Honey and diabetes: a sugar like any other, the figures
The short answer
Honey is not an alternative to sugar for a person with diabetes: it is a sugar. It contains 82 g of carbohydrate per 100 g, almost all of it simple sugars, and its average glycaemic index, 61 across seventeen honeys tested, is close to that of white sugar, 65. That does not make it forbidden: a teaspoon now and then, in plain yoghurt or a herbal tea, remains compatible with diabetes, as long as you count it in the carbohydrate of the meal. Honey does have one real use: it is one of the fast sugars for treating hypoglycaemia.
This guide gives general guidelines. If you are treated with insulin or with a medicine that can cause hypoglycaemia, your carbohydrate amount per meal should be set with your doctor or dietitian.
What honey contains
| Per | Calories | Carbohydrate | of which fructose | of which glucose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One teaspoon, 7 g | 23 kcal | 5.7 g | 2.8 g | 2.5 g |
| One tablespoon, 21 g | 70 kcal | 17.2 g | 8.5 g | 7.4 g |
| 100 g of honey | 331 kcal | 82.1 g | 40.4 g | 35.3 g |
Honey is 17% water and, for the rest, almost entirely fructose and glucose. It provides no fibre or protein, and its vitamins and minerals are present in negligible amounts at the scale of a spoonful.
Honey or sugar: the comparison in figures
| Honey | White sugar | |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrate per 100 g | 82.1 g | 99.7 g |
| Calories per 100 g | 331 kcal | 399 kcal |
| One teaspoon | 7 g, 5.7 g of carbohydrate | 4.2 g, 4.2 g of carbohydrate |
| Glycaemic index | 61 on average (35 to 87) | 65 on average |
| Glycaemic index in people with type 2 diabetes | 32 (acacia honey, 1 study) | 58 to 60 (2 studies) |
Two observations. Weight for weight, honey contains a little less carbohydrate than sugar, because it contains water. But by the spoonful, it is the other way round: honey is dense, and a teaspoon of honey provides more carbohydrate than a teaspoon of sugar, 5.7 g against 4.2 g. Swapping sugar for honey « because it is natural » therefore does not reduce carbohydrate, and can even increase it.
Not all honeys are equal
The international glycaemic index tables list seventeen honeys, tested in people without diabetes. Their GI ranges from 35 to 87, with an average of 61. The difference comes mainly from the proportion of fructose: in the Australian honeys tested, those with the most fructose had the lowest GI (35 for a honey with 46% fructose, 64 for a honey with 32%). Fructose has a GI of 15, glucose 103.
| Honey tested | People | Glycaemic index |
|---|---|---|
| Acacia (black locust) honey, Romania | 32 people with type 2 diabetes | 32 |
| Australian Yellow box honey, 46% fructose | 10 people without diabetes | 35 |
| Clover honey | 12 people without diabetes | 69 |
| Buckwheat honey | 11 people without diabetes | 73 |
| Unspecified honey, Canada | 6 people without diabetes | 87 |
| Average of 17 honeys | people without diabetes | 61 |
Acacia honey, rich in fructose and always liquid, is therefore the one that raises blood sugar least, with a GI of 32 in the only study carried out in people with diabetes. That is no reason to eat more of it: its carbohydrate is still that of a sugar.
Work out the glycaemic load of your spoonful
| Portion | Carbohydrate | GL, average honey (GI 61) | GL, acacia honey (GI 32) |
|---|---|---|---|
| One teaspoon, 7 g | 5.7 g | 4 | 2 |
| One tablespoon, 21 g | 17.2 g | 11 | 6 |
| Two tablespoons, 42 g | 34.5 g | 21 | 11 |
A tablespoon of honey has the same glycaemic load as a medium banana, without its fibre or its potassium. That is why it is best kept for small amounts.
A spoonful of honey or a piece of fruit: the equivalents
To picture a spoonful of honey, the most telling approach is to compare it with foods that provide the same amount of carbohydrate:
| About 17 g of carbohydrate is | Fibre provided |
|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon of honey, 21 g | 0 g |
| 1 apple of 145 g | 3.5 g |
| 2 medium kiwis, 138 g, for 15.2 g of carbohydrate | 3.3 g |
| 30 g of white bread | 0.8 g |
| 21 g of puffed or extruded honey cereal | 1.1 g |
For the same effect on the amount of carbohydrate, the apple provides fibre, water, volume and something to chew. The spoonful of honey is eaten in two seconds. That is the whole issue: honey is not « bad », it is that it concentrates a lot of carbohydrate in a small volume, with nothing to slow its passage into the blood.
