Honey

Studies in people

• Open question

  Blood sugar response³

  Honey's effect on blood sugar varies widely depending on which flowers the bees used.

• Benefit

  Heart and metabolic health⁴

  In people, honey intake showed more helpful effects than none on heart and metabolic risk factors, especially when it replaced other sweeteners.

• Concern

  Heart and blood pressure effects⁵

  In people, eating small amounts of honey sometimes caused food poisoning with low blood pressure and a slow heartbeat.

• Benefit

  Blood sugar and insulin⁶

  In young men, a honey-rich energy drink raised insulin and blood sugar less than a regular sugary energy drink.

• Benefit

  Long-term health effects⁷

  In one study, men who ate honey lived longer, but scientists say more research is needed.

• Benefit

  Health and flavour priorities⁸

  Shoppers say they pick honey for health benefits and flavour, not for its sugars or minerals.

Animal and lab studies only

• Benefit

  Inflammation in lab cells¹²

  In lab studies, honey from these flowers showed no pyrrolizidine alkaloids and calmed inflammation in cells.

• Benefit

  Gut health and immunity¹³

  In lab studies, honey's microbes may support gut health, but most evidence comes from lab and animal studies, not people.

• Benefit

  Cell growth in the lab¹⁵

  In lab studies, Zantaz honey stopped leukemia cells from multiplying, though it also confused the test used to measure them.

Study type not stated

• Open question

  Gut health and wound healing⁹

  Honey has been used for gut problems and wound healing, but scientists do not yet know exactly how it works.

How it’s made and used

• Where enzymes come from¹⁰

  Honey's enzymes come from bees, plants, yeasts and other sources, and can make hydrogen peroxide.

• Floral origin markers¹¹

  Honey's phenolic compounds vary by the flowers bees visited, which may help tell real honey from fake.

• Breakdown products in blood¹⁴

  In animal studies, manuka honey's leptosperin broke down into other compounds that showed up in the blood.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.