What are the benefits of honey, and how much is reasonable?
Honey is a natural food rich in sugars (mainly fructose and glucose) with small amounts of antioxidant compounds. A Cochrane review found honey may help relieve cough in children aged one year and over, but the WHO still counts honey as a “free sugar”, so keep portions small. Never give honey to a baby under 12 months.
What is in honey?
Most of honey is natural sugar — mainly fructose and glucose — and water. The rest is small amounts of organic acids, minerals, enzymes and phenolic compounds that act as antioxidants in lab tests. The exact content varies with the type of bee, the flowers and how it is stored.
Which benefits of honey are backed by research?
The clearest evidence is for acute cough in children. A 2018 Cochrane review (six trials, 899 children aged 12 months to 18 years) found honey probably reduces cough frequency better than no treatment or placebo.
Much of the other research on honey — including local honeys such as tualang, gelam and kelulut — was done in the lab or in animals. These results are interesting but do not yet prove the same effects in people.
What is the difference between kelulut, tualang and gelam honey?
Tualang honey is made by wild bees that nest in tall tualang trees, while gelam honey comes from the flowers of the gelam tree. Kelulut honey is made by stingless bees.
Kelulut honey is usually runnier, more sour and higher in moisture. Malaysia has a specific standard for kelulut honey (MS 2683:2017). A 2020 study in Scientific Reports found the main sugar in stingless bee honey from Malaysia and Australia is trehalulose, a sugar with a lower glycaemic index — but it is still sugar, and its effects on human health are still being studied.
Is honey good for men?
Honey is a quick source of energy because of its sugar, like other sweet foods. There is no strong evidence that honey has any special effect for men. For lasting energy, a balanced diet matters more — see foods for men's stamina.
How much honey a day is reasonable?
WHO guidance counts the sugars in honey as free sugars and recommends keeping free sugars below 10% of daily energy, and ideally below 5%. That means honey should be counted together with the sugar in your tea, kuih and sweet drinks, not added on top.
For most adults, one or two teaspoons in place of other sugar is more reasonable than several tablespoons a day.
Who should be careful with honey?
Do not give honey to babies under one year. According to the NHS, honey occasionally contains bacteria that can produce toxins in a baby's gut and cause infant botulism, a very serious illness.
- People with diabetes: honey still raises blood sugar. Talk to a doctor or dietitian.
- People managing their weight: honey is high in calories.
- Buy from trusted sources, as honey can be mixed with sugar syrup.
Frequently asked questions
Is honey healthier than sugar?
Honey contains small amounts of compounds that white sugar does not, but the WHO still counts the sugars in honey as free sugars. Both should be limited.
Can people with diabetes eat honey?
Honey still raises blood sugar. If you have diabetes, talk to a doctor or dietitian about a suitable amount and count honey as part of your carbohydrate intake.
Can babies have honey?
No. Babies under 12 months must not be given honey because of the risk of infant botulism, a very serious illness.
When is the best time to take honey?
No time of day has been shown to be better. What matters more is keeping the amount small and using it in place of other sugar, not in addition to it.
Sources
- Oduwole O et al. (2018). Honey for acute cough in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev
- World Health Organization (2015) — Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children
- NHS — Foods to avoid giving babies and young children (honey)
- Mohd Kamal DA et al. (2021). Physicochemical and medicinal properties of Tualang, Gelam and Kelulut honeys: a comprehensive review. Nutrients 13(1):197
- Fletcher MT et al. (2020). Stingless bee honey, a novel source of trehalulose: a biologically active disaccharide with health benefits. Sci Rep 10:12128
This article is general information based on published research, not medical advice.
