Health Benefits, Happy Mugs, And More - Join Us As We Explore The Sweet Powers Of Honey
Refined table sugar, agave nectar, honey, artificial sweeteners…
At the end of the day, each of these provide sweetness, so does it really matter which one you use in your coffee?
Obviously, each of these sweetening agents do have a slightly different flavor, so many resort to the option that pleases their palate the most, but what effect do each of these have on your health?
When it comes to sweeteners, one natural option stands out above many others as it not only provides a rich sweetness but multiple, effective, health benefits as well.
From the above list, can you guess which option reigns supreme when it comes to antioxidant content, antibacterial properties, digestive support, heart health boosts, and more?
As you could probably infer from the title of this article, honey indeed comes out as a winner in a head-to-head battle against each of these other options.
Not only can honey provide a unique, natural sweetness to your coffee, tea, and other tasty beverages and treats, it has also been used for more than 5000 years to provide benefits to the human body!
So, let’s do a deep hive…I mean dive…into honey and see what the buzz surrounding this natural sweetener is all about!
Honey Versus Other Sweeteners
As I’m sure you know, honey is made by bees.
This natural sugar starts as flower nectar, then when bees collect the nectar, it is then broken down into simple sugars and stored inside the honeycomb.
Both the design of the honeycomb and the rapid fanning of the bees’ wings causes the broken-down nectar to evaporate, forming a sweet liquid we call honey.
Then, beekeepers harvest the honey by removing the honeycomb and scraping this confectionary liquid from these unique structures.
The taste of honey can vary depending on the source of the nectar, but most describe honey as not only sweet, but potentially woody, fruity, earthy, or floral.
It’s that sweetness, however, that we’re drawn to when it comes to using this bee product in beverages and other treats.
But, why reach for honey when table sugar and other artificial sweeteners typically provide a blank canvas of sweetness?
To answer in a single word - health.
Honey boasts many powerful health benefits, but before we examine those rewards, let’s see how honey compares to common sweeteners.
Refined sugars
Refined sugar, granulated sugar, or table sugar is one of the most common sweeteners used in foods and beverages.
It has a neutral taste. It’s fairly inexpensive. And, it’s readily available.
The problem with refined sugar, however, is this sweetener has almost no nutritional value whatsoever.
Many studies have also realized a link between the consumption of refined sugars and a greater risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and more.
Artificial sweeteners
Sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners are listed under many names - aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, acesulfame potassium, etc.
These sweeteners typically come with a smaller (or nonexistent) caloric price tag; however, the effect they can have on your health is very costly.
Multiple studies over the course of the last 50 years or more have brought to light the following risks when using artificial sweeteners:
- Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as IBS and Crohn’s in the worst cases
- Changes in taste perception
- Allergic reactions
- Cardiovascular effects
- Increased growth of cancerous tumors
- Negative effects on the gut microbiome
- Insulin and metabolic effects, such as diabetes
- Neurological symptoms, such as headaches and migraines, stroke, dementia, and memory loss
- Liver damage due to increased fat accumulation in this organ
Agave Nectar
This sweetener begins as a natural option; unfortunately, it undergoes a great amount of processing.
Processed agave nectar also contains extremely high levels of fructose.
While fructose is a natural sugar, agave nectar is concentrated, resulting in a content of up to 90% fructose, and these high amounts can contribute to liver damage and reduce insulin sensitivity.
Honey
Honey is a natural sugar as well, but it doesn’t undergo processing and concentration like agave nectar.
Unlike the above-mentioned sugars, honey actually benefits your body rather than hindering it.
In fact, the benefits of honey are so great, we’ve dedicated an entire section to exploring those healthy rewards.
But, before we do so, there are a few things worth noting when comparing honey to other sweetening agents.
First, honey is still a sugar, and consuming too much sugar is linked to a variety of health concerns from obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, and more.
This is why moderation is key when it comes to sweeteners.
Then, another thing to consider concerning honey is the fact that not all honey is the same.
