Sugar is most likely a staple in your daily diet, as it satisfies your sweet tooth and makes bitter coffee taste incredible. Whether you use granulated sugar or another source, you probably already know the potential health risks of consuming too much. Regardless, sugar can be useful, and it makes your daily life a little sweeter. Consider natural sugar sources to reduce your intake of unnecessary chemicals and toxins—here are four healthy reasons to use honey as a sweetener.
You Can Use Less for More Flavor
Many people hesitate to replace white sugar with honey as it contains more calories. However, honey is much sweeter and more flavorful than plain sugar, meaning you can use less for the same effect. Honey still contains simple sugars, but it’s natural and different from other sugar sources. With that said, you can add honey to your tea, coffee, or toast without consuming too much sugar.
Honey Impacts Your Blood Sugar Differently
Raw honey and white sugar are both significant sources of carbohydrates, but they’re not the same. Regular sugar contains 100 percent sugar, while honey consists of about 85 percent sugar with 15 percent pollen, water, essential nutrients, enzymes, etc. As a result, honey impacts your blood sugar differently than white sugar.
A food’s glycemic index (GI) determines how quickly it raises your blood sugar, with higher indexes indicating faster absorption. Typically, white sugar has a GI of around 65, and raw honey ranges from 30-55, depending on the variety. So honey doesn’t lead to significant blood sugar spikes.
It Contains Additional Nutrients
Because white sugar is sugar and nothing else, it doesn’t help your body in any way. On the other hand, raw honey contains various vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes that can provide the essential nutrients you need every day.
Honey Boosts Your Overall Health
Whenever you feel sick, you may run to the doctor; however, that’s not always necessary. By adding raw honey to your diet, you may be able to boost your overall health at home. Honey is an excellent home remedy for coughs, sore throats, minor cuts and wounds, sleep aid, etc., making it a must-have for your household.
Additionally, purchasing your own honeybee nucs and becoming a beekeeper allows you to consume local honey, which can diminish your pollen allergies. Even if you don’t want to keep bees, buying honey from a local beekeeper is a natural solution to seasonal allergies.
After learning four healthy reasons to use honey as a sweetener, you may want to ditch white sugar. Honey is a magnificent substance with the power to sweeten your tea or boost your health—as a bonus, it never expires or spoils.