Honey And Diabetes: Effect Of Glycemic Index

Diabetics often wonder about the effect of honey’s glycemic index and whether they can use honey as a natural sweetener while taking advantage of its medicinal properties. For example, does honey increase blood glucose levels? Can diabetics use honey instead of sugar? Are honey and diabetes generally compatible?

The concept of glycemic index (GI) was invented about 30 years ago. Researchers use it to classify carbohydrate foods according to how quickly they raise blood glucose levels.

Researchers put up the values ​​of all the ingredients so they can compare them and use glucose as a reference. Namely, the glycemic index of glucose is 100. The remaining ingredients are classified between 0 and 100.

• The group of low glycemic index (less than 55) includes a significant number of dairy products, fruits, vegetables, legumes and some pasta.

• The group of medium-high glycemic index (55-69) includes rice, bread and some breakfast cereals.
• The group of high glycemic index (over 70) includes white flour and potatoes. This is the glycemic index of most pastries.

Honey glycemic index

Honey consists mainly of carbohydrates (80%) and water. These ingredients contain large amounts of glucose and fructose. The relationship between the types of sugar depends on what kind of honey we use as a comparison.

Flower honeys generally tend to contain more fructose and thus have a lower GI value. The glycemic index of honey is about 61, although it can vary by about three – either lower or higher.

As you can see, the variety of honey and its percentage of glucose and fructose change the value of the glycemic index. This index thus places honey in the group of ingredients containing the medium-high glycemic index.

Health and diet

Many experts and nutritionists have long advocated a diet based on the glycemic index of ingredients. Foods with a low glycemic index should be plentiful and foods with a high glycemic index should be excluded from or restricted in the diet.

Nutritionists are in favor of such a diet because human digestion can consume and absorb nutrients only from foods with a low glycemic index. Thus, over time, they lead to lower or longer glucose peaks.

Why is this a noteworthy thing when we evaluate whether honey and diabetes are compatible? Because it is difficult for diabetics to process sugars efficiently. In such cases, good glycemic index control helps to delay the onset of disease-related complications, such as kidney damage, nerve damage, or even an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

There is also scientific evidence that a diet with low glycemic index ingredients is combined with the following health benefits:

• Calculating bad cholesterol (LDL)
• Weight loss
• Lower risk of cancer (colon cancer, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, etc.)
• Lower risk of heart disease

The glycemic index also has disadvantages

Monitoring a single nutrient (in this case, the glycemic index) is generally not a good method in nutrition science. This is because focusing only on certain qualities makes us forget its true value. Here are some things to consider about your glycemic index:

• The values ​​of all ingredients are different according to varying studies.
• Not all people react the same way to food, as insulin sensitivity varies from person to person.
• We rarely eat ingredients separately. In general, the ingredients are mixed in the same meal and thus the glycemic index of the ingredient analyzed alone changes. For example, the addition of fat or protein regulates the absorption of glucose and its subsequent rise in the blood.

• If we only look at this indicator for the inclusion or exclusion of food in the diet, we will stop taking into account other important considerations such as the density of the ingredient, possible probiotic effects, and the ability to get satiated.

What are the health benefits of honey?

The nutritional values ​​and healing properties of honey have been known for thousands of years. Its nutritional composition contains antioxidants, phenols, organic acids as well as small amounts of vitamins and minerals.

Honey is currently used as a sweetener in combination therapies with natural remedies. There is scientific evidence that a small amount of honey is good for human health. However, without going into too much detail, we can summarize the properties of honey here:

• Honey has an antioxidant ability.
• Honey reduces the number of analytical indicators of inflammation.
• Honey  promotes cardiovascular health by  improving blood cholesterol levels, reducing triglycerides and slightly reducing body fat.
• Some antibacterial effects may be positive against gastroenteritis or Helicobacte pylori  .

However, honey should not be consumed much on a daily basis just because of its health properties or because it belongs to the group of ingredients with a medium to high glycemic index.

Honey is definitely a better option than white sugar and artificial sweeteners, but keep in mind that excessive amounts of sugar can also lead to long-term health problems. Therefore, do not exceed the recommended amount, ie 30-60 g per day. 

Other benefits

In summary, the  glycemic index is a measurement method used to classify the response of blood glucose levels after eating carbohydrate-rich foods. Honey is one such ingredient and is practically made up of two types of sugar: glucose and fructose.

Honey also has a medium-high glycemic index, which may indeed be a better option for sweetening your favorite foods and beverages. Honey and diabetes can thus be seen as a good alliance. At the same time, however, please consider the problems associated with a high-sugar diet and use the glycemic index as a guide.