Once a beekeeper collects honey from the hive, ideally, you’d like this to only be strained to remove pieces of the comb.
Raw honey is sold in this exact state and possesses the greatest amount of benefit to your health.
Then, pure honey is the most similar option to raw honey, with the only difference being heat.
Pure honey is heated for pasteurization purposes, then filtered (sometimes double filtered).
While some pure varieties are carefully heated to avoid the following, it is important to note that true pasteurization can heat honey to a point that removes or breaks down the nutrients, antioxidants, and other components which bring the health benefits we’re seeking.
Lastly, many store-bought varieties of honey, specifically those that do not indicate a raw or pure honey, can be commonly diluted with high fructose corn syrup, sugar, or other ingredients.
So, we advise seeking out raw honey above all else for best results, even searching for local options if you can.
And now for the good part, when choosing raw honey, here are just a few health benefits you can enjoy…
Health Benefits Of Honey
1- Great Source Of Antioxidants
One reason we listed the difference between raw and pure honey above is because many of the benefits of honey are obtained only when this natural product is kept natural. In other words, the more processing honey undergoes, the less benefit you’ll receive from the product.
Minimally processed honey, however, contains a large amount of antioxidants.
One of the greatest benefits of antioxidants is their ability to combat damage that occurs in the body on a cellular level.
This damage can speed up aging and lead to disease and dysfunction within your body.
Antioxidants provide a powerful benefit by neutralizing free radicals to prevent and combat the damage they cause.
2- Anti-inflammatory Aid
Most of honey’s anti-inflammatory properties have been studied for topical use, and within these bounds it has been found to improve wound healing.
But, honey may also relieve minor inflammation within the body as well.
Honey contains a variety of enzymes. Some of these aid in digestion and others, such as catalase, have been found to decrease inflammation levels.
3- Antibacterial & Antiviral Properties
Due to the antibacterial and antiviral properties of honey, this sweetener has been studied for its ability to fight infections.
One variety of honey, Manuka, contains hydrogen peroxide and defense-1 proteins, both of which are able to kill bacteria.
Manuka honey also has shown an ability to combat some common viruses, such as the flu.
In general, due to its antibacterial and antiviral properties, honey has been shown to stimulate those white blood cells responsible for activating the immune system (aiding in its infection fighting responses).
Honey also increases energy production in white blood cells which increases their ability to effectively combat infection.
4- Natural Cough Suppressant
Multiple studies have found honey to be more effective than diphenhydramine (a popular antihistamine) for cough symptoms in children, even helping to reduce the overall duration of coughs.
This is, of course, great news as any parent certainly knows how long a child’s cough can linger.
Coughs also commonly hinder sleep quality, so it’s not surprising that some reviews found the benefits of honey, as it pertains to coughing, also served to improve quality of sleep.
Most research regarding this benefit of honey has been conducted concerning children, but I can personally attest that my family (adults and children alike) has always followed the general rule of “consume a teaspoon of honey for a cough,” with great success.
While I’m certainly not a doctor, nor a scientist conducting research, I can tell you that these same antihistamine effects of honey noted here have proven highly beneficial to me each and every allergy season.
In fact, I’m never without raw, local honey for this very reason.
5- Digestive Aid
Honey is now recognized as a potential prebiotic due to its ability to promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria.
While this aids in overall gastrointestinal health, studies have also found honey to help your digestive health in the following ways:
- Some studies have found that honey may help to line the esophagus and stomach to reduce the upward flow of acid - preventing acid reflux.
- Honey contains beneficial enzymes which increase digestion and nutrient absorption.
- Scientists believe the antibacterial properties of honey may effectively fight H.pylori, one of the most common causes of stomach ulcers.
6- Heart Health Booster
Honey contains propolis, a resin produced from sap-bearing trees, and this component has been studied for its ability to lower cholesterol levels.
Other studies have found honey to potentially lower blood pressure, improve blood fat levels, regulate heartbeat, and prevent cell death, each of which serve to improve the health of your heart.
