Is Honey Keto Friendly, Is it Friendly to Eat

The ketogenic diet which emphasizes low-carb, moderate-protein and high-fat eating, has swept the health community off its feet. Your body needs to enter a state known as ketosis in order to start using fat for energy rather than carbs. This necessitates rigorous carbohydrate consumption management usually capped at 20–50 grams daily. This stringent carb limit makes a lot of meals problematic, especially sweets like honey. So, the question is, is honey OK for keto?

Not all honeys are low in carbohydrates. Honey will force you out of ketosis since it is basically just sugar and does elevate blood sugar levels. For anyone following a ketogenic diet this should be avoided as even one tiny tablespoon contains 17 grams of carbs.

In-depth discussion of what makes this a popular natural sweetener a dubious option for keto dieters will be provided in this article. We will discuss its nutritional composition possible advantages and substitutes that may satiate your sweet tooth without causing you to enter ketosis.

Know the Carbohydrate Limits on the Keto Diet

The main goal of the ketogenic diet is to drastically cut carbs while raising good fats. Reducing carbohydrates causes the body to begin breaking down fats into molecules known as ketones, which are subsequently the body’s main source of energy. It is essential to keep carbohydrate intake modest for this to occur. Any increase in the amount of carbohydrates you eat can force your body to return to using glucose instead of ketones, which will force you out of ketosis.

What is Honey?

Bees naturally generate honey a delicious substance, from the nectar of flowers. The nectar is collected by bees who then use enzymes to change it before storing it in honeycombs. This is prized for its rich flavor sweet taste and many health advantages such as its calming antibacterial and antioxidant qualities. In addition to being a common sweetener in food and drink and it is also used in traditional medicine to treat minor wounds. This is a high carb food since it is mostly made of sugars such as fructose and glucose.

Honey Nutritional Profile

Refined sugar is frequently replaced with honey as a healthier option. Rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants it is a favorite among many health conscious people. Its carbohydrate level however it is what makes it troublesome for keto.

The nutritional composition of honey is broken down as follows (per tablespoon or about 21 grams):

1. 64 Calories
2. 17 grams of carbohydrates
3. Sugar content: 17 grams
4. Nutrients: 0 grams
5. Protein: nil grams
As you can see, this is mostly made up of sugar and has a substantial carbohydrate content. On a strict ketogenic diet, one tablespoon can offer about 17 grams of carbohydrates and which can be almost the whole daily allotment.

Why Honey Is not Considered Keto Friendly?

1. High Carbohydrate level
   What makes this not keto-friendly is simply the fact of its high carbohydrate level.One can observe from the nutritional breakdown that one tablespoon of this contains about 17 grams of carbohydrates on a strict ketogenic diet. Considering this fact, it could be challenging to keep up with ketosis by consuming honey even in small portions.
2. Sugar spikes:– Glucose and fructose make up the majority of the sugars in honey. It can raise blood sugar levels after consumption, which will trigger the release of insulin. Keto dieters aim to prevent this exact situation because sudden increases in sugar might throw off their ketosis.
3. Portion Control Difficulty:-Due to its very sweet flavor, this is frequently consumed in bigger quantities. Because of this, it is simple to overindulge without noticing how much carbohydrates you are ingesting.

For Whom Is Honey Not Suitable?

While small amounts of this can be effective it might not be the ideal choice if you are following a Keto diet.

However, certain folks ought to stay away from honey.

As honey is produced by bees it is not vegan. A better option for sweetening is an alternative like maple syrup if you follow a vegan diet.

Similarly, this is something you should avoid if you’re trying to cut out all added sugars. Despite coming from a natural source it is nevertheless regarded as added sugar since, unlike foods like fruit which are naturally sweet and it needs to be added to other foods in order to make them sweeter.

Keto Friendly Substitutes for Sweeteners

There are many alternative sweeteners that will satisfy your sweet tooth without spiking your blood sugar or kicking you out of ketosis and even though this may not be suitable for a ketogenic diet. Below are some keto friendly popular sweeteners.

1. Stevia: Stevia has become the darling of keto dieters for its plant origin and literally no calories and carbs. Because it is super sweet, one only needs to use an incredibly tiny amount.

2. Erythritol: A sugar alcohol that is about as sweet as sugar, with virtually no digestible carbs. Erythritol doesn’t raise insulin or blood sugar levels, hence being a good choice on keto.

3. Keto friendly sweeteners in liquid form

Liquid sweeteners that are compatible with keto are also readily accessible and work well in beverages in place of honey.Liquid solutions are available from Pyure, Wholesome and Lakanto brands.
4. Coffee syrups that are keto friendly
There are keto friendly coffee syrups available if you want to add some taste to your tea or coffee. The Naturally Sweetened variations of Jordan Skinny Syrups are enhanced with stevia and they are incredibly tasty.
5. Pancake syrups that fit the keto diet
And last try using a keto friendly pancake syrup in place of conventional honey when it is poured straight over food. ChocZero and Lakanto are two brands of pancake syrups we prefer.

Honey and Keto Diet Friendly

This is a healthy sweetener and, according to many people, a natural one; however, because of its high content of carbohydrates, it does not suit keto diets. Even small portions of honey will easily exceed your daily carb limit, and hence, it will be challenging to sustain a ketogenic state of metabolism if you continue to consume honey. If you’re on a strict ketogenic diet, then it’s best to avoid honey and switch over to stevia, erythritol, or monk fruit.

Keep in mind that being in ketosis requires you to pay a lot of attention to how much carbohydrate you’re taking in, and making smart choices about what you are eating makes all the difference between success or failure in your keto journey. Even though honey might not be allowed, there are plenty of ketogenic substitutes that allow you to have sweets without losing your vision of the goal.