Honey, jam or chocolate spread on your toast?
| 100 g of | Carbohydrate | of which sugars |
|---|---|---|
| Honey | 82.1 g | 81.1 g |
| Jam, average food | 59.3 g | 57.7 g |
| Chocolate and hazelnut spread | 57.9 g | 56.2 g |
| Reduced-sugar jam | 38 g | 38 g |
Weight for weight, honey is the most concentrated of the three: it contains nearly 40% more carbohydrate than jam and more than twice as much as reduced-sugar jam. The spread, for its part, adds 32.4 g of fat per 100 g. If you want a touch of sweetness on your bread, a thin layer of reduced-sugar jam puts the least load on the slice.
How much honey when you have diabetes
Honey is one of the free sugars, like sugar, syrups and fruit juices, according to the WHO definition. The WHO recommends limiting free sugars to less than 10% of energy, ideally less than 5%, or about 25 g a day for an adult. A tablespoon of honey already represents 17 g, two thirds of that. The details are in our guide how much sugar a day.
- One teaspoon in plain yoghurt, fromage frais or a herbal tea, rather than a sweetened fruit yoghurt.
- At the end of a meal, not on its own on an empty stomach.
- Counted in the carbohydrate of the meal, in the same way as a serving of dessert.
The case where honey is useful: hypoglycaemia
The Fédération Française des Diabétiques lists a tablespoon of honey or jam among the equivalents of 15 g of carbohydrate for treating a low, alongside three sugar lumps or a small 15 cL glass of fruit juice. Check your blood sugar 15 minutes later and repeat if it is still low, following the instructions of your care team.
And the other sweeteners?
| 100 g of | Carbohydrate | What you need to know |
|---|---|---|
| White sugar | 99.7 g | GI of 58 to 60 in people with diabetes |
| Brown sugar | 98.1 g | the same sugar, with a little molasses added |
| Honey | 82.1 g | GI of 32 to 87 depending on the honey |
| Agave syrup | 78 g | low GI because very rich in fructose |
| Maple syrup | 67.2 g | mostly sucrose |
None of these sweeteners is « good » for diabetes: all are free sugars. Sweeteners, on the other hand, do not raise blood sugar; see our guides to stevia, maltitol and agave syrup.
Does honey have virtues against diabetes?
You sometimes read that honey improves blood sugar or insulin sensitivity. The trials on the subject are small, short and of uneven quality, and no health authority recommends honey for controlling diabetes. Keep the essentials in mind: honey is a pleasure sugar, not a treatment.
The trials in people with diabetes, in detail
Two pieces of work often come up when people talk about the « benefits » of honey. Here is what they really say.
The Iranian trial: less weight, but a higher HbA1c
In an eight-week randomised trial (Bahrami et al., 2009), 48 people with type 2 diabetes were split into two groups: one received natural honey every day, the other did not. Results in the honey group:
- no difference in fasting blood sugar compared with the control group, once the starting values were taken into account;
- a drop in weight, total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides, and a rise in HDL;
- but a significant rise in HbA1c, which reflects average blood sugar over three months.
The authors themselves conclude that honey consumption by people with diabetes should remain cautious. HbA1c is the main marker for monitoring diabetes: a food that raises it is not an ally, whatever its other effects.
The 2023 meta-analysis: small and uncertain effects
A meta-analysis (Ahmed et al., Nutrition Reviews, 2023) pooled 18 controlled trials, 1,105 participants. Honey was associated with:
- fasting blood sugar lower by 0.20 mmol/L, about 0.04 g/L, with a level of evidence judged low;
- a small drop in total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides, again with a low level of evidence;
- a rise in HDL of 0.07 mmol/L, the only result with a high level of evidence.
The effects were clearer with certain honeys, acacia, clover and raw unprocessed honey, and the authors specify that these effects assume consumption within a healthy diet. In other words: if you sweeten your yoghurt anyway, a teaspoon of acacia honey is not a bad choice. But nothing justifies adding honey to your diet to « lower » your blood sugar.
Hidden honey: cereals, gingerbread, recipes
A good share of the honey we eat does not come from the jar. It is in products that put the word « honey » up front:
| 100 g of | Carbohydrate | of which sugars |
|---|---|---|
| Puffed corn balls with honey | 87.3 g | 26.3 g |
| Honey or caramel cereals, puffed or extruded | 80.1 g | 21.9 g |
| Gingerbread (pain d’épices) | 71.8 g | 40.8 g |
| Thin wafer filled with honey or caramel | 67 g | 37 g |
| Soft nougat | 69.3 g | 60.8 g |
- Honey cereals combine puffed starch, digested very quickly, and sugar. In the international tables, puffed rice honey cereals have a GI of 77 and puffed wheat honey cereals 71, in people without diabetes (Atkinson 2008).
