Raw Honey vs Sugar
I have consciously decided to stop consuming sugar as much as possible. With all the sugar in processed foods, I am better off avoiding it, as much as possible if not altogether. But what about honey?
Enjoy,
David Proctor
Honey vs Sugar – Which Is Better For You
by David Proctor
October 26, 2023
Urban Farm Lifestyle Magazine Published Weekly
I am a beekeeper and I love honey.
Should I feel guilty about still consuming honey while trying to avoid sweets?
A little yes and a little no.
First, let’s decide why or why not to consume sugar.
Since almost everything you buy to eat in the store or restaurant has sugar in it, do we want to consume more?
It is not that the food is bad per se, but that so much of the food that we eat and drink is heavily loaded with sugar, our bodies can’t handle it.
We have so many cases of diabetes, obesity, and other medical problems that arise from this overconsumption of sugar that in my opinion I should try and get away from adding sugar or eating additional sugary food.
The health risk is just too great.
In a strict comparison between honey and sugar, honey contains less fructose and glucose when we do a comparison to sugar, yet honey has more calories.
Processed sugar is higher on the glycemic index than honey.
This means that blood sugar levels can rise more quickly.
Sugar starts out as a natural product.
Most of our fruits have natural sugar in them.
The problem arises when one tries to eat a balanced diet with fruit, we end up with too much sugar in our system.
When our bodies are overloaded with sugar and the effects of sugar, we end up with severe short-term and long-term health problems.
Does honey do any better?
Honey still has an effect on our body, to some degree like sugar.
Too much consumption can cause health issues.
The good thing about honey is that honey has beneficial effects more so than sugar.
The problem with honey is that not all honey is the same.
I prefer raw honey over sugar, even if it is just off the shelf in the store.
But processed honey has lost a lot of its natural benefits.
Plus, honey off the shelf can be diluted with fructose or corn syrup.
Processed honey is heated, so it will have a longer shelf life without crystallization.
It is also filtered so it looks nice and uniform.
You can still eat honey that has crystallized, I do all the time.
Nice-looking honey is what most consumers want, and they may not realize that they are buying a product that is not as good for them as it could be.
This brings us to what I consider the best type of honey, raw honey.
This type of honey has many health benefits even over regular shelf honey and definitely over sugar.
You can find honey labeled raw on the shelf along with the other honey products, but this will be heated and filtered.
The best way to get the most wholesome honey is to buy it from a local beekeeper.
You will see pollen in the honey and maybe even a bee wing or two.
But all the enzymes and nutritional benefits will be in that jar.
If you want to buy cheap sugar and cheap honey, that is fine.
Remember most processed food and drink is loaded with high fructose corn syrup which is definitely not good for you.
Combined with your choice of additional sweeteners, health benefits might be minimal.
If you want to follow a healthier route you might have to spend a little bit more upfront to get the short- and long-term health benefits.
Remember, you always get what you settle for!
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Bibliography:
“10 Reasons Why Sugar Is Bad for Your Body.” Atkins, www.atkins.com/how-it-works/library/articles/10-ways-sugar-harms-your-health.
“3 Things You Need to Know About Raw Honey (Buying Tips).” Benefits-of-Honey.com, www.benefits-of-honey.com/raw-honey.html.
“About Us | United States | Burnley Farm Apiary, LLC.” Honey For Sale | United States | Burnley Farm Apiary, LLC, www.burnleyfarmapiary.com/about-us.
“Honey Vs Sugar: A Comparison.” BuzzAboutBees.net, www.buzzaboutbees.net/honey-vs-sugar.html.
“Raw Honey vs Sugar.” Neighborhood Hive, www.neighborhoodhive.com/pages/honey-vs-sugar.
“What Is Sugar?” The Sugar Association, www.sugar.org/sugar/what-is-sugar/.
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