Is Honey Good for Weight Loss?

Drizzled over fruit and yogurt, blended into smoothies, or baked into breakfast muffins, honey makes a lot of things in life sweeter. But is honey good for weight loss?

While there’s some research showing that honey has weight loss effects, these studies are mainly done on animals. So, while promising, more research on humans is needed to definitively answer that question.  

Saying that, you might find honey helps you lose weight as it helps you eat more nutritious foods and cut down on refined sugar. 

Below, we dive into whether honey can help with weight loss, the other health benefits it can offer, and the drawbacks to consider.

Honey might be good for weight loss, depending on how much of it you eat.

Honey is a natural sweetener. So, if you swap refined sugar for honey, you might find yourself eating more nutritious foods that still hit your cravings and consuming fewer calories, which can lead to weight loss.

For example, you might swap sugary cereal for oatmeal and honey, or a chocolate dessert for fruit and honey.

However, honey is still high in calories and sugar, so consuming too much of it may backfire and cause weight gain. 

The Research on Honey for Weight Loss 

As far as the science goes, more research is needed to know whether honey itself has any weight loss effects. Here’s what we know so far.

A 2022 systematic review looked at nine studies and trials on honey and weight loss, including those done on both animals and humans. 

In animals, honey consumption led to a reduction in:

• Body weight

• Body mass index (BMI) 

• Fat mass 

Sounds great, right? But the results weren’t quite so promising in humans. The human studies didn’t find any significant weight-reducing effect from honey.

However, these studies weren’t super reliable. Factors like diet and exercise weren’t controlled, and the studies had small sample sizes and were short in duration. So, while honey shows some promise for weight loss, more research is needed to find out if it can help with weight loss in us humans. 

Beyond this, a 2023 review had similar findings. Some studies showed minor weight loss benefits and others showed no changes in weight. 

And finally, a 2018 review shared two human studies (and plenty of animal studies) showing that honey can lead to weight loss. But weight loss was minor in one of the human studies, and the other study was on people with type 2 diabetes, so it’s unclear how useful it could be for people without the condition.

How Does Honey Help with Weight Loss? 

If honey does help with weight loss, it might work in a few different ways: 

• Promoting fat breakdown. Honey contains compounds like flavonoids and phenolic acids, which are thought to enhance lipolysis (the breakdown of fat for fuel) and prevent lipogenesis (fat production). 

• Helping you feel fuller. Honey contains fructose, which delays gastric emptying (the speed at which food leaves your stomach). This helps you feel fuller, which can help prevent overeating. Additionally, fructose has a lower glycemic index than sucrose or table sugar, meaning it has a lower impact on blood sugar.

• Helping you reduce your calorie intake. As we mentioned above, if you’re adding honey to foods and drinks instead of table sugar, or if you’re eating nutritious foods with honey instead of processed foods, you might reduce your overall calorie intake, promoting weight loss.  

Honey has plenty of health benefits beyond potential weight loss. Here’s what it could do for you:

• Lower cholesterol. Is honey bad for cholesterol? It might not be! In fact, honey may lower total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, known as “bad cholesterol.” And it may increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL), known as “good cholesterol.” Results vary, but those with excess weight, obesity, type 2 diabetes, or dyslipidemia might see some improvements.

• Lower blood pressure. Honey might have anti-hypertensive effects, meaning it may lower high blood pressure. This reduction tends to happen soon after consuming it, so it’s unclear how long the effects of honey last on blood pressure.

• Improve blood glucose (sugar) levels. Honey may help reduce fasting blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. It should still be consumed in moderation though as honey is high in sugar.

Honey may also have these properties:

• Anti-inflammatory

• Antioxidative

• Antibacterial 

• Antifungal

• Antiviral

• Antitumor 

• Antimicrobial 

All this is to say that honey can be a great part of a balanced diet. You just don’t want to go too crazy with it. 

Honey has some potential health benefits, but you still need to keep an eye on how much you’re consuming. Here are a few drawbacks of honey, especially if you’re looking to lose weight: 

• It’s high in sugar. One tablespoon of honey contains 17.2 grams of sugar, and it’s easy to drizzle a lot of honey onto your Greek yogurt without really noticing. 

• It’s high in calories. That tablespoon of honey also contains about 64 calories. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s easy for those calories to add up across the day and promote weight gain (or at least sabotage your weight loss efforts). 

• Processed honey might not have all the health benefits. Processed honey is heated, which can cause a loss of vitamins and minerals. Go for raw honey if you can to maximize the health benefits.   

Got honey Qs? We got As.

Is Too Much Honey Bad for You? 

It can be. As honey is high in sugar and calories, eating too much of it can lead to weight gain. 

So, what happens if you eat too much honey? While honey might not be the only cause, eating too much sugar and too many calories can lead to weight gain and obesity, which is a risk factor for several health issues, including: 

• High blood pressure 

• Heart disease

• Diabetes

• Sleep apnea 

• Osteoarthritis 

• Some types of cancer 

How Much Honey Is Too Much?

There are no official guidelines for how much honey you should eat. In general though, you’ll want to eat honey in moderation because of its high sugar content. Guidelines state that added sugars should make up 10 percent or less of your daily calorie intake. 

If you’re trying to lose weight or have a health issue like type 2 diabetes, consider speaking with a healthcare provider, nutritionist, or registered dietitian to get personalized advice on nutrition choices, including how much honey a day is good for you. 

Is Honey High in Calories? 

It is. According to the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture), one tablespoon of honey contains 63.8 calories. 

How Much Sugar Is In Honey? 

One tablespoon of honey contains 17.2 grams of sugar.

Is There Protein in Honey? 

Honey has some nutritional value, but not where protein is concerned. One tablespoon of honey contains 0.063 grams of protein, meaning the protein content of honey is negligible and it’s definitely not a good source. Turn to foods like chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, legumes, and tofu to get your protein. 

Is Honey Bad for Weight Loss? 

Not necessarily. You can eat honey and lose weight, and honey might even help you eat more nutritious foods and cut down on refined sugar. You just want to make sure you’re eating it in moderation to avoid consuming too much sugar and too many calories for weight loss.

If you’re on a weight loss journey, honey may play a role in helping you achieve your goals. But it can also sabotage your weight loss or weight management if you’re not careful. 

Here are the key points again to keep in mind: 

• Honey might help you lose weight. Animal studies show that honey has some weight loss effects, but more research is needed in humans. You might find honey helps you enjoy nutritious food more or cut down on refined sugar and processed snacks and foods.

• Honey is high in sugar. As the taste suggests, honey is high in sugar. It’s also high in calories. Be sure to use honey in moderation, especially if you’re looking to lose weight.

• Go for raw honey to maximize the health benefits. Honey has anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and antibacterial properties, among others. Look for raw types of honey to get the most out of it.

To sum it all up, if you’re looking to lose weight, honey might have a place in your dietary toolkit — you just need to keep an eye on how much of it you’re eating. If you’re looking to add honey to your rotation, try this superfood smoothie with raw honey for sweetness. 

And be sure to enjoy honey as one part of a holistic weight loss plan that includes eating whole foods, drinking water, doing more movement, and getting enough sleep. 

Weight loss medications may also be useful for some. If it’s something you’re considering, you can take our free online weight loss assessment to discover which treatments could work for you.