The table sugar you use to sweeten cereals and beverages adds only empty calories to your meal. Honey is simply another type of added sugar -- low on nutrition and even higher in calories than regular sugar. Honey isn't a diet food; however, if you plan out your discretionary "sugar calories," you may be able to fit it into a reduced calorie diet.
Types of Sugar
Sugar is naturally found in many healthy foods, such as low-fat dairy products, fruit, vegetables and whole grains. According to the Cleveland Clinic, these foods are also good sources of dietary fiber. The type of sugar you want to limit is added sugar. Added sugar includes the honey, table sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup and molasses you put on your food or use in cooking. These added sugars can show up on the ingredients list of the food you buy, along with cane sugar, brown rice syrup, high fructose corn syrup, malt and anything that ends in "-ose," such as sucrose and fructose. Added sugars give you no health or nutrition benefits -- just extra calories.
Honey Nutrition Facts
Honey isn't just sweeter than table sugar, it's higher in calories per serving. One tablespoon of honey gives you 60 calories, all from simple carbohydrates, and no essential vitamins and minerals. The same amount of table sugar has 50 calories. Now, compare these calories to those you'd get from healthier foods. An orange gives you 60 calories, 10 percent of your daily value, or DV, for dietary fiber and more than 100 percent of your DV for vitamin C based on a 2,000-calorie diet. A cup of strawberries has only 10 more calories than honey, gives you 30 percent of your DV for dietary fiber and more than 200 percent of your DV for vitamin C. A slice of whole wheat bread gives you 70 calories and 4 percent of your DV for fiber and protein.
Discretionary Calories
If honey isn't a diet food, you may wonder where to put these sugar calories. Any calories you get from added sugars, as well as other non-essentials such as solid fats and alcoholic beverages, are categorized as "discretionary calories" -- the calories you have left over after you eat a healthy diet. You have far fewer calories to spend on honey and other added sugars than you think. According to the American Heart Association, women should get no more than 100 calories per day from added sugar. Men should cap added sugar calories at 150.
A Healthier Diet
One way to cut back on the calories you get from added sugar is to take honey, table sugar and other syrups off your breakfast table so you won't be tempted to use them. According to MayoClinic.org, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans focus on limiting foods that contribute to weight gain and obesity, namely honey and other added sugars and saturated fat. The guidelines promote eating more low-calorie, nutrient-rich vegetables, fruits and whole grain foods.
References
- Cleveland Clinic: Eating Too Much Sugar? Time to Tame Your Sweet Tooth
- American Heart Association; Sugar and Carbohydrates; June 2011
- NutrientFacts.com: Honey, Granulated Sugar, Orange, Strawberries, Wheat Bread
- MayoClinic.org; New Dietary Guidelines Hone in on Obesity; December 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Diabetes Foods: Is Honey a Good Substitute for Sugar?; M. Collazo-Clavell, M.D.; November 2010
- USDA.gov: What are Discretionary Calories?; February 2010
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