Can People with Diabetes Consume Honey?

You may be familiar with honey as a natural sweetener with incredible health benefits. However, despite its healthy components, it still contains organic sugars like sucrose and fructose. Because of this, people with diabetes are still quite cautious when it comes to consuming local honey. But the question is: is it still safe to eat for those with high blood sugar?

Studies have shown that it's still safe to consume for diabetic individuals regardless of honey's sugar content. However, much like everything else, it should be consumed in moderation. In fact, eating honey in moderation is not only safe, but it can also reduce diabetic complications due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

To give you a better idea of how honey Singapore affects people with diabetes, here are other common questions answered.

Does honey affect blood sugar levels?

Compared to table sugar, honey naturally has a lower glycemic index. This unit of measurement takes into account the duration of which carbohydrate intake transforms into sugar, thereby affecting blood glucose levels. 

According to research, people who consume honey will experience an initial spike in blood sugar levels. However, as the compounds of honey dissolve, their sugar levels decline, resulting in an overall lower blood sugar impact. 

On the other hand, people who consume regular table sugar will experience a spike upon intake and no decline. The increased blood sugar levels will continue even after digestion. The sugar particles will enter the bloodstream, effectively raising sugar levels. 

For this reason, eating honey is a much safer option than typical sugar. However, you need to be mindful of the amounts you consume. 

Can it prevent diabetes?

Although honey has many health benefits, there isn't enough concrete proof demonstrating its effectiveness in preventing diabetes. What good quality honey can do, instead, is increase insulin levels to help control blood glucose levels. 

As the body produces insulin, a byproduct known as C-peptide is produced. C-peptide plays a role in ensuring that the insulin is functioning properly. Therefore, having a normal C-peptide level is an essential factor to enable your body to produce sufficient insulin. 

Are there risks to eating honey?

Diabetes occurs in several stages, some more severe than others. Because honey is still a sweetener, it still affects the body's blood sugar. That said, those with extreme diabetic conditions are discouraged from consuming honey until they can regulate their glucose levels. 

If your diabetes is under control, it can be consumed in moderation. But the best course of action is to consult with your doctor before adding this into your diet.

Once you're given the go-signal, choose only pure, raw, and organic honey. These are usually much safer for individuals with diabetes as it doesn't contain added syrup or sugar. 

What are the benefits of consuming honey for people with diabetes?

Besides helping increase insulin levels and control blood sugar, honey is also beneficial for people with diabetes because it has antioxidants to speed up the metabolization of sugar in your body.

Inflammation often leads to insulin resistance. Without sufficient insulin, your body can’t maintain its sugar levels, thereby causing further complications. Through honey’s anti-inflammatory properties, your body can generate C-peptides and insulin to keep diabetes under control.

In addition, multiple studies have demonstrated that moderate consumption of honey can lower triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are a kind of lipid (fat) found in the blood. They come from unused calories and are often associated with heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and insulin resistance. Because of this, high triglycerides lead to weight gain, obesity, and high cholesterol. By replacing refined sugar with natural organic honey, your triglyceride levels can drop by 19%.

Other benefits include improved heart health and increased vitamin intake. However, in order to gain these benefits, you need to buy honey in Singapore that is pure and organic.

Conclusion

Get natural honey from Nature’s Glory, Singapore’s leading organic online store. Nature’s Glory offers organic honeydew. This type of honey is dark in color, rich in prebiotics, and slightly sweet.