7- Better For Blood Sugar
Refined sugars can wreak havoc on your blood sugar levels. And don’t get me wrong, as honey is still a type of sugar, too much can still be detrimental to your glucose readings.
However, while honey can still raise your blood sugar, its antioxidant content does help protect against metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.
Studies have shown that consuming honey can increase adiponectin levels, a hormone that not only helps to reduce inflammation in the body but also improves the regulation of blood sugar.
Other research has shown honey, when taken daily, to be effective at improving fasting blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
Just remember, especially for those with diabetes, moderation is key as honey is still a form of sugar.
8- Enhances Physical Performance
Studies have shown that athletes have experienced increased physical performance when taking low amounts of honey prior to exercise.
There are 17 grams of carbohydrates in a teaspoon of honey, and this clean source of energy is proven to be more effective than glucose when it comes to physical performance.
Personally, I can attest to this benefit as well. When I was searching for options that I could consume as a clean energy source on long distance runs, honey was by far the most effective solution, and one that never upset my stomach.
Beyond the above listed benefits of honey, some studies have also found this bee product to be effective in treating a wide variety of illnesses and other ailments.
One 2012 study, for instance, found honey (used topically and/or internally) to be an effective natural or holistic treatment for each of the following:
- Teething pain (in babies over 1 year of age)
- Burns, cuts, and other skin wounds
- Eczema
- Asthma
- Bed wetting
- Bad breath
- Stress relief
- Diarrhea
- Vision problems
- Sleep disturbances
- Arthritis
While further trials are needed for greater confirmation of these benefits, honey remains a promising and powerful aid for its many health boosting properties.
Go Ahead And Give It A Try, Honey!
Now that we’ve seen the powerful health benefits of honey, let’s put this tasty knowledge to good use.
Below you’ll find two recipes which add a touch of natural sweetness to your brew, hot and iced, using honey.
Up first, an oat milk honey latte! Though, of course, you can use any milk you choose.
Ingredients:
- 6 ounces strongly brewed Lifeboost Dark Roast Coffee
- 6 ounces oat milk
- 1-2 tablespoons raw honey (sweeten to your liking)
- Ground cinnamon, for dusting on top
Instructions:
- Add oat milk and honey to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the honey is dissolved, and the mixture is hot. Just be careful not to scorch the milk, especially if you’re opting for dairy milk.
- Add the hot, sweetened mixture to a glass jar, such as a mason jar, and froth with a handheld frother until the mixture is foamy.
- Pour freshly brewed coffee into your favorite mug.
- Top coffee with frothed honey oat milk, then dust with ground cinnamon, and enjoy!
Now for an iced option! Here you’ll simply be making a delicious, salted honey cold foam to top your chilly brew.
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces cold brewed Lifeboost Light Roast Coffee
- 2 teaspoons raw honey, optional
- 1 tablespoon honey syrup (see recipe below)
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup milk (your choice, dairy or non-dairy)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- Ice
Instructions:
- Add ice to a tall glass, then pour in cold brew and add raw honey. (We listed the honey as optional above. You’ll get the flavor and sweetness of honey from the syrup in the cold foam, but if you’d like a touch more in your brew, feel free to add it here as well.)
- Stir until the honey (if using) is fully dissolved.
- Then, add honey syrup, a pinch of salt, milk, and heavy cream to an electric frother.
- Froth on the cold setting, then pour the cold foam over the prepared cold brew. Enjoy!
Honey Simple Syrup
Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw organic honey
- ½ cup warm water
Instructions:
- Add honey and water to a glass jar. Stir or shake to combine. (You want the honey to loosen or dissolve into the warm water.)
- Allow the mixture to cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or in a cabinet.
- *When using raw honey, just be sure not to heat the water beyond 110 degrees Fahrenheit to preserve the healthy bacteria in the honey.
Check out Lifeboost Coffee Grata Medium Roast.
Medical Disclaimer
This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Charles Livingston nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.
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