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Is Honey Good For Weight Loss? 5 Easy & Healthy Ways To Use 2024

Cassi Donegan

Updated on - Written by
Medically reviewed by Melissa Mitri, MS, RD

is honey good for weight loss
Honey is a superfood that you can use day or night to assist your losing weight. Photo: Shutterstock & Team Design

Honey is a fat-free superfood that is good for most people and comes with many health benefits when consumed regularly. Its nutritional benefits and positive effects on the human body are exceptional. Many people may also incorporate it into their meal plans when they are trying to drop some pounds. 

Is honey good for weight loss? Can it help reduce sweet cravings? This article will answer these questions and reveal some tips on having more honey intake in your daily diet to optimize your potential to lose weight. 

Is Honey Good For Weight Loss?

If you’ve ever had the chance to taste honey, it’s no secret how sweet it is and that it contains sugar. Although weight loss efforts can go in reverse with sweet foods, honey is a superfood with beneficial vitamins that can positively impact your body weight. 

Honey’s sugar content is mainly glucose and fructose, like in fruit, and is different from the empty calories refined sugar brings. So let’s investigate some of the reasons why honey may support your weight loss efforts. 

Benefits Of Consuming Honey For Weight Loss

A 2022 systematic review of 130 honey[1] articles shows that honey consumption did not cause weight gain. In most animal studies, there were results of anti-obesity effects, like reductions in body weight. 

Studies show[2] that honey acts as a protective mechanism for humans against metabolic syndrome. This is a huge benefit since metabolic syndrome is a bundle of chronic health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Honey helps by enhancing fat metabolism while reducing weight gain and fat storage.

This clinical trial[3] from the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition took a group of diabetic patients and gave half of the patient’s natural honey for eight weeks and no honey to the other half. At the end of the trial, the group who were consuming honey had lost body fat and had an improvement in their cholesterol levels. 

Antioxidants

Honey contains vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants like vitamin C and carotenoids. This newer study[4] shows that those who eat foods rich in antioxidants have a lower chance of obesity.  

Sugar Nutrition

When it comes to sugar content, honey has a low-glycemic index, meaning it is less likely to cause a spike in blood sugar levels than a high-glycemic index food. Honey studies show it reduces[5] blood sugar levels and can reduce weight gain compared to sucrose,[6] the main component in table sugar. Regular sugar raises blood sugar levels and can cause excess weight gain, obesity, and several other health conditions. 

Instead of causing weight gain, honey uses its fructose content to elevate the brain’s sugar levels, ramp up the body’s metabolism, trigger the liver to produce glucose,[7] and release fat-burning hormones. 

Hunger Hormones

Eating honey helps to lower hunger hormones[8] like ghrelin which causes you to crave more food, and by reducing these cravings, you may be less likely to reach for unhealthy foods and excessive snacks that can keep you from losing weight and cause weight gain. 

Nutrition Facts

Many nutrients in honey make it suitable for a weight loss diet plan when consumed in moderation along with a balanced diet, including fruits and vegetables

Since it’s so sweet, a little bit can go a long way, especially for someone on a low-sugar diet. Here are the nutrition facts listed by the (USDA) for one tablespoon of honey. 

NameAmountverify?
Energy63.8 calories
Protein0.063 grams
Total fat0 grams
Carbohydrates17.3 grams
Fiber, total dietary0.042 grams
Total sugars17.2 grams
Calcium, Ca1.26 milligrams
Iron, Fe0.088 milligrams
Magnesium, Mg0.42 milligrams
Potassium, K10.9 milligrams
Sodium, Na0.84 milligrams
Zinc, Zn0.046 milligrams
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid0.105 milligrams
Total folate0.42 micrograms
The nutrition profile of one tablespoon of honey Source: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/

How To Consume Honey For Weight Loss?

How To Consume Honey For Weight Loss
There are some ways to incorporate honey into your day for weight loss. Photo: Shutterstock

If you’re looking to start a long-term commitment to using honey for your weight loss journey, we’re going to share some of the best ways to incorporate honey into your day. Try them and see how you feel physically and where your weight stands after a month or two. 

When you’re preparing your honey with drinks and meals, take care that you don’t overheat it. Boiling water will decrease the honey’s nutrient levels. To get as many health benefits as possible from honey, you’ll want to choose unpasteurized or raw honey instead of pasteurized and processed honey. 

This is because when honey is processed, it is heated, which lowers its nutritional value by losing its vitamins and minerals. You’ll want all the nutrients it offers to help you promote weight loss efforts. 

