Hello Honey!

[RG72]

No... I'm not soliciting cute responses 😜

Although I've managed to convert my diet from being already fairly OK into what I now consider pretty darn heart healthy, I still struggle with my sweet tooth. In researching honey I tend to get very mixed information, so I am wondering where the collective wisdom of this group stands on honey in a heart healthy diet?

I know that there is honey and there is honey, so from my understanding I am trying to avoid the floral and runnier options in favour of wallet breaking Manuka honey - it must be good if it costs so much... right? (I also heard that pine honey can be a little healthier?) Manuka seems to be the healthiest choice, but is it still bad? is it OK as part of a balanced diet or is it just better than other forms of sugar but still bad?

I'm not really consuming vast amounts but I have started using it as a sweetener in tea or in morning oats etc, instead of other options but if it is just as bad or only slight better than white sugar, I might need to make a plan B! When appropriate with whatever I'm adding it to I also mix with ground cinnamon which I heard as a combination can be more heart healthy.

Any thoughts on Honey or all things sweet (I have a similar dilemma with chocolate) greatly appreciated.

(and OK.. you can call me darling, honey)

[statinsinthebin]

if you look behind the marketing honey is 70% pure sugar,it will cause a massive spike in your blood sugar and also cause cravings.its probably beneficial in a diet for a profesional athlete,but someone with T2D should not be eating honey.

as for chocolate i eat 2 squares of 90% sometimes after my main meal,there is some research that it provides some benefits as an anti oxident and is a far better alternative than the sugary cadburys stuff.

[RG72 in reply to statinsinthebin]

Thanks for the reply - Well I don't have T2D but I used to be an elite athlete, although the heart diagnosis slightly derailed my athletic endeavours I still hope to return to some level of sport in the future.

On the chocolate front - I am very similar, a small chunk of dark chocolate now and then, although I confess that I sometimes go as low as 85% on the cocoa. Otherwise that's it for me, a couple of tea spoons of honey a day and a small chunk of chocolate 2 or 3 times a week.

[Hidden]

Dear RG72

Well thats an interesting post and before anyone slams your sweet tooth down let me be the first to say well done in changing your diet and getting on with your life.

If you want to pursue the “honey” trail can you please take time in finding out where it comes from and how it is made? Reasons are that commercial honey making is not very good for the bee population which is suffering very badly at the moment.

I’m sure that you will find some local supplies { from local bee keepers } near you, even if you were in the middle of a city there will be some. They look after their bees better { leave them honey for the winter and not just cheap sugar water }

As for the price, well that is down to you but be prepared to pay more from a local hive than one that has added sugars to it in the local supermarket.

So far you have re-looked at most things that you are putting into your body and I am glad to see that your thinking hard about this ingredient.

Have you thought of tree syrup? Maple is very sweet and full of nutrients { pure expensive maple not mixed stuff }

Take care and keep up the good work, our little bee friends will thank you for it.

[RG72 in reply to Hidden]

Many thanks Blue1958.

It's a great point and good reminder to source products locally and responsibly, particularly for honey. Yes I do try (and often when you do, you find healthier alternatives), although local supply is difficult where I live, I do at least try to buy from non-industrial scaled examples. I may look a little deeper in to this (I just moved).

Maple syrup is interesting, again it may be a little hard to find where I live and probably only large commercial brands but I can take a look.

Thanks again

[nellie237 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Blue/RG72,

I use a teaspoon of pure maple syrup on my breakfast (fat free yoghurt with a stack of fresh fruit) as I'm not keen on honey, unless it's a honey mustard glaze on meat. Is maple syrup better for you, or better for bees?

I go for a brisk walk after breakfast 'cos I'm aware that my breakfast must be loaded with sugar, (which is really not good for arteries) and excercise naturally opens pathways to get the glucose where it's needed. I'm not diabetic, but my daughter is type 1.

[Hidden in reply to nellie237]

You seem to have an amazing balanced way of starting your day, certainly maple is better for bees as you are not taking their food store away.

[RG72 in reply to Hidden]

Update: I’m now the proud owner of a bottle of maple syrup and enjoying experimenting! (But not too much, obviously)

[Madlegs1]

The world of Honey is a very complicated place.

As said already, much industrial honey is just syrup made up to look and taste like honey. You can buy large containers of honey like product from a very large country on the eastern side of the Eurasian landmass. Just stipulate the consistency, colour, sweetness etc and it will (eventually) be delivered to your door.

Manuka honey is in a similar situation. Something like 300 tons are produced annually (certified by NZ honey board) whereas thousands of tons are actually sold round the world!!?? Go figure.

There are simple ways to test if honey is pure- just Google it.

Also if a shop jar of honey is starting to granulate/ crystallise ,then it is highly likely to be ok. I bought some in a supermarket that was downpriced due to that( they thought it was going off!!🤔😝)

Pure Canadian maple syrup should be good as a sweetener, but I'm sure the same problems regarding provenance obtain.

[RG72]

Thanks! The Manuka honey I’m currently buying is more solid than liquid, so I’m taking this as a good sign.

[Hidden]

Try maple syrup instead you can buy a huge tub from Amazon that’s the Kirkland brand and it’s really good , or if you have a Costco nearby you can get it there , it’s around £8 in Costco . Also if you have Facebook look for beekeepers in your local area , beekeepers normally have Facebook pages in the area you live in, they will sell you some local honey very cheaply and much better for you .

[RG72 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks (I like your name by the way, I'm sure we all feel this applies a little in this group)

Maple syrup seems like a really good option, I'm looking around for some now. There is a Costco in the city where I live and other possibilities.