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Honey is a pretty popular substitute for sugar and high fructose corn syrup, since it’s natural.
After all, we all know that sugar is a huge cause of obesity and heart disease, and artificial sweeteners are just as bad. So why not look for a healthier option?
However, a small study now shows that honey is no better for you than sugar and corn syrup.
How do you know this study is legit? It was funded by the National Honey Board. They probably hoped it would prove that their natural sweetener is a lot healthier. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out for them.
They looked at three groups of people: a honey-consuming group, a sugar consuming group, and a high fructose corn syrup consuming group. Then they tracked their blood sugar, insulin, body weight, cholesterol, and blood pressure for two weeks.
The results were, unfortunately, pretty much the same. If it tastes sickly sweet, it’s probably going to hurt you. Triglyceride levels raised over two weeks in all three groups.
For honey lovers this is bad news, but for most of us this isn’t exactly a surprise.
The American Heart Association, for example, already acknowledges honey as an equally damaging sweetener.
“Added sugars include any sugars or caloric sweeteners that are added to foods or beverages during processing or preparation (such as putting sugar in your coffee or adding sugar to your cereal). Added sugars (or added sweeteners) can include natural sugars, such as white sugar, brown sugar, and honey, as well as other caloric sweeteners that are chemically manufactured (such as high-fructose corn syrup).”
Unfortunately, it’s just another among several votes against added sugars in our diets. I guess we just have to live with broken hearts.
