Diabetes Food: Honey, Substitute For Sugar?
Honey, a sweet liquid made by bees using nectar from flowers. People throughout the world have hailed the health benefits of honey for thousands of years. It is available raw and in a variety of color grades. It contains about 80% trusted source sugar on an average. People remove honey from the hive and bottle it directly, so it may also contain trace amounts of yeast, wax, and pollen.
While honey may have some health benefits, it’s still a source of simple sugar and carbohydrates. And if you have diabetes, you need to count your carbohydrates throughout the day, especially if you’re using medication like insulin.
As per some studies, raw honey may help with seasonal allergies, it can even heal wounds. Honey has many uses, and highs in its nutritional properties as well. But with so many benefits, there are also some risk factors to be considered.
Modern science is finding evidence to support many of the historical uses of honey.
Healing wounds and burns
According to a study, defensin -1 protein in honey promotes wound healing and also may help in healing wounds. An earlier study trusted source had found that applying medical grade honey to the site of infections had no advantage over the administration of antibiotics — and applying honey actually increased the risk of infection in people with diabetes.
Preventing acid reflux Honey might help ward off acid reflux. A 2017 review Trusted Source of honey’s health effects proposed that honey may help line the esophagus and stomach, possibly reducing the upward flow of stomach acid and undigested food. This suggestion, however, was not supported by clinical research. The upward flow of stomach acid can lead to gastroesophageal reflux disease, which can involve inflammation, acid reflux, and heartburn.
Fighting infections
Honey has anti-bacterial properties as well as it contains properties such as hydrogen peroxide and defensing- 1 proteins.
Can You Eat Honey if You Have Diabetes?
Experts used to recommend that people with diabetes avoid all foods with added sugar. Now some say it’s OK to eat them in small amounts as part of a healthy diet. But if you take insulin, it’s very important to count the number of carbohydrates (including honey) that you take each day. That helps you determine the correct dose of insulin you should take.
Staying on top of the number of carbohydrates and fiber you eat can also help you keep your blood sugar from going too high. Even if you take insulin, high blood sugar can lead to health problems over time. That’s why it’s a good idea to limit honey. Talk to your diabetes educator, doctor, or a dietitian who specializes in diabetes to figure out how much is safe for you.
