sugars go into the 25-30s for my blood sugars but like you say it’s talking to your doctor may help
Jane Moore
Thank you for clear information.
I am diabetic and have been trying greek yogurt with honey .
But it’s confusing because we think honey being a natural sugar is alright.
A little honey but check with your Doctor
Lynda Watson
hi can i take the turmeric honey i take warfarin
jackie eagles
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