Here’s What Happens To Your Body When You Eat A Spoonful Of Honey Every Day

For some of us, no breakfast is complete without a delicious drizzling of honey. It’s pure heaven when the golden nectar hits our taste buds, transforming that bland bowl of oatmeal into something much more special. But here’s the thing: if you snack on toast with honey every morning or simply add a spoonful of the stuff to your daily cup of tea, it could have quite the impact on your body.

Honey Pairings

We wouldn’t blame you if you’re a honey fiend. It’s luscious, sweet, and very, very tasty. Yep, we totally see where Winnie the Pooh’s coming from! But if you haven’t a clue what kinds of food go with it best, then grab a pen. You’ll want to remember this.

Try It In Coffee

Obviously, honey can be used as a tempting topping for a plate of pancakes or a helping of toast. That goes without saying. But it can also add some extra sweetness to porridge, yogurt or even a bowl of cereal. And if you simply can’t get the day started without coffee, then you should try honey as a healthier alternative to sugar in your morning mug.

300 Different Varities

To say honey is a versatile substance would be an understatement. And here’s another interesting tidbit to consider: there isn’t just one type available. According to the Indian company Dabur – which sells honey – you can get your hands on over 300 unique varieties at present.

Massive Market

Honey’s pretty darn popular, too. According to Statista, folks in the U.S. snap up nearly $620 million worth of the stuff in a single year. And it’s a global trend. In a single year, the worldwide market for honey is roughly $7 billion, and that’s expected to jump up to more than $11 billion going into 2027.

Honey Production

Talk about eye-popping numbers. People just can’t get enough honey, wherever they may be. And that begs the question – how is the substance actually produced? Well, to help answer that, a food expert spoke to Time magazine, providing a very vivid description of the process.

A Bee's Superpower

Her name is Dana Hunnes, and she works for the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. The expert said, “Bees collect the dilute-sugary nectar of flora plants, produce an enzymatic activity after ingestion, regurgitate it into honey cells and evaporate a high percentage of the water out of it. [That produces] a super-sweet viscous liquid known as honey.”

How Does It Vary?

Fascinating stuff, but that’s got us wondering. Are the various types of honey all produced in different ways? Is that what makes them distinct? To clear that up, another food expert sat down to talk with Time. Her name’s Jenny Friedman, and she plies her trade as a dietitian in Pennsylvania.

The Flower Source

Friedman informed the publication, “The variety refers to where the honey comes from, basically, the types of flowers bees have fed on. The color, flavor, and major nutritional properties of honey all depend on the nectar that the bees used.” To add to that, someone else chimed in with a bit more information.

Raw V Regular

Yes, Anna Debenham touched on this subject with HuffPost Australia. Utilizing her expertise as a dietitian, she runs a food nutrition website called The Biting Truth. Anyway, Debenham looked at the key differences between two categories of honey – raw and regular. It might just sway your decision as to what type to buy.

Filtering Process

Debenham told the website, “Raw honey is honey in its natural state, meaning it hasn’t been strained, filtered or heated. It can be made from any type of flower or plant. The minimal processing of raw honey is often why it includes particles of wax, propolis [tree bud resin] and pollen.” As for the regular option, those specks are always taken out.

No Yeast

You see, regular honey gets warmed up and strained during production, taking out any remaining pollen or wax. It also removes the yeast, which stops the honey from souring over time. Thanks to all that, these products have a real velvety feel to them once you pop open a jar.

Manuka Honey

That’s a lot to take in! But here’s one more thing to ponder if you’re looking to get on the honey bandwagon – what variety is considered the best? Well, Manuka honey is often flagged up in that discussion. It’s native to New Zealand and contains some pretty interesting contents, with Debenham’s Biting Truth partner explaining more.

UMF Rating

Anna Parker told HuffPost Australia, “Manuka honey usually has a Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) rating on the package which means it has been tested for antibacterial activity. This is similar to the SPF (Sun Protection Factor) number you’d see on sunscreens. The higher the UMF, the greater the antibacterial effects.”

Perks Of Honey

Bet you didn’t see that coming. So yes, there’s plenty to process here. While you think about that, though, it’s time we went back to our initial point. What does a daily tablespoon of honey do to the human body? How are we affected? In truth, there are several perks to adding the nectar to your diet. Let’s dive into them!

Fights Germs and Fungi

To start with, let’s stick with one of the earlier benefits that Parker mentioned. Yep, honey boasts antibacterial properties that can wipe out hazardous germs, as well as certain problematic fungi. And in the case of the manuka variety, a study from 2011 revealed its true power when fighting nasty microorganisms.

Battles Bacteria

The Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicines published a report after Indian scientists in Kolkata had run some experiments with manuka honey, before sharing their findings with the world that spring. According to the paper, the delicious nectar is capable of dealing with germs like E. coli, H. pylori and S. aureus. That’s quite a hit list, right?

Helps With Skin And Stomach Issues

In case you didn’t know, certain E. coli pathogens are responsible for sparking food poisoning. Meanwhile, H. pylori and S. aureus can bring about stomach and skin issues respectively. Who would’ve thought that a type of honey could protect you from all that?

Packed With Antioxidants

Yet the surprising health benefits of honey don’t end there. You see, according to the Medical News Today website, the tasty nectar also features a number of antioxidants: specifically ascorbic acid, phytochemicals and flavonoids. So what does that mean? Well, these substances play a big role in shielding the human body from harm.

Oxidative Stress

It all ties back to oxidative stress. Now in simple terms, that’s an internal “process” sparked by a disparity between antioxidants and free radicals. If the latter outnumber the former, then your tissue and cells will be prone to harm. And trust us, that isn’t good news. Not by a long shot.

