Study Shows Diabetics Can Use Honey in Moderation

Two Varieties of Honey that are Available in Malaysia Gave Intermediate Glycemic Index Values When Tested Among Healthy Individuals
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub, 2009 Jun;153(2):145-7

AIM: To determine the glycemic index (GI) of Malaysian wild honey and Australian honey.

METHODS: Eight healthy volunteers (5 men and 3 women, aged 24-44 y, with normal BMI) were served 50 g carbohydrate portions of two varieties of honey or the reference food (glucose, tested 3 times), on separate occasions. Capillary blood glucose was measured fasting and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min after the start of the test meals. The GI was calculated by expressing each subject's incremental area under the blood glucose curve (AUC) after honey as a percentage of his or her mean AUC after glucose…

CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that both Malaysian wild honey (GI=65+/-7) and Australian honey (GI=59+/-5) are intermediate GI foods.

… Thus, persons with diabetes mellitus can include moderate amounts of honey in a balanced diet. Hence, honey can be substituted for table sugar because of its additional health benefits. Further studies are needed to determine the composition of sugars present in the Malaysian honey varieties.