2023-05-18 10:00:00
Millennial, gourmet, varied and above all incredibly delicious in addition to being natural, the list of compliments that we could attribute to honey is endless. But, unfortunately, who says honey, says sweet and therefore… calories! Hence a legitimate fear: does honey make you fat?
Honey is good! We find them from all origins, with various aromas, golden in color and graciously offered by our friends the bees. Coming from the heart of the hive, honey is a naturally sweet food and often considered a healthy substitute for refined sugar. It is full of benefits but confusion persists. Indeed, the sweetness of honey can question its ability to make you fat or not. If you have ever asked yourself this question, you will discover in this article everything you need to know about the Honeyits components, its virtues, but above all its impact on weight.
The nutritional composition of honey
Not all honeys are created equal. Indeed, several factors can influence the nutritional composition of honey. It can be theenvironment in which it is produced, the transformation techniques used, the flower varieties from which it comes or even the lieu where the nectar was harvested. However, honey, whatever it is, is for the most part composed of simple sugars : the fructose and the glucose. It contains minimal amounts of vitamins and of minerals such as the zincthe potassiumthe ferthe calciumthe phosphorusthe magnesium and the vitamin C. There are also trace elementsof the enzymes and polyphenolsbut also flavonoids. These come from the flower pollen. This helps to identify the origin of the honey.
Honey is also a source ofantioxidants which are beneficial substances for the health who help to protect the body against damage caused by free radicals. Raw honey also contains enzymes and amino acids which are important nutrients for health. Thus, for a quantity of approximately 21 grams which corresponds to 1 tablespoon of honey, we will have 64 calories and 17 grams of carbohydrates.
The effects of honey on weight
In today’s society, we are surrounded by beliefs and shortcuts of the mind regarding food. We can hear for example that rice makes you fatwhich is necessary at all costs avoid bread and pastathat the extra pounds result from a bad nutrition, etc. In fact, no single food has the power to make you fat. Factors that can cause weight gain or make it difficult to lose weight are many.
Like everything foods high in calories and carbohydratesthe Excessive consumption of honey can lead to weight gain. However, it has been shown that honey can have a less impact on weight compared to refined sugar. This is largely due to the high in fructose of honey. This is because it is a type of sugar that is less likely to cause a rapid rise in blood sugar.
A study published in 2011 in the « Journal of the American College of Nutrition » compared the effects of honey and refined sugar consumption on body weight. Participants consumed either 70 grams of honeyeither 70 grams of refined sugar for a period of 30 days. The results showed that people who consumed honey had a significantly lower increase in body weight compared to people who consumed refined sugar.
Another study showed that honey can help regulate appetite. Indeed, according to research dating from 2011 in the same scientific journalpeople who had consumed honey had a decreased appetite and an increased feeling of satiety compared to people who had consumed white sugar.
The health benefits of honey
Honey is a natural food rich in nutrients and compounds beneficial to health. Several virtues are to be credited to it.
- Honey has antibacterial properties which can help kill harmful bacteria. It has been used for thousands of years to treat infections, burns and wounds.
- Honey is often used as natural remedy against the cough and the common cold. It relieves the symptoms of cough, nasal congestion and sore throat.
- The anti-inflammatory properties of honey can help reduce inflammation in the body. Studies have shown that honey can be effective in decreasing inflammation associated with conditions such asarthritis.
- Honey also helpsimprove digestion helping to reduce inflammation in the digestive system. Indeed, it thus promotes the growth of bacteria which are an asset for the intestinal flora.
- Honey is also rich in antioxidants. These are compounds that are packed with health benefits and help protect the body against free radical damage. Antioxidants help prevent chronic diseases such as some cardiac pathologiesbut also some forms of cancers.
- Honey helpsimprove sleep quality. It promotes the release of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep.
- Honey is beneficial for diabetics. Indeed, by being ingested by the body, it does not create blood sugar spike (the rate at which sugar is absorbed by the body). In this way there is less risk of cravings. In addition, the body will convert sugars into fats as little as possible.
Honey or white sugar: what to choose?
Between white sugar and honey, does your heart hesitate? So what should decide you would rather be the effects on your health. Indeed, when it comes to choosing between honey and white sugar, it’s important to understand the nutritional differences and health benefits of each option.
White sugar is a refined, processed sugar that is commonly used in convenience foods and sugary drinks. It is also very often present in astronomical quantities. Refined sugar is devoid of nutrients and other compounds beneficial to health. In summary, he has no no real nutritional value. Excess consumption of white sugar is associated with health risks such as diabetesl’obesityTHE heart disease and some cancers.
On the other hand, honey is a food that is natural and unrefined. It contains a wide variety of nutrients and compounds beneficial to health. Honey contains antioxidants, enzymes, vitamins and minerals, as well as antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Honey also has a lower glycemic index than white sugar. This means that it causes a slower and more stable rise in blood sugar. Thus, it is more recommended to opt for honey instead of sugar when sugar cravings overwhelm you. Moreover, it is perfectly possible to replace white sugar in cooking with honey. This also brings a special flavor to the recipes.
What are the lowest calorie honeys?
If you have decided to detox from white sugar and to favor honey, you should know that all honeys are not the same. Indeed, they are all caloric, but some more than others. Thus, to make you happy by ingesting the as few calories as possibleit is important to direct your choice towards certain types of honey rather than towards others.
- The acacia honey : It is considered to have a relatively low calorie content compared to other types of honey. It contains approx. 304 calories per 100 grams.
- The buckwheat honey : This is another type of honey that is also low in calories. It contains approx. 338 calories per 100 grams.
- The thyme honey : The latter contains approximately 304 calories per 100 grams.
Honey: a healthy partner for weight loss?
Although honey can be considered a healthier alternative to refined sugar in terms of nutritional composition, it is not necessarily a healthy partner for weight loss. Ultimately, weight loss depends on the total amount of calories that you consume and burn every day. If you want to keep the line, you must therefore ensure that you consume a reasonable amount of honey.
Honey can be used in moderation as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. For example, you can use it as sweetener in an herbal tea, as a topping on a slice of wholemeal bread or in your oatmeal. It can also be used to sweeten your natural yoghurts. Honey can also be added to cooking recipes to give them a touch of natural sweetness. By having a stronger sweetness than that of white sugar, honey is therefore consumed in smaller quantities. You will accordingly ingest fewer calories than by sweetening your preparations with refined sugar. This is a definite advantage for your line.
In summary, what you need to remember is that honey is full of benefits. It holds the white sugar dragee high and does not make you fat, as long as it is consumed sparingly. Whichever honey you choose, it should not be seen as a magic bullet for weight loss. A balanced diet and an physical activity regular are the most effective ways to maintain a healthy body weight.
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