Honey vs sugar

nibbynoo
nibbynoo Posts: 250 Member
edited December 23 in Food and Nutrition
afternoon fitness pals

i have a sweet tooth, a whole mouth of them and am desperately trying to cut down but i need some sweetness in my morning porridge and tea.
is honey better than sugar? is artificial sweetener better than both?
help! :)

Thanks!

Replies

  • kgprice11
    kgprice11 Posts: 749 Member
    Honey!!
  • jr1985
    jr1985 Posts: 1,033 Member
    Yes Honey is better than sugar in that it is an antiseptic and has healing properties, but they both have the same amount of calories and grams of sugar.

    Go with Stevia, you can either buy the stevia packets, or buy your own stevia plant for like $5, add a few leaves of it to your tea and you won't miss your sugar at all! it is supposed to be 30 times sweeter than sugar and has no calories since you use such a small amount... Mint leaves also help sweeten up tea too.
  • GingerBarber0308
    GingerBarber0308 Posts: 4 Member
    Honey is better than artificial sweetener.
  • kashrs1234
    kashrs1234 Posts: 8 Member
    Hi! I have the same problem with sweet, it's a real issue for me. I use honey with EVERYTHING. Artificial sweetners sometimes have aspartame which I find tastes gross and, imho, isn't really good for you. I bake a lot at home and always use honey. My oatmeal is sweetened with local honey and cinnamon with fruit and as a super indulgence i like honey on whole wheat toast sometimes. Anyway, if you're going to use sugar, I would suggest cane sugar and the less refined the better. There are better alternatives out there too like Stevia (VERY sweet, much better for you) and Agave nectar. This (http://www.livestrong.com/article/395154-agave-nectar-vs-stevia/) is a good intro site for the last two I mentioned. Hope this helps (and i'm totally not a professional or anything, just an interested foody!)
  • WhittRak
    WhittRak Posts: 567 Member
    I use organic honey. I find I use less of it, and it gives a nice flavor to my tea. I sometimes use it in coffee as well (which is def an acquired taste)
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    I find honey "goes farther" than packet sugar or artificial sweeteners for me. You get a lot of flavor and sweetness not just sweetness. I love using honey as a sweetener.
  • ultraplop
    ultraplop Posts: 30
    Try raw honey if you want more health benefit from it. I generally go for natural stuff over processed, but if you are cutting calories, using artificial sweetener for a while can make it easier to hit your calorie goals.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    This is the way I look at it.

    Sugar is sugar. Doesn't matter if its "Natural sugar" or "man made sugar"

    However, with "natural sugar" AKA honey, fruits etc. you get alot more than just sugar. You get fiber, antioxidants, vitamins etc. Also, if you buy local honey via farmers market or something, you improve your immunity to allergies during seasons.

    So yeah, honey is definitely good eats. Plus I love it on a slice of bread as a quick snack :)
  • KMSForLife
    KMSForLife Posts: 577 Member
    Just this morning I used honey to sweeten my oatmeal. I find it doesn't take much and it tastes wonderful.
  • lsegatti
    lsegatti Posts: 77 Member
    Just a reminder that is honey is twice a "sweet" as sugar. When you substitute it in baking, the recipe change should be 1 cup of sugar or 1/2 cup honey.
  • Krazy_Kat
    Krazy_Kat Posts: 212
    Maple syrup is nice
  • ThatsNotMine
    ThatsNotMine Posts: 75 Member
    This is the way I look at it.

    Sugar is sugar. Doesn't matter if its "Natural sugar" or "man made sugar"

    However, with "natural sugar" AKA honey, fruits etc. you get alot more than just sugar. You get fiber, antioxidants, vitamins etc. Also, if you buy local honey via farmers market or something, you improve your immunity to allergies during seasons.

    So yeah, honey is definitely good eats. Plus I love it on a slice of bread as a quick snack :)

    THIS!
  • destiny72
    destiny72 Posts: 1
    Hello,

    SWEET TOOTH:

    Sugar - in the process of manufacturing this product enzymes and vitamins in the sugar cane are destroyed.

    Honey - is a natural sweetener and has beneficial antioxidants properties which are not present in table sugar

    One tablespoon of Sugar is 46 calories, where one tablespoon of honey is 64 calories but because honey is sweeter you will not have to use that much.

    Artifical Sweetener are made from chemical, so if possible stay away from them.
    The main reason that people find artificial sweeteners to be a better choice is that they have no calories. The body is unable to process them and as such, cannot derive any nutritional value from them.

    Another Alterative which I heard about is Stevia, a South American herb used as:smile: a natural sweetener for centuries. The leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant have a refreshing taste, zero glycemic index, zero calories and zero carbs. It is 25-30 times sweeter than sugar, and far more healthy!

    Looks to me like the honey is the best choice if you are not worried about the calories - all natural.

    Good Luck.
  • bhankiii
    bhankiii Posts: 217 Member
    Honey is better than sugar, but you can do fine without either. I also have a terrible sweet tooth, and used to crave sugar. I gave it up entirely and the cravings went away immediately. This morning I had a nice apple and some cashew butter. Another breakfast I enjoy is Greek yogurt (homemade) with fruit I've canned (just like preserves but no sugar added). Once your taste buds adjust to not being saturated with sugar you'll be able to taste the natural sweetness of everything. I've even come to love the taste of raw cacao powder - I put it in my coffee and the sweetness of the half&half I also add is all I need.

    I've baked apple and cherry tarts completely without adding sugar and they are delicious. Add some Greek yogurt and it's like cheesecake.

    I avoid artificial sweeteners. I don't care for the taste and many of them are unnatural. If you have to have sweet, stick with honey.

    Sugar is like salt - the more you eat the more you want. The less you eat the less you need it.

    Good luck.
  • jg627
    jg627 Posts: 1,221 Member
    Regurgitated bee snot FTW!
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Honey and it's not even close. Besides the sweetness you'll get some other benefits along with it. I've been adding it lately to my pre and post workout drinks for it's effect on insulin.
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