Which of the two foods is better?
Honey, unlike what many believe, is quite similar to sugar. Compared to the more traditional sweetener it is however rich in some substances particularly useful to the body: vitamins, mineral salts and natural antibiotics.
Honey is also sweeter (it has a higher sweetening power) and this allows it to be used less than cooking sugar. Honey has a lower caloric content (304 Kcal per 100 grams compared to 392 for traditional sugar and 362 for cane sugar) because it is richer in water. Despite this, a teaspoon of honey provides more calories and carbohydrates than a teaspoon of sugar, due to the greater specific weight. Honey, especially if not crystallized, is also more difficult to dose.
The difference between these two sweeteners is therefore very thin; honey, by virtue of its vitamin and mineral content, is certainly a better food than sugar, although many times it is attributed properties that it does not possess. For a diabetic, replacing sugar with honey has some small advantages, but only for the same amount consumed. The mistaken belief that honey is a "beneficial" food can lead the diabetic to consume excessive doses, putting his health at risk exactly as he would do by consuming excessive doses of sugar.
Finally, it is necessary to spend a few words on the quality of honey, often altered by industrial processes and unscrupulous producers. For this reason it is advisable to avoid extra-Community honeys, especially if sold at low prices by semi-unknown companies.
HONEY | VS | SUGAR |
| Rich in mineral vitamins and other useful substances for the body | Less caloric for the same volume (one teaspoon of sugar contains less carbohydrates than a teaspoon of honey) | |
| Superior sweetening power | Similar glycemic index | |
| Less calorie for the same weight | Easier to dose | |
