Is Honey Healthy? Should You Be Consuming It?

Honey is a sweetener that has been used for thousands of years. It has some health benefits as well as some negatives. In the end, I will answer whether honey is something you should have in your diet or not.

Negatives of Honey:
1. Most honey produced today is void of vital nutrients.
-A study performed at Texas A&M University found that 77% of the brands of honey contain no pollen.
-The honey is heated and ultra-filtered, removing the protein, antioxidants, and vital nutrients that are found in real, raw honey.
2. Honey does contain sugar, in the form of fructose.

Benefits of Honey:
1. Raw, local honey is packed with health-boosting pollen.
2. Pollen, found in raw honey, can help boost the immune system.
3. Pollen, found in raw honey, can also fight allergies.
4. Raw, local honey can help heal wounds.
5. Raw, local honey can fight off bad bacteria.

Conclusion:
-Honey does not get “chopped” on the chopping block.
-Raw, local honey is an excellent, all-natural sweetener to be used in moderation.

*This content is strictly the opinion of Dr. Josh Axe, and is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of medical advice or treatment from a personal physician. All viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Axe nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.

[patrickp]

Why do corporations always process our natural food and degrade/diminish the beneficial nutrients? Like raw honey, raw milk is way better than processed milk (those homogenized kinds). Another example is soy. Raw soy (what Japanese eat) is very beneficial while processed soy (what is marketed in the West) is bad for your health.  We should pass the law to stop corporation to mess with our food.

[AllDawg]

Some of the comments on here are about bee vomit and such are from individuals that know little about the subject.  My grandfather was a large beekeeper in South Georgia selling raw honey only filtered through cheese cloth.  What Sue Bee did with it at that point was their business.  I ate more honey as a small boy than most people will have in their lifetime.  I used too chew up the honey comb like gum and spit out the wax directly from the hive.  I have had no health issues and quite frankly have never suffered from allergies.  Honey as the video points out has more positives than negatives and as long as consumed in moderation is good for you.

[Am_Ende]

Awesome how Dr. Axe still replies to comments years later!

[jaym]

We are designed to eat a wide variety of things, fruit certainly being one of them.

[rentech]

thanks for the details. I just poured a jar of chinese honey on a fresh opened wound on my foot. I also snorted a line of pollen for the health benefits.

[Aracne]

I know that many rather buy cheap products because of low income, but trust me, honey is not a product to save money on. You really get what you pay for and its the difference between tasting the best of nature or eating sewer products, comparing real honey to the cheaper stuff that is out there. I am a hunter of low prices in the market, but I am always ready to pay the double just to get that real, natural honey - specially if it comes in glass jars.

[shahrzades]

That's great to hear!!  
I use honey for cooking, baking, in tea and in my homemade skincare products.  It's a humectant which retains moisture in your skin.  

[TheGooser]

Just had some locally bottled 100% honey on 2 pieces of toast just a minute ago. And it was delicious. :3 I love honey. SO. MUCH.

[AetiusPraetorian]

I use honey for my coffee and other things. Also Honey wine or Mead is delicious as well and from what I have read also healthy (in moderation). One of the oldest alcohol beverages in the world! I usually only buy my honey from local farms.

[zezo]

I wonder why they heat it. I know for fact not for persevering it, because I have many hives of bees in the mountain and as if today I'm consuming 2 years old honey that was stored in jars and bottles. for two years and the smell and taste never change. so why they ultra-heat it and take away the nutrients out of it >> IDK >> may be they don't want the people to stay healthy.

[rppdx]

There is some contradictory evidence now stating that honey does help you lose weight as well...

[jeannecappella]

Honest question: How can honey help with allergies if bees use flower pollen, when the pollen most people are more allergic to are tree, grass and weed pollens?

[jabulanimbele]

Thank you Dr Axe for your valuable information.

[shanaiarankins]

Dr Josh Axe tell us a little about the health factors of using sugar factors of using sugar cane surgery cane

[いちごくん-ld]

yeah really honey is a great substitute to any sweetener. but honestly stay from anything that isnt real honey. There is so much synthetic crap out there its disgusting. Honey that contains almost 0% of the real thing!!? thats crazy. sadly a lot of people, the less educated ones in particular, have no idea that they are being cheated. also, as a general rule, if it is packed in a flashy plastic jar and relatively cheap, it probably isnt the real thing. Real honey is often sold at local markets in plain glass jars and doesnt look all that great, but its whats inside that counts!

[ilonkadaz-alwaysandforever]

After discovering just how toxic white sugar is for you, I switched to using honey to put in my coffee. I've been buying it in a local supermarket. (I live in London, England).
So, Dr, are you saying that anything but raw honey is bad for you? I've also been doing a little research into alternative sweetners. One of them is STEVIA, It's a plant-based sweetner. It's not that widely available. The supermarkets don't sell it (and let's face it; anything that's really healthy for you, they won't be selling it!). And the health food shops are stupidly expensive!
I've tried taking my coffee without sugar, but I can't bear it!
What can we do?

[bozaimarcanthony]

I've read that sugar destroys gut flora. Considering this, is my habit of eating a teaspoon of honey every day before going to bed unhealthy?

[tlcseal]

I'd recommend eating the comb with it

[waheedbalushi]

Dr. Frankenstein tell us & compare companies artificial honey & pure honey witch is good for diet

[poundpound]

Does it have to be raw, pure, organic etc...? Cause I can't find those types, I only see glover and the bear bottle. 😭