Honey on Keto: Can You Eat Honey on a Keto Diet?

Is Honey Keto?

The keto diet has become one of the most popular diets for weight loss and overall health in recent years. This very low-carb, high-fat diet puts your body into a state of ketosis, where you burn fat for fuel instead of carbs. However, due to the restrictive nature of keto, many people wonder about the status of their favorite foods and sweeteners on the diet - including honey.

Honey is a sugar-rich nectar produced by bees from plant secretions called nectar. It's an extremely versatile ingredient used for cooking, baking, and natural healing remedies. But is something as sweet as honey allowed on a very low-carb diet like keto?

This article will take a detailed look at honey and its compatibility with keto diets. We'll also explore whether honey is healthy overall or if you're better off choosing a different sweetener while following a keto lifestyle.

Nutrition Facts of Honey

Before determining if honey is keto, it's important to review the nutrition facts of this sweet nectar:

• Carbs: 17 grams per tablespoon, mostly from natural sugars like glucose and fructose
• Protein: Trace amounts
• Fat: 0 grams
• Vitamins and minerals: Small amounts of nutrients like calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, and B vitamins
• Antioxidants: Honey contains antioxidant compounds like phenolic acids and flavonoids

As you can see, honey is high in carbs from natural sugars and does not provide fat or protein. Just one tablespoon contains 17 grams of carbs, with no fiber to subtract. This means the net carbs in honey are also 17 grams.

Is Honey Keto-Friendly?

The classic ketogenic diet limits daily net carb intake to just 2050 grams per day. With 17 grams of net carbs in a single tablespoon, honey can easily take up a large portion of your daily carb limit.

Most health experts consider honey to be unsuitable for the keto diet. Consuming just one or two tablespoons can put you over your carb limit for the day.

However, if you are on a more moderate low-carb diet like 50100 grams of net carbs per day, you may be able to incorporate a small amount of honey while still maintaining ketosis.

You can also try pairing your honey with other low-carb or high-fat foods to dilute the carbs. For example, drizzling a tablespoon of honey on full-fat Greek yogurt or adding it to a keto-friendly smoothie. Just be sure to account for the carbs in your daily totals.

Glycemic Index and Insulin Response

Although honey is high in carbs and sugar, it has a relatively low glycemic index (GI).

The GI is a measure of how quickly a food raises blood sugar. Foods with a high GI cause rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels, while low-GI foods have a more gradual effect.

Pure honey has a GI around 5560, much lower than table sugar at 65.

This means that honey should not drastically spike blood sugar or insulin in healthy people, despite being high in sugar. The presence of fructose in honey contributes to its lower GI.

However, diabetics or those with prediabetes should still use caution and monitor their blood sugar carefully when consuming honey due to the high carb count.

Impact on Ketosis

Maintaining a state of ketosis is crucial on keto diets. Ketosis occurs when the liver breaks down fat into compounds called ketones, which become your main energy source when carb intake is very low.

Consuming too many carbs from foods like honey can easily kick you out of ketosis, as your body will start using the glucose from carbs as its primary fuel source instead.

Experts recommend limiting carb intake to just 2030 grams per day on keto to ensure you stay in ketosis. This doesn't leave much room for foods like honey, which provide 17 grams of carbs per tablespoon.

Occasionally having a small amount of honey shouldn't disrupt ketosis for most people. But regularly consuming large amounts of honey or other high-sugar foods is likely to interfere with the keto process.

Alternatives to Honey on Keto

Luckily, if you have a sweet tooth, there are several great options for sweetening foods and beverages that are low-carb and keto-friendly.

Here are some of the most popular honey alternatives on a keto diet:

• Stevia - This natural, plant-derived sweetener has zero net carbs and zero calories. It's significantly sweeter than sugar and may have added benefits for blood sugar control.
• Erythritol - A sugar alcohol that's naturally found in some fruits. It has a glycemic index of zero and provides just 0.24 calories per gram.
• Monk fruit - Also called luohanguo, monk fruit extract provides zero calories and carbs. The fresh fruit is not permitted on keto due to its carb content.
• Sucralose - An artificial sweetener known as Splenda that has zero calories and carbs. It's about 600 times sweeter than sugar.
• Aspartame - The artificial sweetener used in Equal. It offers zero carbs or calories but may not be suitable for baking.

These low-carb sweeteners allow you to satisfy a sweet tooth without disrupting ketosis. Many honey lovers find combining monk fruit and erythritol provides excellent results mimicking the taste and texture of honey.

Is Honey Healthy?

Aside from its effects on blood sugar and suitability for keto diets, honey does come with some health benefits:

• Contains antioxidants like phenolic compounds
• May improve cholesterol levels
• Has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties that may promote wound healing
• May help reduce severity of allergies like hay fever when locally sourced

However, there are some downsides as well:

• High in sugar and calories
• May worsen blood sugar control in diabetes
• Linked to weight gain when consumed in excess
• Not suitable for infants due to risk of infant botulism

Overall, while honey does contain beneficial compounds, it is still high in sugar and carbs. Its health effects depend largely on the amount consumed and individual factors like metabolic health.

For most people following a keto or low-carb diet, minimal amounts of honey should be fine. But other sweeteners like stevia, monk fruit, and erythritol provide the sweet taste without the excess carbs.

The Bottom Line

Honey contains 17 grams of carbs and no fiber in each tablespoon. This makes it a high-carb food not suitable for the ketogenic diet.

While small amounts of honey shouldnt kick you out of ketosis, regularly going over your carb limit with honey can prevent you from maintaining a fat-burning state.

Additionally, although honey has a low glycemic index, it's still high in sugar and can affect blood sugar control. Non-nutritive sweeteners like stevia and erythritol are better options on keto.

At the end of the day, honey is not the best choice when following a keto diet. But if you are an occasional honey lover, you can likely still have it in small amounts without disrupting ketosis.

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.