Is honey better than sugar?

Hi guys.
I eat a looooot of oatmeal(sometimes twice a day haha), and I do like my oatmeal really sweet. I don't have any other unnatural sugar on a normal day, so I've always just accepted that I can have those tbsp of sugar with my oatmeal. I wanna try to cut down on the sugar, and I was thinking of using honey instead, but the question is - is it healthier than sugar? the kcals are pretty much the same, but will i get better nutrition from honey than the brown sugar i eat?
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Replies

  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
    About the same. Honey is glucose and fructose as monosaccharides. Table sugar (sucrose) is a disaccharide of the same sugars. Honey will have some trace elements of minerals and pollen if it is real honey...
    Have which ever you prefer.
  • shirleylmartin
    shirleylmartin Posts: 68 Member
    yes, honey is better than sugar.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    yes, honey is better than sugar.

    wait, what..how do you figure that one...?

    honey has..wait for it now..sugar in it....!
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    *facepalm*
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
    yes, honey is better than sugar.

    ...for making mead.
    Yes, I agree.
  • aKate_
    aKate_ Posts: 72 Member
    Honey can be highly processed, as with refined sugar. But finding a local, non-pasturized, will not only taste great but can also help with allergies (if you have them).
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
    yes, honey is better than sugar.

    wait, what..how do you figure that one...?

    honey has..wait for it now..sugar in it....!

    It's better because it includes bee spit
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
    yes, honey is better than sugar.

    wait, what..how do you figure that one...?

    honey has..wait for it now..sugar in it....!

    It's better because it includes bee spit
    Not just spit...
    The honey in my basement has whole bees (amongst other things) in it.
    I
  • richardheath
    richardheath Posts: 1,276 Member
    Honey can be highly processed, as with refined sugar. But finding a local, non-pasturized, will not only taste great but can also help with allergies (if you have them).

    Actually, that is false. Honey has no effect on allergies.

    http://www.webmd.com/allergies/features/does-honey-help-prevent-allergies
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    well...100g of table sugar is about 80 calories more than 100g of honey due to honey is about 82% sugars and the rest is water vs sugar being 99.8% sugar...but that's about all I could come up with...other than that...

    1236250271_Honey_vs_Sugar_xlarge.jpeg

    Same thing...
  • aKate_
    aKate_ Posts: 72 Member
    Honey can be highly processed, as with refined sugar. But finding a local, non-pasturized, will not only taste great but can also help with allergies (if you have them).

    Actually, that is false. Honey has no effect on allergies.

    http://www.webmd.com/allergies/features/does-honey-help-prevent-allergies

    Thanks for posting that. It is funny how you hear things from doctors for years, and believe, to only find out it is false! I will never tell anyone that again!
  • sepulchura
    sepulchura Posts: 95 Member
    With how adulterated most honey is these days, it's questionable what would be better.

    If you can find unadulterated honey (and there are tests to determine this), then you might be getting something that is SLIGHTLY better than refined sugar?

    I don't think the difference is enough to signify much, if anything.
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    yes, honey is better than sugar.

    wait, what..how do you figure that one...?

    honey has..wait for it now..sugar in it....!

    It tastes better. But it's a PITA to clean up.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    yes, honey is better than sugar.

    wait, what..how do you figure that one...?

    honey has..wait for it now..sugar in it....!

    I read a long time ago so forgive my memory if I'm mistaken but isn't honey more nutritious in terms of micros? Also, I remember honey being recommended for many things, including making local honey a part of your diet to making your body more resistant to allergies.

    Thats besides the fact that honey is freakin delicious and putting some fresh salted, roasted almonds on honey and having your way with it is heavenly!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Well a lot of 'honey' nowadays isn't really honey anyway, so it's probably similar. Just eat what you enjoy the most. I'll have to check calories for the same amount of sweetness though...
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Dont ever let a child under 2 eat honey due to botulism.

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/infant-botulism/HQ00854
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    Honey is worse .. because fructose.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    Honey is worse .. because fructose.

    *headscratch*

    What?
  • MrsB123111
    MrsB123111 Posts: 535 Member
    I actually just read an article in this month's Cooking Light magazine (not the most scientific source, but a source none-the-less), on honey, white sugar, brown sugar and raw sugar. It said that there really isn't a difference nutritionally, it's all a matter of taste.
  • Saucy_lil_Minx
    Saucy_lil_Minx Posts: 3,302 Member
    They are both high on the GI scale (if you are worried about insulin levels) How about Stevia? It is like 400 x sweeter, and you need a lot less, and no problems with insulin.
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    Honey is worse .. because fructose.

    *headscratch*

    What?

    A little thing to amuse me .. Honey and HFCS have approximately the same composition, in terms of the sugars. And I'm pretty sure that it's been established that HFCS will rape you in the night and make you fat.

    Edit: How did I get it wrong 2x?
  • Yes, honey is definitely better for spreading on bread or toast. Sugar has a much lower retention index. It tends to roll off the bread and doesn't spread as evenly.

    Also honey leaves a substantial residue on the knife / spoon or whatever you are using so it save calories that way, along with the amounts that are lost between the honey container and the destination food - sticky jar syndrome.
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
    Manuka honey kicks sugar's *kitten*.
  • marypatmccue
    marypatmccue Posts: 521 Member
    yes, honey is better than sugar.

    wait, what..how do you figure that one...?

    honey has..wait for it now..sugar in it....!

    It tastes better. But it's a PITA to clean up.


    o.O.O.o.O.........

    Where are you putting it?!

    :wink:
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
    Honey is better than granulated sugar because it tastes sooooo gooood with Greek yogurt
  • OMGeeeHorses
    OMGeeeHorses Posts: 732 Member
    Its obviously preference of taste. Sugar and Honey are close to one and the same. One comes from a sugar cane and the other comes from bees. So choose what you enjoy tasting better and stick with it :). I have yet to like honey at all. The clover taste gets to me and makes my throat itchy. SO I would guess I am allergic lol
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    They are both high on the GI scale (if you are worried about insulin levels) How about Stevia? It is like 400 x sweeter, and you need a lot less, and no problems with insulin.

    I thought Stevia spiked your insulin actually. But yes if you like the taste it's definitely an option. I need to buy some actually...
  • Saucy_lil_Minx
    Saucy_lil_Minx Posts: 3,302 Member
    Honey or sugar no matter. However, if you like honey use Buckwheat honey. There is a higher vitamin, and mineral content in it including polyphenols (same antioxidant found in red wine, green tea) has some well know health benefits.
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
    Its obviously preference of taste. Sugar and Honey are close to one and the same. One comes from a sugar cane and the other comes from bees. So choose what you enjoy tasting better and stick with it :). I have yet to like honey at all. The clover taste gets to me and makes my throat itchy. SO I would guess I am allergic lol
    Try buckwheat honey. Dark and delicious. Meadowfoam had to be the nicest although orange blossom is great too...
  • kennie2
    kennie2 Posts: 1,170 Member
    yes, honey is better than sugar.

    wait, what..how do you figure that one...?

    honey has..wait for it now..sugar in it....!

    It tastes better. But it's a PITA to clean up.

    squeezey honey! :glasses: :glasses: