According to a recent study from the University of Toronto, ingesting honey may aid in controlling high cholesterol or blood sugar levels.
The researchers came to the conclusion that honey’s status as an additional dietary sugar could maybe be reviewed due to its potent health advantages.
A sugar is a sugar, according to public health and nutrition specialists, researcher John Sievenpiper, MD, PhD, said in a news release. These findings demonstrate that is not the case, and they call into question the inclusion of honey as a free or added sugar in dietary recommendations.
The blood sugar level used to diagnose diabetes, known as fasting blood glucose, was found to be lower after eating honey, according to the study’s findings. Additionally, it enhanced heart health indicators including cholesterol and triglyceride levels, according to their investigation.
The study, which was published this month in the journal Nutrition Reviews, incorporated the results of 18 earlier controlled trials with a total of 1,105 participants.
When honey was produced from a single floral source, especially clover and robinia, its advantages were especially clear. Compared to processed honey, benefits for raw honey were also noticeable.
According to federal dietary recommendations, added sugar should make up no more than 10% of daily calories. Honey has 64 calories per tablespoon and little fibre, minerals, or protein, according to the American Heart Association, making it “not optimal for everyday consumption.”
According to co-author Tauseef Khan, PhD, “We’re not saying you should start having honey if you now avoid sugar.” The key message here is replacement: substituting honey for table sugar, syrup, or another sweetener may reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
