Honey on Keto: Safe or Not?

Is Honey Keto? The Lowdown on This Natural Sweetener

The keto diet has become one of the most popular diets for weight loss and overall health, but figuring out what you can and can't eat on keto can be tricky. Many people wonder, is honey keto? Can you eat honey on the keto diet?

Honey is a natural sweetener that contains carbohydrates, which means it has the potential to take you out of ketosis. However, raw honey has a low glycemic index and provides some health benefits, so enjoying it in moderation on keto may be possible.

What is the Keto Diet?

The ketogenic diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that forces your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. Heres how it works:

On keto, you restrict your carbohydrate intake to around 5-10% of your total daily calories. For most people, that works out to 20-50 grams of net carbs per day.

By drastically limiting carbs, you deprive your body of its preferred energy source (glucose). Your body responds by breaking down fat into molecules called ketones and using them for fuel instead.

Ketones can cross the blood-brain barrier and provide energy to your brain when glucose is in short supply. They also have various potential benefits for the body and brain.

When your body is efficiently burning fat and producing ketones, you are in a state of ketosis. Ketosis promotes rapid weight loss and has been shown to reduce seizures, improve brain health, and more.

Why Honey Is Not Considered Keto

Here are some reasons why honey is generally not recommended on a strict keto diet:

It's High in Carbs

The biggest issue with honey is its high carb content. One tablespoon of honey contains 17 grams of carbs, with 17 grams from sugar.

On keto, the daily carb limit is only 2050 net grams per day. This entire carb allowance can easily be used up by a few tablespoons of honey.

To stay in ketosis, most people would have to avoid honey altogether or just have trace amounts.

Extremely High Glycemic Index

The glycemic index (GI) is a rating system that measures how quickly a food causes blood sugar to rise compared to pure glucose. Pure glucose has a glycemic index of 100.

Foods are classified based on their GI as follows:

• Low GI: 55 or less
• Moderate GI: 5669
• High GI: 70 or more

Honey has an extremely high glycemic index of around 83. This means it rapidly spikes blood sugar and insulin levels.

On the keto diet, it's recommended to choose low-GI foods as much as possible. They help maintain stable blood sugar levels and sustained energy.

Can Stop Ketosis

Consuming too many carbs from honey can easily knock you out of ketosis, the fat burning metabolic state targetted on keto.

As ketone levels drop, your body will start burning glucose (sugar) for fuel again. This causes fat burning to stall and slows down weight loss.

The amount of carbs that will keep you in ketosis varies by individual. But most keto dieters will be kicked out of ketosis by more than 30-50 grams of net carbs per day.

A few tablespoons of honey could exceed your daily carb limit, so regular use is not recommended.

Potential Benefits of Raw Honey

While regular honey is not considered keto, there are some potential benefits to using raw honey sparingly:

Low Glycemic Index

Raw honey has a lower GI than regular processed honey. The GI of raw honey ranges from 31 to 45, while regular honey is around 83.

This means raw honey impacts blood sugar levels much less than regular honey. A small amount may be unlikely to disrupt ketosis.

More Nutrients

Raw honey is less processed than regular honey, so more of the nutrients are preserved. It contains small amounts of enzymes, antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins.

These nutrients may provide some health benefits and help promote blood sugar control.

Probiotic Effects

Raw honey contains natural enzymes and probiotics that may promote good bacteria in your gut. A healthy gut microbiome is linked to reduced inflammation and improved immunity and brain health.

Using raw honey on keto could help nourish your gut flora when you have to cut out all probiotic foods like yogurt, kefir and kombucha.

Using Honey in Moderation on Keto

While regular honey is too high in carbs for keto, incorporating a small amount of raw honey can potentially keep you in ketosis while providing health benefits.

Here are some ways to add a touch of raw honey to your keto diet:

• Mix a pinch into tea or coffee
• Drizzle a teaspoon over nuts or nut butter
• Sweeten sauces and salad dressings
• Blend into smoothies
• Stir into plain full-fat Greek yogurt

When using raw honey, make sure to account for the carbs in your daily totals. Track your blood ketone levels to see if it impacts your state of ketosis.

Consume no more than 2-3 teaspoons (10-15 grams) per day, and avoid it if you have been kicked out of ketosis.

Healthier Keto-Friendly Sweetener Alternatives

While a bit of raw honey on keto diets may be fine for some people, youre better off using low-carb sweeteners to be safe. Here are some good options:

Stevia

Stevia is a natural sweetener extracted from the leaves of the stevia plant. It contains zero calories and carbs and does not raise blood sugar levels.

Erythritol

Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that tastes similar to sugar, but contains minimal calories and carbs. It does not impact blood sugar or ketosis.

Monk Fruit

Monk fruit (luo han guo) is a fruit native to China. The sweet component, mogroside extract, contains no calories or carbs.

Sucralose

Sucralose (Splenda) is an artificial sweetener that is heat-stable. It provides sweetness without calories or carbohydrates.

The Bottom Line

Is honey keto? Regular honey is too high in sugar to fit into a keto lifestyle. The carbs can rapidly take you out of ketosis.

However, incorporating a small amount of raw honey may provide benefits and potentially be low enough in carbs not to disturb ketosis.

For best results on keto, use low-carb sweeteners like stevia, erythritol, and monk fruit instead of honey. They allow you to satisfy your sweet tooth without disrupting ketosis.

With the right sweetener choice, you can safely create low-carb versions of your favorite treats.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.