If you’re wondering how much honey you should eat per day for weight management, portion size matters. Per the American Heart Association, you should consume no more than:

  • Nine teaspoons (36 grams) of added sugar per day for men.
  • Six teaspoons (25 grams) of added sugar daily for women.

Processed honey, like much of the honey sold in stores, adds pure sugar, too. Too much sugar in processed food can cause you to gain weight, inflammation, and lead to chronic diseases. Honey can make a great sugar replacement to improve the taste of your food and can replace sugar in many recipes. 

Let’s take a look at five ways to use honey for weight loss.

Honey And Lemon Water

This method is excellent for those who need to enhance the taste of their water so they are more motivated to stay hydrated, especially since increasing your hydration levels[9] may result in weight loss. With its sweet taste, this water makes a great alternative to high-sugar, high-calorie drinks. 

Drinking a glass of water before meals is another strategy to reduce body weight since it helps you feel fuller and may reduce your eating intake. The amount of water you should be drinking[10] is: 

  • 12.5 cups (100 ounces) per day for men.
  • 9 cups (73 ounces) per day for women.
  • 16 cups (128 ounces) per day if you’re breastfeeding.

Keep in mind these are general water intake recommendations and can vary depending on gender, age, physical activity, and medical status. Always consult with your doctor for individualized guidance.

Squeezing fresh lemon into some water and drinking it on an empty stomach can help set your day up with energizing, healthy hydration. Studies show[11] the polyphenols in lemon may help prevent weight gain and fat accumulation. 

Add honey, and you’ve got an even healthier hydration tool. Lemon juice and honey are a great way to optimize your health and possibly increase weight loss. 

Honey With Cinnamon Powder

Using a mixture of water, cinnamon, and honey for weight loss has been a popular trend for a while, and there seems to be some evidence supporting cinnamon as a food to help burn calories and prevent weight gain. 

A compound in cinnamon called cinnamaldehyde that research shows[12] activates thermogenic and metabolic responses, meaning it increases your body’s core temperature, boosts your metabolism and helps you burn more fat mass. All these mechanisms may lead to a decrease in body weight. 

To consume this powerful duo, add half a teaspoon of cinnamon and one teaspoon of honey into warm water, stir it into your tea or a smoothie, or drizzle it over some fruit.

Honey And Green Tea

Adding 3 to 5 cups of green tea to your diet, especially when you pair it with honey, can increase your health and body’s ability to lose weight. Tread lightly adding honey to all your liquids. Try one-fourth teaspoon to a half-teaspoon of honey per cup to not go overboard on sugar intake. 

Research shows[13] that green tea can help reduce food intake and fat accumulation, increase thermogenesis, and burn fat. Remember to ensure your tea isn’t too hot before adding in your honey. 

Honey And Apple Cider Vinegar

Honey and ACV may be one of the best nutritional mixtures for losing weight and your overall health, diluted in a glass of water due to its potency. The active ingredient in apple cider vinegar or ACV is acetic acid which has been shown in animal studies[14] to have the potential to reduce food intake and body weight. 

Furthermore, there was a study[15] that provided one group of people with 30 milliliters of ACV, another group with 15 milliliters of ACV, and the last group had no ACV. Over 12 weeks, the groups that drank their ACV in 500 milliliters of water daily were, in comparison to the placebo group, found to have significantly lower:

  • Body weight
  • Body mass index
  • Visceral (belly) fat
  • Waist circumference 
  • Levels of fat in the blood 

To get these benefits, you can aim for 15-30 milliliters of ACV or one to two tablespoons per day mixed with a teaspoon of honey.

Honey At Bedtime

Having a spoonful of honey at bedtime in some warm water is also known as the Hibernation Diet. The goal is to increase your weight loss by burning more calories than you already do while you sleep. 

Consuming honey helps reduce hunger by filling your liver’s need for fructose and helping to stabilize blood sugar levels. This allows the liver to increase fat-burning hormones since it’s not so busy trying to stabilize your blood sugar all night. 

The Bottom Line

Honey is a fat-free natural sweetener that you can use day or night to assist you in losing weight. Consuming honey can boost your fat-burning metabolism, reduce food cravings, the risk of metabolic syndrome, and reduce your body fat.

Mixing your honey with green tea or lemon water, cinnamon, or apple cider vinegar can boost your weight loss potential. Remember to consume honey in moderation, so you don’t exceed your daily sugar or calorie intake in order to reap the most potential health benefits. 


