Honey the Ultimate Sweetener

What do you take in your coffee? Milk, cream, sugar? Have you ever considered adding honey?

Not only does this natural sweetener have a rich history but it also is packed with rich taste and has stood the test of time. From ancient rock art in Spain, to finding countless references in the Bible. Known for its being a source of food, medicine and more by cultures all over the world. It was even considered by John the baptist to pair nicely with locusts.

Are you willing to risk your coffee on it?

Well let’s consider some of the benefits of using honey to sweeten your coffee or tea, and then you can make that decision yourself if this will be your sweetener of choice.

Benefits of Honey

Better Calories

 Yes when compared to sugar, honey does have more calories. For example a tea spoon of this golden deliciousness contains roughly 21 calories appose to a tea spoon of white sugar has 16. However its not quite as simple as just looking at the calorie comparison.

• It is made up primarily of fructose and glucose. Glucose and fructose are basic sugars that are used readily in the human body and thus can be burned easier than many other complex sugars.
• Besides the calories, it also is much sweeter than sugar, meaning that you use less to get the desired taste.
• Since the sugars in honey are processed faster, they are less likely to turn into fat.

Put simply although honey does contain more calories, it is a the preferable sugar if your body was speaking. It is easily assimilated and quickly converted into energy.

Antibacterial Properties

Honey has the power to kill bacteria. Bees will deposit hydrogen peroxide into the honey as they synthesize the flower pollen. With natural acidic elements already in honey, this creates a super saturated power food. It’s no wonder why it was used to speed up the healing process of wounds and treat stomach aches. Even today modern science credits honey to effectively treating ulcers, bed sores, burns and inflammations. Especially known for its healing power is “Manuka” and “Tualang” honey, which originates in New Zealand and Malaysia.

Soothing Effects

 Are you suffering from a cold or a sore throat? Adding honey to your hot beverage or simply eating a table spoonful soothes coughs and can even improve sleep while sick. Don’t tell Benadryl and NyQuil but it is said to do a better job at suppressing your cough or respiratory infections.

Boosts Performance

 Honey is a natural source of carbohydrates, which make it ideal for working muscles. Since carbohydrates are the primary fuel that our bodies use, it can actually help to store carbohydrates which can give you the boost you need when your muscles need it most. 3 studies were completed by the University of Memphis and it was found that honey worked as good if not better than glucose or sugar added to water in boosting the endurance of athletes.  So the next time you hit the gym add a teaspoon to your pre workout, and lest we forget the afternoon drawl at the computer screen, see what this ultimate sweetener can do to boost that muscle in your head.

Taste

 Besides just health benefits all you coffee drinkers reading this will agree its not all about the health benefits. The taste of coffee matters! Now this can be debatable. Not everyone considers honey to pair well with their coffee, so I leave that up to you to decide. However before giving up on it after the first try, consider where it comes from. The location of origin makes a huge impact on the taste in coffee, since bees will pollinate different types flowers or fruits. In fact try a few different honeys in a few different coffees.

Conclusion:

So are you buzzing to give it a try?

Like any good food, moderation is the key. One ancient proverb says this way “the eating of too much honey is not good.” Like other superfoods, too much of a good thing could be harmful to you. So be moderate in your use.

At Planet Coffee we offer Bee Maid Honey to our customers. They are one of Canada’s largest honey businesses that source product from 300 Western Canadian Bee keepers. You can feel good about supporting local because Bee Maid sources its honey from BC to Manitoba. You heard it, all Bee Maid honey is produced and packaged in Canada. Thats what we are about at Planet coffee, supporting local.

Honey stands the test of time, but will it stand up to the test in your coffee. Let us know on Twitter what your favourite coffee sweetener is. We’re always excited to hear how our customers are enjoying the coffees we roast.