One tablespoon, or 20 grams (g) of honey contains (1Trusted Source): Calories: 61 ,Fat: 0 g ,Protein: 0 g ,Carbs: 17 g,Fiber: 0 g ,Riboflavin: 1% of the Daily Value (DV) , Copper: 1% DV Honey is essentially pure sugar, with no fat and only trace amounts of protein and fiber. It contains small amounts of some nutrients, but most people typically don’t consume enough honey for it to be a significant dietary source of vitamins and minerals.
Minimally-processed honey contains many important bioactive plant compounds and antioxidants, such as flavonoids and phenolic acids. Darker varieties tend to offer more antioxidants than lighter varieties (2Trusted Source). Antioxidants help neutralize reactive oxygen species (ROS) in your body, which can build up in cells and cause damage. This damage can contribute to conditions like premature aging, type 2 diabetes, and heart diseases
Regarding blood sugar management, honey may offer some slight benefits over regular sugar. Although honey raises your blood sugar level just like other types of sugar do, the antioxidants it contains may help protect against metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Researchers have found that honey may increase adiponectin levels, a hormone that reduces inflammation and improves blood sugar regulation. There’s also evidence that daily honey intake may improve fasting blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
Honey may also help prevent heart disease. According to one review, honey may help lower blood pressure, improve blood fat levels, regulate your heartbeat, and prevent the death of healthy cells — all factors that can improve your heart function and health (6Trusted Source). One observational study, including over 4,500 people over 40 associated a moderate honey intake with a lower risk of high blood pressure among women. A rodent study also showed that honey helped protect the heart from oxidative stress (7Trusted Source
There is a historical precedent for the use of topical honey treatment for wound and burn healing. The practice is still common today. A review of 26 studies on honey and wound care found it most effective at healing partial-thickness burns and wounds that have become infected after surgery (10Trusted Source). Manuka honey, specifically, may have positive applications in burn treatments.
Coughing is a common problem for children with upper respiratory infections. These infections can affect sleep and quality of life for children and parents. One review of several studies on honey and cough in children found that honey appears more effective than diphenhydramine for cough symptoms. It may also help reduce cough duration (13Trusted Source).
Honey is often easy to add to your diet. To get a small boost of antioxidants from honey, you can use it any way you’d typically use sugar. It’s excellent for sweetening plain yogurt, coffee, or tea. You can also use it in cooking and baking. However, remember that honey is a type of sugar, so consuming it will cause your blood sugar levels to rise. Eating large quantities of honey, especially consistently over a long period,.