Do you start your morning with a spoonful of honey, believing in its miraculous power?
Be careful: A 2023 study in the journal Diabetes Care found that eating honey daily on an empty stomach increased the risk of insulin resistance by 18%.
Renowned endocrinologist Robert Lustig told The Guardian :
"Honey is just sugar in disguise. Its fructose destroys the liver faster than Coca-Cola." Why is it still advertised as a "natural medicine"?
The story of blogger @WellnessGuru blew up the social network. The man drank a "detox cocktail" of honey, lemon and warm water every morning, but six months later he was hospitalized with a diagnosis of "fatty liver disease".
“I thought I was cleansing my body, but in reality I was poisoning it,” he wrote.
Nutritionist Lily Nichols explained on the Keto Diet Podcast :
"Fructose from honey is metabolized only in the liver, turning into fat. It's a bomb for your waistline."
But how then to explain the longevity of Turkish mountain beekeepers? Scientists from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health studied their diet and found: the secret is in microscopic doses of honey (no more than 1 teaspoon) and its combination with bitter herbs.
Actress Kate Hudson admitted in an interview with Elle that she adds honey to her smoothies, but her nutritionist strictly limits the portions: “Otherwise, her skin will break out in pimples.”
The honey paradox was revealed in a study in the Journal of Nutrition : its antioxidants reduce inflammation, but only if the product is not heated above 40°C.
Chef Jamie Oliver shared a recipe for a 'cold honey sauce' on the show Quick & Easy Food , but fans were outraged: 'It's not tasty!'
Nutritionist Sarah Gottfried warned:
“Most store-bought honey is pasteurized—its benefits are mythical.”
Is it worth the risk? If you, like singer Madonna, believe in Ayurveda, choose raw Manuka honey and eat it with cottage cheese to slow down the absorption of sugar.
But remember the warning of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle: “Even the sun goes out if you abuse it.”
