Is Honey Keto Friendly? How It Affects Ketosis and Weight Loss

What is the Keto Diet?

The keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet. It restricts your carb intake to under 50 grams daily - and sometimes as low as 20 grams. When you limit carbs to such low amounts, your body enters ketosis.

In ketosis, your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy. It converts fat into compounds called ketones and begins using them as its main source of fuel. For this reason, ketosis leads to rapid weight loss.

While in ketosis, your body is essentially burning fat 24/7, including body fat. This leads to massive reductions in body weight and body fat.

Here are some of the proven benefits of ketosis:

• Rapid weight loss
• Decreased appetite and hunger
• Lowered blood sugar and insulin levels
• Improvements in type 2 diabetes risk factors
• Reductions in metabolic disease risk

In order to enter ketosis and experience these benefits, you need to restrict your carb intake sufficiently and minimize foods that may kick you out of ketosis.

Foods to Avoid on Keto

Here are some foods you need to restrict on a keto diet:

• Grains: Wheat, rice, oats, corn, pasta, etc.
• Starchy vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, etc.
• Fruits: Apples, bananas, oranges and other high-sugar fruits.
• Beans and legumes: Chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils, etc.
• Root vegetables: Carrots, parsnips, etc.
• Low-fat or diet products: These are highly processed.
• Sugar-sweetened beverages: Soda, juice, sports drinks, etc.
• Alcohol: Due to carb content.
• Sweets and desserts: Cookies, chocolate, cakes, ice cream, etc.

Is Honey Keto?

Now that you understand the basics of keto, let's dive into the honey debate.

Honey is a thick, golden liquid produced by bees. It is made primarily of two sugars - glucose and fructose. This makes it very high in carbs.

In fact, just 1 tablespoon of honey contains 17 grams of carbs, of which 17 grams is sugar (1).

On keto, you are only allowed 2050 grams of total carbs per day. So a single tablespoon of honey may already exceed your carb limit for the entire day!

For this reason, pure honey is generally not considered keto friendly. It is simply too high in carbs and sugar to fit into a ketogenic diet.

Impact on Ketosis

Eating honey may quickly push you out of ketosis or prevent you from entering ketosis in the first place.

When you consume carbs, your liver begins breaking them down into glucose. This causes blood sugar and insulin levels to rise.

On keto diets, your liver starts producing ketones from fat when carbs are very low. However, when you eat carbs, your liver stops producing ketones and starts clearing them out of your bloodstream.

Honey is nearly pure sugar. Just a small amount provides a large influx of carbs and glucose into your system. This glucose is immediately used for energy or converted into glycogen, disrupting ketosis.

Impact on Weight Loss

Weight loss occurs in ketosis because you're burning through your fat stores. However, eating honey may hinder the process.

Honey causes a rise in insulin. This hormone activates key enzymes and begins metabolizing carbohydrates instead of fats.

It also signals your fat cells to stop releasing fatty acids. Instead, glucose is used as the primary fuel source. So honey consumption directly impedes one of the main drivers of keto weight loss.

Additionally, honey can increase feelings of hunger and your overall calorie intake (2). This may negate the calorie deficit required to lose weight.

Healthiest Sweeteners for Keto

Luckily, you have plenty of healthy, low-carb sweetener options on keto.

Here are some of the best honey alternatives:

Stevia

Stevia is a natural sweetener derived from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant. It contains zero carbs and zero calories.

Studies show stevia has beneficial effects on blood sugar and insulin levels (3). It's still very sweet, with stevia extracts up to 300 times sweeter than sugar.

Stevia is excellent for sweetening beverages like tea and coffee without disrupting ketosis. You can also find it in powdered form as a 1:1 substitute for sugar in baking.

Erythritol

Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that naturally occurs in some fruits and fermented foods. It provides about 70% of the sweetness of sugar, but with only 5% of the calories.

It also has a glycemic index of zero and does not affect blood sugar or ketone levels (4).

Erythritol works great for general baking purposes. Keep in mind it's only 70% as sweet as sugar, so you may need to use more to achieve the same level of sweetness.

Monk Fruit

Monk fruit, also known as luohan guo, is a small melon from China. Its extract contains compounds called mogrosides, which are up to 300 times sweeter than sugar.

Despite having no calories or carbs, monk fruit is very sweet and works well for recipes. Beware of monk fruit blends that contain other ingredients like erythritol.

Sucralose

Sucralose, also known as Splenda, is an artificial sweetener made from sugar. It's about 600 times sweeter than sugar but contains no carbs or calories.

Studies show sucralose has no effect on blood sugar or insulin levels in people with diabetes (5). Just watch out for Splenda products that contain fillers like maltodextrin and dextrose.

The Bottom Line

Based on its high carb and sugar content, honey is not considered a keto friendly sweetener. Just one tablespoon contains 17 grams of carbs, which may surpass your daily limit.

While delicious, honey can quickly kick you out of ketosis by spiking your blood sugar and insulin. It also contributes extra calories that may slow weight loss.

Fortunately, you have several healthy, low-carb sweeteners to choose from on keto, including stevia, erythritol, monk fruit and sucralose.

Using these alternatives will allow you to satisfy your sweet tooth without sacrificing your progress.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you have honey on keto?

Pure honey is not considered keto-friendly due to its high carb content. Just one tablespoon provides 17 grams of carbs, nearly a full day's worth on keto. Honey can rapidly raise blood sugar and insulin levels, taking you out of ketosis.

Does honey kick you out of ketosis?

Yes, honey can easily kick you out of ketosis. Its high glucose content causes an immediate influx of carbs into your bloodstream. Your body reacts by stopping ketone production and utilizing glucose for energy instead of fat.

What can you use instead of honey on keto?

Some healthy, low-carb alternatives to honey include stevia, erythritol, monk fruit, and sucralose. These provide a sweet taste without negatively impacting ketosis or your blood sugar levels.

Is honey healthier than sugar?

Honey does contain some nutrients and antioxidants, unlike plain white sugar. However, honey still has a very high sugar content. Too much added sugar of any kind can have negative health effects.

Is honey inflammatory?

There is some evidence that honey has anti-inflammatory properties (6). However, in large amounts, its sugar content may counteract these benefits by promoting inflammation.

The Takeaway

Honey is not keto-friendly due to its high carb content, but plenty of healthy, low-carb sweetener alternatives exist. Using these can allow you to stick to your diet and reach your health goals.

At the end of the day, honey in moderation or as part of a higher-carb diet can be fine for most people. Just don't overdo it if you want to stay in ketosis.

Always choose raw, organic honey whenever possible to maximize benefits.

Sources

1. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169640/nutrients

2. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/honey#downsides

3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29092886/

4. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/erythritol

5. https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/28/8/1904

6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24880042/

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.