Honey may lower your blood sugars and cholesterol
Nutrition Reviewsrecently published a systematic review and meta-analysis that evaluated the effects of honey, especially raw and clover honey, on risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
The authors found that honey consumption was linked to lower fasting blood sugar levels, as well as lower levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides. This may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
- A new study found that honey consumption was linked to lower fasting blood sugar levels.
- They also found that eating honey was also linked to lower levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides.
- Clover honey and unprocessed raw honey appeared to be particularly beneficial for improving blood sugar control and lipid levels.
The authors of the new review used the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system to evaluate and synthesize past studies on honey.
"Over 100 organizations worldwide officially endorse the GRADE system," Stephanie Schiff, RDN, CDN, CDCES, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist at Huntington Hospital in Huntington, New York, told Healthline. "This seems to be a robust, comprehensive meta-analysis with a large sample size."
The review included 18 controlled trials, with a total of 1105 participants. Different trials compared increased honey consumption to participants' usual diets, sucrose consumption, or high-fructose corn syrup consumption.
The authors found low-certainty evidence linking honey consumption to improved blood sugar control and reduced levels of "bad" low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides. They found high-certainty evidence linking honey to increased levels of "good" high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/raw-honey-study-finds-this-sweetener-may-help-lower-blood-sugar-and-cholesterol-levels
