Honey - Is it better than sugar?

[Lisa Smiles]

I currently use honey in my tea.

I attempt to stay away from artificialy sugars and high fructose corn-syrup.

I just read a bunch of post saying sugar is bad. Why?

What are some good natural sweetners?

Not a huge sweets person, however I do like it occasionally.

Thanks for your input.

[sleon]

Honey is a natural, unprocessed food with lots of good stuff in it, other than just calories. Honey is called a superfood by some, and it has natural antimicrobial action and other stuff.

Sugar is a refined, highly-processed food that has absolutely no nutritional benefit, other than calories. (And additional calories are not a "benefit" for people eating the standard western diet.)

I do eat some honey, not very often and not in large quantities; rather, as a treat. For those who are insulin-resistant or diabetic, it's very important to watch the quantities and timing of carbohydrates taken in, as carbs drastically affect blood sugar control. All the calories in honey come from carbohydrate, therefore it still needs care in its use.

[Angela]

Oh. I thought you were calling me "Honey."

For me, it's best to stay away from all added sugars, including honey, because I just feel better -- more energetic, stable, and clear -- when I do. Honey seems to have the same effect on my body that table sugar or corn-syrupy packaged treats do.

Have you experimented?

[AlexG]

I always use honey in my tea. I drink about 2-3 cups of green tea per day. I've been using honey for last probably 5+ years.

Occasionally I use sugar in my coffee.

But yes, honey is more beneficial to our bodies then sugar could ever be.

Also, lately I've been using "Agave Nectar" pure natural sweetener.

[SunnKali]

I love the taste of Agave Nectar. I think processing can affect the nutrients of honey. I use raw honey when I use honey -- usually in a raw apple cider vinegar / raw honey cocktail. I do feel better when I remember to take it (the cocktail). My favorite brand is Really Raw Honey - it's got everything - honey comb, some of the royal jelly - it's just delicious.

[Lisa Smiles]

I appreciate the information.

I will try the agave nectar.

[Dannyboy1]

That if you have allergies, eating honey that was made in the area in which you live alleviates many of your allergy symptoms. Makes sense in a way since it's the pollen in your area that gives you the allergic reaction.

[Keith]

Depends on what you mean by 'better'. Honey is as calorific as sugar and (with a few exceptions) has the same glycemic effect on your blood sugar. OTOH, unlike sugar, it has some vitamin and mineral content (ie. it's more nutritious).

So if you want to get at least some nutritional value out of your sweetener, honey is better than sugar, but if you're concerned about your waistline or blood sugar, it makes no difference.

[danas]

I love honey therefore I try to stay away from it. especially with tea its so delicious.
If I buy a jar of honey itll be gone by the end of the week, and I immediately see the bad affect it has on my skin. so for me one spoon of sugar a day with my tea is less harmful because its less tempting.

[mncz]

Depends on what type of honey are you using. You should always aim to use as unprocessed honey as possible. Energetically raw honey is pure, motherly love that nourishes your body and can be a cure for many illnesses. If it is processed, it quickly loses its healing properties and becomes just as harmful as sugar. It also loses its properties if heated or put in hot water/milk, which causes it to become toxic. That might be a reason why for some the supermarket honey causes allergic reaction - some processors like to heat it for better texture, which is just plain wrong. So choose wisely

Sugar is just a burden for your body and should be avoided at all costs.

[abcZen]

I always wondered why some of the guys at work put honey in their tea, i thought it was weird.

I'll be trying this now

[Monique7nuns]

Sugar.. whether its honey - agave nectar - splenda - sweet n low - sugar in fruit - syrup.. etc, etc, etc.. is the root of all evil and I admit that am deeply addicted to it. Just do a little online research and I'm sure you'll get more information about why it's so bad than you ever imagined was possible.

[abcZen]

I just tried honey in coffee and I can't stand the taste

Might be a good time to give up coffee altogether

[Matthew Shea]

Originally Posted by abcZen

I just tried honey in coffee and I can't stand the taste

Might be a good time to give up coffee altogether

That's the first time I've heard of anyone trying honey in coffee. And now I know why.

Honey on a buttered biscuit, though, is to die for in my book. People with weak immune systems need to be careful, though. I forget the exact germ involved, but most parents should know not to give honey to infants. The baby can get very sick. Normal people are typically not affected at all.

[gato]

People who eat honey live longer. Honey is a good thing as all natural things.

[openyourize]

theres this stuff called stevia. About Stevia, All Natural Sweeteners - BodyEcology.com it kind of tastes like splenda to some people, but its totally natural and herbal. AND its virtually calorie-free. AND you can bake with it. its super strong so you only need a teeny bit of it. AND its safe for diabetics. Dr Atkins apparently even recommends it.

[artrenegade]

I use honey daily in coffee and tea. I love the flavor it imparts, especially in coffee. Trader Joes sells a southwestern mesquite honey that is my favorite. I don't particularly use alot of it, but I do use it in place of sugar with hot drinks and in cooking.

Can someone explain to me how honey turns "toxic" when heated? That simply makes no sense.

[Amandaaa]

I honestly have no idea which is better for you. My mom uses honey in her coffee, too. And it seems like it would be better for you than sugar, but I don't know...




I've heard about Stevia, but I've also heard that Stevia is bad for you. I've always been a fan of Splenda (for the great taste and 0 calories)...but obviously, that can't be good for you either. Right now, I'm not consuming much sweetener at all... but in my green tea, I'm still using Sugar in the Raw-- the brown kind grown in Hawaii (that doesn't involve using bone char to make it white ).

I have no idea what's best for you in the long run though. I guess minimizing your sugar intake would probably be the easiest thing to do...

[Revolution]

Have you heard of fruit sugar? Its granulated fructose.

Basically its exactly like table sugar only it is much more healthy - it has a low glycemic index.

[AviMar]

Originally Posted by Monique7nuns

Sugar.. whether its honey - agave nectar - splenda - sweet n low - sugar in fruit - syrup.. etc, etc, etc.. is the root of all evil and I admit that am deeply addicted to it. Just do a little online research and I'm sure you'll get more information about why it's so bad than you ever imagined was possible.

Ahem, raw food diets heavy in fruit? Green smoothies? I think you are generalizing a bit too much. Our bodies fuel is sugar. Bad sources are bad, but sugar is necessary. Whole grains are broken down in our bodies into sugar...

Originally Posted by Revolution

Have you heard of fruit sugar? Its granulated fructose.

Basically its exactly like table sugar only it is much more healthy - it has a low glycemic index.

I saw a study a while ago -don't remember where- that said that fructose would lead to decencies. That's because its not like the fruit that it came from, it has been processed and is missing the nutrients that the body needs to deal with it.