September 21, 2018

In Honor of National Honey Month, Let’s Talk Sweeteners

According to Forbes, the typical American consumes 130 lbs. of sugar each year – that’s 22 teaspoons of sugar per day!  Between processed foods, bread, pasta, rice, soda, cookies, cakes, and so many more, sugars lurk everywhere in the average American diet.

Consuming all of that sugar causes a lot of problems, like diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, depression, acne, fatigue, and so much more.  And it’s not easy to control your sweet tooth; refined sugar can be as addictive to the brain as cocaine.

Sugar is bad news.  But not all sweeteners are created equal.  Even though both sugar and honey are classified as sweeteners, raw honey and sugar are nothing alike:

Honey contains many nutrients.  Refined sugars have generally been stripped of all their nutrients during processing.

  • Honey contains antioxidants.  In contrast, refined sugar has no antioxidant benefits and fuels inflammation.  
Sweeteners, including honey
  • The active enzymes of raw honey make it much easier to absorb and digest than other sugars.  Refined sugar has no enzymes.
  • Honey has powerful germ-fighting properties. Sugar has none.
  • The glycemic index of honey is generally lower than table sugars, meaning it more gradually raises blood sugar levels.  Refined sugar spikes blood sugar levels immediately.
  • Raw honey comes straight from the hive and remains natural and unprocessed.  Refined sugar of any type has to go through many stages of chemical and manual processing.
  • Raw honey actually tastes slightly sweeter than refined sugar, meaning you need less of it to feel equally satisfied.

So, as you can see, the evidence is quite clear – honey is a healthier choice than sugar to use as a sweetener.  But, any sweetener should be consumed in far fewer quantities than the current average of 22 teaspoons of sugar per day!  A balanced diet that consists of lots of fruits and veggies is the way to go.

And since we’re talking about the benefits of honey, we’d be remiss not to mention the added benefits of Manuka honey.  Manuka honey has lots of health-boosting properties, including being antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and immune-stimulating to name a few.  One thing is for sure, Nature knows what it’s doing, and Manuka honey is one of Nature’s gifts. 

Bees & Trees Manuka honey is raw, hive-to-jar pure goodness.  And if you've compared prices, you know that our honey is a much better value than the big brands ounce for ounce.  You can get your own jar here.

If you ever have any questions, don't hesitate to ask us.  We're here to help.

-The Bees & Trees Team

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New to Mānuka Honey? Click here to learn about the different MGO levels. Check it out