Should You Replace Sugar With Honey?

Many people have a penchant for anything sweet, which is one of the reason why the dessert section would probably not go away in the menu for a long time.

People just can not stop craving for something sweet. There is just something addicting about sugar, right?

That is why it is no surprise to know that almost everything we eat has an added sugar to its such as sodas, and energy sports drink.

Sugar is added to many foods because sweetness has an appeal to everyone, according to a Mayo Clinic article.

In addition, sugar can also bake goods flavor, texture, and color. Sugar is also used to preserve food such as in making jams and jellies.

It also balances the acidity in vinegar and tomatoes. However, like everything else, too much sugar can be a problem.

Sugar can cause poor nutrition, weight gain, increased triglycerides, and tooth decay. Sugar can also complicate conditions like diabetes.

If you still want to indulge your sweet tooth, maybe switching to honey might be the answer to your sugar problems.

Honey or Sugar: Which Is Better?

Both can give sweetness to your food and drinks, but how do its nutritional benefits vary?

Honey has a reputation for being healthier. However, it is not exactly considered as a healthy food. Here's what you need to know between the two sweeteners.

Honey is a thick substance that that is mainly composed of water, glucose, and fructose. It has certain amounts of enzymes, amino acids, B vitamins, vitamin C, and antioxidants.

Many of the antioxidants found in honey are considered s flavonoids. These have anti-inflammatory substances that can provide some health benefits.

Benefits of consuming honey includes using smaller amount of honey without compromising the sweetness, it also has amounts of vitamins and minerals.

Raw honey can also help in some allergies.

However, honey has its own set of disadvantages such as being high in calories, mainly composed of sugar, and might not be safe for infants under one-year-old.

But just because it contains more vitamins and minerals, does not mean that you can use honey on everything without worrying on the amount.

Experts believe that honey is not much of a healthy alternative to sugar as many believe.

In a 2015 report in the Journal of Nutrition, it suggests that honey has the same metabolic effects in the body as high-fructose corn syrup.

In this study, researchers looked at participants to eat 50 grams of either honey, high-fructose corn syrup or sucrose every day for two weeks.

In the end, all the sweeteners had the same effect on blood triglycerides, blood pressure, body weight, blood sugar control and C-reactive protein

"While all calories aren't equal, in general, the body responds to the sugar in honey the same way it does to sugar in other sources, and therefore outside of training, it should be consumed in small amounts," Lori Nedescu, a sports dietitian and founder of Hungry for Results, was quoted in a report.

Check these out:

14 Fast Food Treats to Avoid Due to Hidden Sugar
Did You Know? You can Use Cinnamon for Blood Sugar Control
Cutting Sugar Could Mean Weight Loss, Healthier Lives in as Little as 10 Days: Study