Eating Honey in Diabetes: Is it SAFE or Not?

Short Answer: Honey is bad for diabetes because it has a lot of sugar, and it can raise your blood sugar levels quickly. It also contains fructose and glucose, which can worsen your insulin resistance and blood sugar control.

Diabetes is a condition that affects your blood sugar levels.

In diabetes, your body either does not produce enough insulin or cannot use it properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps move glucose from your blood into your cells, where it is used for energy.

This can lead to various health problems, such as nerve damage, kidney damage, eye damage, and heart disease.

One of the key factors in managing diabetes is diet.

What you consume can affect your blood sugar levels, which can impact your diabetes symptoms and overall health.

To effectively manage diabetes, you should consume fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and avoid refined carbohydrates like white bread, pasta, and sweets.

Now, honey is a natural sweetener that is made by bees from the nectar of flowers. It usually has a thick, syrupy texture and a golden color. People often use honey as a substitute for sugar in beverages, desserts, and other recipes.

Honey is not good for diabetes because it contains a lot of sugar.

One tablespoon of honey can give you 17 grams of carbohydrates, which is 6% of your daily needs. Most of these carbohydrates are fructose and glucose, which can raise your blood sugar levels quickly.

Fructose can negatively affect diabetes because it can increase insulin resistance and worsen blood sugar control.

Glucose can also negatively affect diabetes because it can cause spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels, which can lead to complications like hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.

Furthermore, honey is a simple carbohydrate and simple carbohydrates are bad for diabetes.

Because they are digested quickly and easily by the body. This means they can cause rapid changes in blood sugar levels, which can be dangerous for people with diabetes.

That’s why I suggest you to limit your honey intake if you have diabetes. Too much honey can cause high blood sugar levels, which can damage your organs and increase your risk of complications.

Stick to no more than one teaspoon of honey per day to minimize these effects.

Also, you shouldn’t use honey if you have diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) to prevent worsening your condition.

DKA is a serious complication of diabetes that occurs when your body produces too many ketones, which are acidic substances that result from burning fat for energy. Because honey can increase your blood sugar levels and ketone levels, it can make DKA more severe.

You can buy fresh honey in your local market or order it online.

Always choose raw, organic, and unfiltered honey.

Because it has more antioxidants and nutrients than processed honey. You can store honey in a cool, dry place for up to two years.

Finally, remember, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, and stress management, is key to managing diabetes effectively.

I always recommend my diabetes patients to follow a diabetes-friendly diet to improve their overall well-being and enjoy a longer and healthier life.

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About the Author

Abdur Rahman Choudhury

Abdur Rahman Choudhury is a nutritionist in West Bengal, India, with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Biochemistry.

He has done his diploma in nutrition from Fabulous Body Inc (US), and completed various certification courses from several universities. He also has considerable research experience in PCOS.

Abdur currently lives in India and keeps fit by weight training and eating mainly home-cooked meals.

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