Honey

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By Nikola · Precision Nutrition L1 · Updated 5 November 2026

Honey is the thick, sweet food bees make from flower nectar or from honeydew on plants; acacia, lime blossom (linden), sunflower, wildflower and dark honeydew honey are the types you see most often in Europe. Per 100 g honey gives 304 kcal and 82 g of sugars; one tablespoon (21 g) is about 64 kcal and 17 g of sugars. Vitamins and minerals are present only in traces. Its glycemic index is 61, close to table sugar at 65. In studies of children over one year old, honey eased cough somewhat better than placebo, but the WHO counts it among the “free sugars” worth limiting. And one firm rule: no honey for babies under 1 year, because of the risk of infant botulism.

Honey nutrition per 100 g and per tablespoon

Nutritivo	Per 100 g	Per 1 tablespoon (21 g)
Energía	304 kcal	64 kcal
Agua	17.1 g	3.6 g
Carbohydrate	82.4 g	17.3 g
of which sugars	82.1 g	17.2 g
Fibre	0.2 g	under 0.1 g
Proteína	0.3 g	0.1 g
Fat	0 g	0 g
Potasio	52 mg	11 mg
Calcio	6 mg	1 mg
Hierro	0.42 mg	0.09 mg
Vitamina C	0.5 mg	0.1 mg

Source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: “Honey” (FDC ID 169640), checked 4 November 2026. The tablespoon weight (21 g) comes from the USDA record; the tablespoon column is calculated from the 100 g values. The record is general and does not separate honey types. Values rounded.

The table tells the main story: honey is about 82% sugars and 17% water, and everything else is in traces. The potassium and iron in a spoonful are negligible next to a portion of beans, vegetables or nuts. Honey is a sweetener with a pleasant taste and aroma, not a source of vitamins.

Glycemic index of honey

In the international glycemic index tables honey is 61 ± 3 and sucrose (table sugar) is 65 ± 4, with glucose = 100. The difference is small. For blood sugar, how much honey you use matters more than whether it is honey or sugar: one tablespoon carries about 17 g of sugars. More in What is the glycemic index? (with food table).

Health benefits: what the evidence says

• Cough in children over 1 year. A Cochrane systematic review (Oduwole et al., 2018) covering children aged 12 months to 18 years with acute cough found that honey probably relieves cough more than no treatment and more than placebo (moderate-certainty evidence), and may relieve it more than the antihistamine diphenhydramine (low certainty). Compared with dextromethorphan, a common ingredient in cough syrups, there is probably no difference. Most children in the studies took honey for a single night, and the effect against placebo was followed for up to three days.
• Flavour with less. Honey has more aroma than sugar, so one teaspoon in yogurt, tea or porridge is often enough. That is a practical way to cut the total amount of sweetener.
• What is not proven. Claims that honey “boosts immunity”, “detoxes” or cures are not backed by solid evidence in the sources we use, so we do not repeat them. As a food, honey’s benefits come down to taste and energy.

Honey and the sugar guidelines

The World Health Organization counts as “free sugars” not only added sugar but also the sugars naturally present in honey, syrups and fruit juices. The WHO’s strong recommendation is to keep free sugars under 10% of daily energy, and going under 5%, about 25 g (6 teaspoons) a day, brings extra benefits, mainly fewer dental caries. One tablespoon of honey already gives about 17 g of sugars, more than two thirds of those 25 g. In other words, honey is a nicer sugar, not a safer one.

How to choose and use honey

• Type: acacia honey is pale and slow to crystallise, lime blossom honey is aromatic, sunflower honey crystallises quickly and honeydew honey is dark with a stronger taste. Crystallisation is natural; to make honey runny again, warm the jar gently in a pan of warm water.
• Yogurt bowl: Greek yogurt, a teaspoon of honey and a handful of walnuts.
• Porridge: a teaspoon of honey in oat o millet porridge with cinnamon.
• Tea: lime blossom or jengibre tea with a teaspoon of honey and a slice of lemon. Let the tea cool a little before adding honey so you can taste its aroma.
• Dressing: honey, mustard, extra virgin olive oil y lemon juice for a green salad.
• Storage: in a closed jar at room temperature, somewhere dry and away from direct sunlight.

Who should be careful

• Babies under 1 year – no honey at all. The CDC is explicit: do not give honey to a child under 1 year. Honey can contain spores of the bacterium that causes botulism; in babies they can grow in the gut and release the toxin. This also applies to dummies dipped in honey and to foods made with honey.
• Diabetes. Honey raises blood sugar almost as much as sugar does. If you have diabetes, count it as sugar and include it in your carbohydrate plan.
• Teeth and weight. Like any free sugar, honey contributes to dental caries and extra calories when eaten often and in large amounts.
• Allergies. If you are allergic to bee products or react after eating honey, avoid it and see a doctor.

Traditional view (Ayurveda)

In Usha and Vasant Lad’s food guidelines honey is favourable for Vata and Kapha (for Kapha, raw and unprocessed honey) and acceptable for Pitta only occasionally. This is a traditional view, not a clinical finding.

Related entries and articles

• Greek yogurt – with honey and walnuts
• Walnuts
• Cinnamon y jengibre
• Millet – for a sweet porridge
• Ginger tea: benefits and how to make it
• What is the glycemic index? (with food table)

FAQ

Is honey healthier than sugar?

Not by much. Honey has a slightly lower glycemic index (61 versus 65) and more aroma, but it is about 82% sugars and its vitamins and minerals are in traces. The WHO counts it among free sugars, just like added sugar.

At what age can a child have honey?

After their first birthday. The CDC advises against honey for children under 1 year, because it can contain spores of the bacterium that causes infant botulism.

Does honey help with a cough?

In children over 1 year, a Cochrane systematic review found that honey probably relieves cough more than no treatment and more than placebo, but probably no more than dextromethorphan. If a cough persists or comes with a high fever or difficulty breathing, see a doctor.

How many calories are in a tablespoon of honey?

About 64 kcal in one tablespoon (21 g), almost all of it from 17 g of sugars (USDA FDC 169640). A teaspoon is roughly a third of that.

Sources

1. USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Honey (FDC ID 169640). fdc.nal.usda.gov
2. Atkinson FS, Foster-Powell K, Brand-Miller JC. International Tables of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Values: 2008. Diabetes Care 2008;31(12):2281-2283. PMC
3. Oduwole O, Udoh EE, Oyo-Ita A, Meremikwu MM. Honey for acute cough in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2018, Issue 4: CD007094. cochrane.org
4. World Health Organization. WHO calls on countries to reduce sugars intake among adults and children (Guideline: Sugars intake for adults and children), 2015. who.int
5. CDC: Preventing botulism. cdc.gov
6. Lad U, Lad V. Food Guidelines for Basic Constitutional Types, from Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing, 2nd ed. The Ayurvedic Institute. ayurveda.com

This page is for information only and is not medical or dietary advice.