- Gingerbread is often presented as a « bread ». With 40.8 g of sugars per 100 g, it is a cake.
- In savoury recipes or morning bowls, honey counts too: in our honey and cumin roasted carrots or our Greek yoghurt, walnut and honey bowl, you can reduce the amount of honey: it is what provides the added sugars.
Special cases
Gestational diabetes
During pregnancy, honey should be limited like any sugar. A teaspoon now and then remains possible, within the framework set by the care team. See eating during pregnancy.
Babies under one year
Honey must not be given to children under one year old, because of the risk of infant botulism, as Anses points out. This is true for all children, with or without diabetes.
Sport
During long exercise, honey is a convenient source of fast carbohydrate. It is one of the rare contexts where its rapid absorption is an advantage. See what to eat before and after sport.
Frequently asked questions
Can someone with diabetes eat honey?
Yes, in small amounts: a teaspoon now and then, counted in the carbohydrate of the meal. Honey is still a sugar, with 82 g of carbohydrate per 100 g.
Is honey better than sugar for someone with diabetes?
Not really: its average GI, 61, is close to that of sugar, 65, and a teaspoon of honey provides more carbohydrate than a teaspoon of sugar, 5.7 g against 4.2 g.
Which honey for someone with diabetes?
Acacia honey has the lowest GI measured in people with diabetes, 32, thanks to its richness in fructose. That is not a reason to take more.
Does honey raise blood sugar?
Yes: a tablespoon provides 17 g of carbohydrate, with a glycaemic load of about 11, as much as a banana.
Can you use honey for hypoglycaemia?
Yes: a tablespoon of honey is one of the 15 g carbohydrate fast sugars cited by the Fédération Française des Diabétiques.
Does honey cure diabetes?
No. No health authority recommends it for controlling blood sugar; the existing studies are too small to conclude.
Does honey raise HbA1c?
In an eight-week trial in 48 people with type 2 diabetes, HbA1c rose significantly in the group that ate honey every day. The authors recommend cautious consumption.
Is raw honey better?
A 2023 meta-analysis found slightly more favourable effects with raw unprocessed honey and with acacia and clover honeys, but with a low level of evidence. Its carbohydrate stays the same: 82 g per 100 g.
Are honey cereals suitable for breakfast?
Not every day: 80 to 87 g of carbohydrate per 100 g, of which more than 20 g is sugars, and a GI above 70 in the tables. Plain porridge oats with a teaspoon of honey do better.
How much fruit is a spoonful of honey?
A tablespoon, 17 g of carbohydrate, is equivalent to a 145 g apple, which also provides 3.5 g of fibre.
The foods and diabetes series
Glycaemic index, glycaemic load and the right portion, food by food: apple and diabetes, pear and diabetes, orange and diabetes, banana and diabetes, grape and diabetes, dates and diabetes, melon and diabetes, strawberry and diabetes, pineapple and diabetes, cheese and diabetes, mango and diabetes, dark chocolate and diabetes, lentils and diabetes, potato and diabetes, avocado and diabetes, oats and diabetes, bread and diabetes, kiwi and diabetes, sweet potato and diabetes, rice and diabetes.
Further reading
How much sugar a day, agave syrup, stevia, type 2 diabetes: diet and prevention, honey nutrition facts.
Our sources
- Atkinson FS, Foster-Powell K, Brand-Miller JC. International Tables of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Values: 2008. Diabetes Care, 2008.
- WHO, guideline on sugars intake for adults and children, 2015: definition of free sugars.
- Fédération Française des Diabétiques: treating hypoglycaemia with fast sugar.
- Anses: infant botulism, no honey before one year.
- Ciqual 2025 table (Anses): honey, white sugar, brown sugar, agave syrup, maple syrup; USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: weights of honey and sugar spoons.
- Bahrami M, Ataie-Jafari A, Hosseini S et al. Effects of natural honey consumption in diabetic patients: an 8-week randomized clinical trial. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 2009. PMID 19817641.
- Ahmed A, Tul-Noor Z, Lee D et al. Effect of honey on cardiometabolic risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition Reviews, 2023. PMID 36379223.
- Ciqual 2025 table (Anses): apple, kiwi, white bread, honey cereals, puffed corn balls with honey, gingerbread, filled wafer, soft nougat.
