Sugar or Honey?

Granulated Sugar, which is the most common type of sugar, used for sweetening our cups of tea and coffee, consists of a mixture, 50 percent glucose and 50 percent fructose, (the sugar naturally found in fruit). The sugar content of a 100g of sugar is 99.8g, and has a calorific value of 387kcal. Honey also consists mainly of sugar, (82.12g in a 100g), but has a lower calorific value of 304kcal per 100g.This is not the only difference, honey is only about 30 percent glucose, and less than 40 percent fructose. In addition, honey contains about twenty other sugars and dextrin, a starch fibre. Honey also may contain small quantities of minerals e.g. selenium and zinc, trace elements and some vitamins. This obviously varies depending on the region from which the honey was sourced, what plants the bees gathered nectar from etc.

One of the roles of our digestive system is to convert carbohydrate to glucose, for use as energy. The components of sugar are broken down very easily, providing a surge in blood glucose levels. Any excess glucose, not immediately required, is converted in fat, and stored in the body. Many of the sugars, contained in honey, are more complex, hence the amount of energy required to break them down into glucose is greater. This means that you end up accumulating fewer calories still, than the equivalent weight in sugar.

The extended nutritional value of honey over sugar is totally dependent on its source. It can range from being just a sugar substitute, (albeit with a slightly lower calorific value), to being quite nutritious.
Honey does not naturally deteriorate in quality, so has no requirement for any added preservative or any other food additives. Honey has also been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, and also assists in the process of skin healing .

Obviously being so sweet, honey has a relatively high calorific value, and consuming large quantities, would contribute to general weight gain. On balance, particularly if a good quality honey is purchased from a reliable, organic source, honey can be considered the more natural and potentially, a more healthy method of sweetening.