Raw honey could help reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels, study finds

A new study from researchers at the University of Toronoto has revealed that replacing sugar that you consume with honey is better for your colesterol.

Honey is a natural sweetener, and it’s a rich source of antioxidants and nutrition. As well as soothing a sore throat and cough, honey has has antibacterial and antifungal properties.

On top of that, raw honey could also help with reducing blood sugar, as well as cholesterol levels, according to the recent study.

The study reviewed the analysis of 18 controlled feeding trails, which involved 1,105 healthy participants. It found that raw honey can offer cardiometabolic benefits – meaning it can help with heart diseases and metabolic disorders such as diabetes.

The new study was published in the Nutrition Reviews journal, and according to Medical News Today, co-author of the study Dr Tauseef Ahmad Khan said: “Around 15 per cent of honey is made of dozens of rare sugars, for example isomaltulose, kojibiose, trehalose, melezitose, etc.

“All of which have been shown to have many physiological and metabolic benefits such as improving the glucose response, reducing insulin resistance, and also in promoting the growth of bacteria which is linked to a healthy gut.”

The trials undertaken in the study show that honey lowered fasting blood glucose, total and “bad” cholesterol, as well as being a marker of fatty liver disease.

They also found that honey increased markers of inflammation.

Although sugar is associated with cardiometabolic disease, and honey is 80 per cent sugar, the researchers suggest that honey may be in a category of its own, and worthy of special consideration as a healthy food.

The researchers found that raw honey and monofloral honey provide the most cardiometabolic benefit.