Can People With Diabetes Eat Honey? The Pros and Cons of the Natural Sweetener

Living with diabetes requires a certain amount of mindfulness about how and what you eat. That’s because diabetes is an energy-processing condition. In other words, your body isn’t able to efficiently use and store the energy (also called glucose or sugar) it gets from food. As a result, your blood sugar levels can rise very high and drop very low — neither of which is good for your health. 

These highs and lows can make you feel unwell. They can also cause long-term damage to your body. This is why it’s necessary to limit the amount of carbohydrates you consume — especially sugar and fast-release carbohydrates.

But what if you enjoy a little sweetness in your diet? Can honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, or even sugar-free honey provide a healthy alternative to table sugar?

Can people with diabetes eat honey?

Generally speaking, yes, people with diabetes can eat honey. But you should consume it in moderation. 

Although honey has a lower glycemic index (GI) than table sugar, it’s still a sugar. And any type of sugar will raise your blood glucose. 

Benefits of honey 

There are some unique benefits to using honey as a sweetener, though, including:

• The types of carbohydrates (fructose and glucose) in honey are easier for the body to digest than table sugar.

• The balance of fructose and glucose in honey means that it raises blood glucose levels less. 

• Honey is a fast-acting carbohydrate source that can be used to treat low blood glucose if needed.

• Honey has a deeper, sweeter taste than table sugar. Because of this, you’ll probably use less of it when cooking or baking. 

• Honey contains trace amounts of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. It also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

That said, there’s no significant nutritional advantage to adding honey to your diet. So, if you don’t already use honey, there’s no reason to start. You can get similar health benefits from other foods — without the sugar. 

Are certain types of honey — like raw honey — healthier than others?

There are a variety of honey types and flavors, and the ingredients are mostly the same. What sets different honeys apart is their nectar source and the way they’re processed. 

Typically, honey consists of: 

• About 30% to 45% fructose

• About 24% to 40% glucose

• About 0.1% to 5% sucrose

• Water

• Trace amounts of vitamins and minerals

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Raw honey may contain more nutrients, and some research suggests it might do a better job of regulating blood sugar. But more research is needed. 

Types of honey

Some of the different types of honey include: 

• Pure, raw, or unfiltered honey: This type of honey is unprocessed and unpasteurized. 

• Clear honey: This is similar to raw honey, but it has been pasteurized. That means it has been heated to a high temperature for a short period of time to kill potential bacteria. 

• Set honey: This crystallized, dripless honey starts as a liquid but sets over time.

• Organic honey: This type of honey comes from flowers that aren’t treated with pesticides or chemicals. Any honey can be organic or nonorganic.

• Manuka honey: This type of honey is made from bees that pollinate tea trees in Australia and New Zealand. Manuka honey may have extra antibacterial properties.

Which type of honey you use comes down to your personal taste and preference. But there’s one exception. Some honeys are mixed with added sugar syrups, like high-fructose corn syrup or corn syrup. This makes them the least healthy options. These honeys have a higher GI than pure honey. So be sure to check the labeling carefully. Blends of honey and syrup should be clearly labeled as such, according to the FDA. 

Does raw honey raise blood sugar?

Yes, raw honey still raises blood sugar. All honey raises blood glucose levels unless it’s labeled “sugar free” (and sugar-free honey isn’t actually honey). Some studies suggest that raw honey might not raise blood sugar as much as processed honey. But more research is needed to know for sure.

The average GI of honey is about 50. But different types of honey will have different GIs. As an example, acacia honey typically has the lowest GI, at 32. 

How does honey differ from table sugar, and is it healthier?

Honey isn’t considered healthier than table sugar. 

Although honey is a natural sweetener, it’s still considered an added sugar — just like table sugar. But it has some differences from table sugar in its carbohydrate content and its impact on blood glucose levels. 

For one, honey actually has slightly more carbohydrates than table sugar, or refined sugar. This breaks down as:

• Table sugar: 12 carbs and about 46 calories per tablespoon

• Honey: 17 carbs and about 64 calories per tablespoon

But honey has a lower GI than table sugar. That’s because of honey’s high percentage of fructose. Fructose has a lower GI than sucrose. Table sugar is mostly sucrose. 

Note that people who have digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may not digest honey well. That's because honey is high in monosaccharides, a type of FODMAP. These are carbohydrates that are often harder for people with IBS to digest.

So honey has both advantages and disadvantages compared to sugar. If you have diabetes, honey is safe to have in moderate amounts. It’s important to monitor your blood glucose to learn how honey affects it.

How do other sweeteners compare to honey?

If you have diabetes, the main consideration when comparing different sweeteners is how quickly they raise blood glucose levels. You can determine this by checking the GI of different sweeteners.

But keep in mind, GI doesn’t only apply to sweeteners. You can calculate the GI of: 

• Fruits

• Vegetables

• Grains

• Other whole foods

• Processed foods

Basically, anything that contains a carbohydrate has a GI. 

Here’s a breakdown:

• Low-GI foods have a GI of 1 to 55, and they raise glucose levels the slowest and the least.

• Medium-GI foods have a GI of 56 to 69, and they’re in the middle of the pack. 

• High-GI foods have a GI of 70 and above, and they raise blood glucose the fastest and the highest. 

Sweeteners with a low-to-medium GI are considered the healthiest for people with prediabetes or diabetes. In practice, that means avoiding highly refined products like table sugar, corn syrup, and brown sugar. Instead, it’s better to have small amounts of more natural sweeteners like:

• Molasses

• Honey

• Maple syrup

• Agave

The chart below shows how the GIs of table sugar, honey, and other sweeteners compare.

A few words of caution: 

• These numbers are approximate figures and may be higher or lower, depending on the exact product. 

• All of these sweeteners are considered added sugars. So, even if you’re using a low-to-medium GI sweetener, it’s best to use it sparingly. 

What is the best sweetener for people living with diabetes?

If you have diabetes, the best sweetener for you may depend on your own individual health needs and goals. It also depends on what you’re using the sweetener for. For example, the type of sweetener you use for cooking, baking, or making a drink may be different. In general, less is always more. 

What matters more than an individual food’s GI is the combined GI of the whole plate (or meal). 

How much sugar is safe for a person with Type 2 diabetes to eat?

It’s a good idea to work with a registered dietitian to determine your unique dietary goals. 

And remember, added sugar is only part of the picture for people with diabetes. All carbohydrates can affect blood glucose levels, not just sugar. This is because carbohydrates break down into sugar (glucose) as they’re digested. 

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Written by:

Jewels Doskicz, RN, BA

Jewels Doskicz, RN, is an Arizona-based registered nurse with more than 20 years of hospital-wide clinical nursing experience. She has spent over a decade in medical writing and editing, with a focus on diabetes and autoimmune disease.

Edited by:

Meredith Hoffa

Meredith Hoffa is a senior health editor at GoodRx, where she leads journalists and clinicians covering various well-being topics, particularly in diet and nutrition.

Reviewed by:

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP, has more than 15 years of experience as an attending pediatrician. She has worked in a large academic center in an urban city, a small community hospital, a private practice, and an urgent care clinic.

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