Controlling Free Radicals

According to Medical News Today, too much oxidative stress over a lengthy period can leave you vulnerable to serious ailments. For instance, heart disease and cancer have both been linked to free radical damage. The website notes that diabetes is on that list as well. But that’s where antioxidants come in.

Cancer Fighter

By consuming foods that are full of antioxidants, you can significantly reduce your levels of oxidative stress. In turn, that’ll cut down your chances of developing the problems that we just mentioned. So it’s not outlandish to say that honey can play a role in protecting you from cancer and serious heart issues.

Risk Of Processing

Then again, there’s a chance that not all types of honey will have that effect. You see, while raw honey keeps its antioxidant properties, regular products could lose theirs during the production process. As it turns out, antioxidants dissipate when certain foods get warmed up. That’s something to remember for your next shopping trip.

Healthy Minerals

Anyway, how else can a spoonful of honey help the human body? Well, just take a look at the raw nectar’s nutritional value. It boasts a veritable Who’s Who of recognizably beneficial substances! Want some examples? Okay then. It boasts goodness like calcium, potassium, zinc, magnesium and manganese. Plus, you’ll also find riboflavin and phosphorus in there too.

Helps With Blood Pressure Issues

Some of those nutrients can be found in products such as lavender honey, which is particularly effective. Yes, as per the website AlBeeNa, it helps individuals with bone issues, teeth ailments and an overall shortage of calcium in their systems. On top of that, it’s ideal for those struggling with their blood pressure.

Aid In Cholesterol Levels

That connects to another health benefit flagged up on Medical News Today, as the website notes that certain honey could aid cholesterol readings. Pretty intriguing, wouldn’t you agree? It might be an idea to incorporate it into your diet if you’ve got issues with high cholesterol levels. But can the mouthwatering sweetener help us in other ways as well? You bet!

Testing Against Diarrhea

For instance, if you’re suffering from a bout of diarrhea, raw honey could be just the ticket. A team of researchers took a closer look at that for an experiment, publishing the findings in the Journal of Research in Medical and Dental Science. The test involved 150 kids who had acute gastroenteritis.

A Clear Winner

In the experiment, the kids were split up into different groups, with one taking a mixture of “oral rehydration solution” and honey. Meanwhile, the others didn’t have any nectar. By the end, the researchers noted that the first group got over their diarrhea with few issues. They also saw off the gastroenteritis quicker.

Dandelion Honey

To add to that, certain honeys specialize in soothing stomach problems as well. Take dandelion honey, for example. According to AlBeeNa, it fights stomach ailments such as gastritis and colitis. Plus, it can aid those with other issues ranging from cholelithiasis to cirrhosis. That’s some list. And the overall benefits of the sticky spread don’t end there.

Honey On The Brain

Incredibly, Medical News Today notes that honey might be very beneficial for maintaining the health of your brain. How’s that? Well, two separate reports flagged up interesting findings on the subject, with one coming out in the fall of 2015. That research paper was published in the Metabolic Brain Disease journal.

Protects Against Lead

The experiment involved a group of rats that were going to come into contact with lead. Some of them were fed honey to see if it’d shield their brains from the harmful metal, though. By the end, the report read, “It can be concluded that honey has neuroprotective effects against lead-induced cognitive deficit, probably by enhancing antioxidant activities.”

Boosts Memory

As for the second paper, that was shared a couple of years later in the Pharmacognosy Research publication. According to that one, raw honey could potentially aid your hippocampus should it become inflamed. That area plays a crucial role when it comes to your memory, so why not give a daily tablespoon a try? It’s got to be worth a go.

Honey Risks

And if that wasn’t enough, Medical News Today also states honey can help you fight off annoying coughs as well. Keeping that in mind, you can’t say that the nectar isn’t beneficial for your body. Then again, that’s got us wondering – are there any risks to eating the sweetener each day?

Only In Moderation

Let’s start with the weight-gain implications. You see, a single tablespoon will set you back by exactly 64 calories. On its own, that doesn’t seem too bad. But the numbers will begin to stack up if you chow down on four or five helpings over the day. Quite simply, you shouldn’t overindulge.

High Sugar Content

Mind you, one of the biggest health risks associated with honey comes from its sugar content. As it turns out, the nectar’s sweetness isn’t considered to be a “natural sugar.” Instead it’s an “added sugar,” and you really need to keep those figures down in your diet. If you don’t, the results could be disastrous for your heart.

Over Half The Daily Limit

The American Heart Association has outlined the recommended daily intake for added sugars, noting that guys can consume 37.5 grams. As for ladies, their figure is a little lower at 25 grams. Now for comparison, a single spoonful of honey includes precisely 17.3 grams. Beginning to see the problem?

Honey V Sweetner

That’s a huge chunk of the recommended daily intake. Sticking with the sugar issue, Friedman made a very interesting point during her chat with Time magazine. In her opinion, certain folks can’t help but think that honey isn’t as harmful as the white sweetener. It’s almost like a psychological block.

Sugar Is Sugar

Friedman told the publication, “A lot of people feel better when they read a food label and see honey instead of sugar. However, in the long run, the nuance is more meaningful to the mind than the body. The body pretty much perceives sugar and honey added to foods the same way.”

Longer Digestion Time

Parker concurred with that view while chatting to HuffPost Australia. Yet the dietitian had something else to add. She stated, “Honey is still a form of ‘added’ sugar and is processed by the body in a similar way to other types of sugar. The good news is that honey takes longer to digest than table sugar, providing more sustainable energy.”

Eat In Moderation

There’s a lot to digest here – figuratively in this case! But while the risks can’t be ignored, the rewards are far too great to completely drop honey from your diet. So long as you’re not going overboard with several tablespoons each day, your body should be getting plenty of benefits.