+ 15 sources

Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here

  1. Azizah Ugusman, Syed, A., Nurul Hana Azizan, Siva Balan Pillai, Krishnan, K., Norizam Salamt, Amilia Aminuddin, Hamid, A.A., Kumar, J. and Mohd Helmy Mokhtar (2022). Role of Honey in Obesity Management: A Systematic Review. [online] 9. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.924097.
  2. Nur Zuliani Ramli, Chin, K.-Y., Khairul Anwar Zarkasi and Ahmad, F. (2018). A Review on the Protective Effects of Honey against Metabolic Syndrome. [online] 10(8), pp.1009–1009. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10081009.
  3. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. (2023). Effects of natural honey consumption in diabetic patients: an 8-week randomized clinical trial. [online] Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09637480801990389.
  4. Mohammadi, S., Lotfi, K., Saeideh Mirzaei, Asadi, A., Masoumeh Akhlaghi and Parvane Saneei (2022). Dietary total antioxidant capacity in relation to metabolic health status in overweight and obese adolescents. [online] 21(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-022-00806-9.
  5. Cianciosi, D., Forbes-Hernández, T.Y., Sadia Afrin, Gasparrini, M., Reboredo-Rodríguez, P., Piera Pia Manna, Zhang, J., Leire Bravo Lamas, Susana Martínez Flórez, Pablo Agudo Toyos, Quiles, J.L. and Giampieri, F. (2018). Phenolic Compounds in Honey and Their Associated Health Benefits: A Review. [online] 23(9), pp.2322–2322. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23092322.
  6. Nemoseck, T., Carmody, E.G., Furchner-Evanson, A., Gleason, M., Li, A., Potter, H.D., Rezende, L., Lane, K.J. and Kern, M. (2011). Honey promotes lower weight gain, adiposity, and triglycerides than sucrose in rats. [online] 31(1), pp.55–60. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2010.11.002.
  7. Bobis, O., Daniel Severus Dezmirean and Moise, A. (2018). Honey and Diabetes: The Importance of Natural Simple Sugars in Diet for Preventing and Treating Different Type of Diabetes. [online] 2018, pp.1–12. doi:https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/4757893.
  8. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. (2013). Effect of Honey versus Sucrose on Appetite, Appetite-Regulating Hormones, and Postmeal Thermogenesis. [online] Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07315724.2010.10719885.
  9. Thornton, S.N. (2016). Increased Hydration Can Be Associated with Weight Loss. [online] 3. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2016.00018.
  10. Meinders AJ;Meinders AE (2023). [How much water do we really need to drink?]. Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde, [online] 154. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20356431/.
  11. Fukuchi, Y., Masanori Hiramitsu, Okada, M., Hayashi, S., Yuka Nabeno, Osawa, T. and Naito, M. (2008). Lemon Polyphenols Suppress Diet-induced Obesity by Up-Regulation of mRNA Levels of the Enzymes Involved in β-Oxidation in Mouse White Adipose Tissue. [online] 43(3), pp.201–209. doi:https://doi.org/10.3164/jcbn.2008066.
  12. Jiang, J., Emont, M.P., Jun, H.-J., Qiao, X., Liao, J.-F., Dong il Kim and Wu, J. (2017). Cinnamaldehyde induces fat cell-autonomous thermogenesis and metabolic reprogramming. [online] 77, pp.58–64. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2017.08.006.
  13. Huang, J.C., Wang, Y., Xie, Z.M., Zhou, Y., Zhang, Y. and Wan, X. (2014). The anti-obesity effects of green tea in human intervention and basic molecular studies. [online] 68(10), pp.1075–1087. doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2014.143.
  14. Boon Kee Beh, Nurul Elyani Mohamad, Swee Keong Yeap, Ky, H., Sook Yee Boo, Yi, J., Sheau Wei Tan, Wan Yong Ho, Shaiful Adzni Sharifuddin, Long, K. and Noorjahan Banu Alitheen (2017). Anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory effects of synthetic acetic acid vinegar and Nipa vinegar on high-fat-diet-induced obese mice. [online] 7(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-06235-7.
  15. Kondo, T., Kishi, M., Takashi Fushimi, Shinobu Ugajin and Takayuki Kaga (2009). Vinegar Intake Reduces Body Weight, Body Fat Mass, and Serum Triglyceride Levels in Obese Japanese Subjects. [online] 73(8), pp.1837–1843. doi:https://doi.org/10.1271/bbb.90231.
Cassi Donegan

Written by:

Cassi Donegan, LPN

Medically reviewed by:

Melissa Mitri

Cassi Donegan, Licensed Practical Nurse, is a freelance health writer and editor. She has over 17 years of nursing experience in various specialties including Neurology, Orthopedics, Spine, and Pediatrics. Patient care has convinced her to be passionate about educating others on nutrition, natural childbirth, home birthing, and natural remedies for the holistic and alternative healthcare field.

Medically reviewed by:

Melissa Mitri

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