Sweeteners/Natural caloric

Honey

Also known as: Raw honey, Manuka, Clover honey

ModerateNatural caloric

A complex mix of fructose, glucose, enzymes and trace antioxidants.

58
SweetSpot score
Sweetness vs sugar
1.1×
Glycemic index
58
moderate
Calories
3.04 kcal/g
Verdict
Moderate

At a glance

6 of 10 metrics graded

How Honey compares to table sugar on the three numbers most people actually want.

Sweetness vs sugar
1.1×
vs sugar 1×
Sweeter than sugar
Glycemic index
58
vs sugar 65
Lower than sucrose
Calories per gram
3.04 kcal
vs sugar 4 kcal
24% less than sugar
SweetSpot score
58/100
AvoidPoorModerateGoodExcellent

Ten-metric breakdown

See methodology →
  • Taste quality
    Weight 20%
    85
  • Glycemic impact
    Weight 18%
    35
  • Naturalness
    Weight 10%
    90
  • Tooth friendliness
    Weight 8%
    15
  • Overall safety
    Weight 14%
    Pending
  • Digestive comfort
    Weight 8%
    80
  • Gut microbiome
    Weight 8%
    Pending
  • Aftertaste
    Weight 6%
    Pending
  • Sustainability
    Weight 4%
    Pending
  • Allergen safety
    Weight 4%
    90

Source: public.sweeteners snapshot, refreshed 2026-04-27. "Pending" cells are catalogued but not yet graded by SweetSpot research.

What it actually is

Honey is roughly 38% fructose, 31% glucose, 17% water and a long tail of oligosaccharides, enzymes (glucose oxidase, diastase), polyphenols and trace minerals. The exact profile depends on the floral source.

Raw, unpasteurised honey carries antibacterial activity from hydrogen peroxide produced by glucose oxidase, plus methylglyoxal in Manuka varieties. Some clinical evidence supports topical wound use and short-term cough suppression in children over 1.

Metabolically, honey is still a free sugar. The slightly lower GI than sucrose is offset by higher fructose, which is processed almost exclusively by the liver. Treat it as a sugar with bonus antioxidants — not a health food.

What it does well
  • Slightly lower GI than table sugar
  • Trace polyphenols and antibacterial activity (raw varieties)
  • Clinical evidence for cough suppression in children >1
Where it falls short
  • Higher fructose load on the liver than sucrose
  • Botulism risk for infants under 12 months
  • Most supermarket honey is pasteurised — antibacterial activity destroyed

Regulatory status

FDA (United States)
GRAS
EFSA (Europe)
Authorised food
Acceptable daily intake
Treat as added sugar — within WHO free-sugar limits

In practice

Best for
  • Tea, marinades, drizzling
  • Topical wound care (medical-grade)
Avoid if
  • Infant under 12 months
  • Diabetic
  • Strict keto
Where you'll find it

Granola, yogurt, salad dressings, cough lozenges

The evidence

Selected peer-reviewed sources behind the score. Open access where possible. Read our scoring methodology for how we weight evidence tiers.

Recommended swaps

Higher-scoring alternatives that perform similarly in use.

Allulose
88

A rare sugar that tastes 70% as sweet as sucrose with ~10% the calories and a negligible — sometimes mildly suppressive — insulin response.

Monk Fruit
86

Mogrosides from Siraitia grosvenorii. 150–250× sweeter, no glycemic effect, cleaner aftertaste than stevia.