The glycemic index of honey. Honey for diabetes

The glycemic index of honey depends on the type of beekeeping product and the percentage of sucrose and fructose in it. Knowing the glycemic index (GI) of foods is recommended for all people with diabetes or prone to this disease. However, many fans of a healthy lifestyle take this conditional indicator into account when drawing up the menu, it is also recommended to take it into account for people with increased body weight.

What is the glycemic index?

This is an indicator that determines the increase in blood sugar after taking a particular carbohydrate product. The standard is the glycemic index of glucose, which is 100 units. All vegetables, fruits, legumes, cereals, flour products have their own GI. What does that mean? For example, after taking a product with a glycemic index of 40 units, the body will absorb 40% of carbohydrates in the form of glucose.

There are products with a high glycemic index - more than 50 units. These are sweets, pastries, rice, bread, boiled and baked potatoes, raisins, bananas. After taking them, fast saturation appears, but soon a person again experiences a feeling of hunger. The fact is that insulin is included in the work - a hormone, the main function of which is to reduce glucose in the blood and enter it into the cells of the body. Excess glucose insulin is converted into body fat.

People with diabetes are usually aware of the glycemic index of carbohydrate-containing foods and try to make a menu based on this indicator. However, many of them refuse from honey, considering it a provocateur. Is it really?

Glycemic index of honey

Honey contains two carbohydrate components - glucose and fructose. The fructose index is only 19, and glucose, as noted earlier, is 100 units. Therefore, the more fructose is in the product, the lower the glycemic index of honey. Conversely, an increase in glucose ensures a high GI.

It is believed that honey has a high GI. Depending on the honey plant, it varies from 30 to 90. On average, the glycemic index of honey is 50-70 units. GI varies depending on a number of factors:

• gathering places;
• the naturalness of the product itself;
• storage conditions;
• honey species;
• geography of the area.

Natural honey

Many beekeepers are cunning and feeding bees with sugar syrup, jam or other sweets. In this case, its GI increases and can reach 100 units. The glycemic index of natural honey is always lower than the fake counterpart. A large role is played by honey plants, from which medicinal nectar is collected.

The table below shows the glycemic index of honey collected from different honey plants.

As can be seen from the table, there is honey with a low glycemic index - this is the nectar of pine, acacia, eucalyptus. Varieties such as linden, heather, chestnut have average GI.

Fake honey

In late August and September, fairs are held, where honey of different varieties is sold. If you care about your health, you should know how to purchase a natural product without additives.

Each variety has its own color, characteristic odor, crystallization time. Of course, it is difficult for an inexperienced person to understand all these subtleties, but still the main differences are worth knowing. For example, acacia honey is almost transparent, and upon crystallization it turns white. Lime variety remains liquid for a long time, buckwheat has a characteristic aroma and brownish color.

Maturity of the product matters. Bees, after making honey, wait for the evaporation of excess moisture, supply the product with substances that do not allow it to ferment. Some unscrupulous beekeepers seek to profit as quickly as possible, so they pump out honey ahead of schedule. Such a product has an excess of moisture, deteriorates quickly, its healing properties decrease. Ripe honey is thick, slowly flows down the walls of dishes, does not reach for a spoon.

Remember: the glycemic index of a low-quality product becomes high and approaches 100!

Gi sugar

The glycemic index of honey and sugar is approximately the same - 70 units, but sugar does not contain biologically active substances, trace elements and vitamins present in honey. Therefore, nutritionists recommend giving preference to a beekeeping product. If you want something sweet, eat 1-2 teaspoons of honey. From such a meal, excess weight will not be gained, and the need for sweets will be satisfied.

If you are used to putting a little sugar in tea and are not able to give up the habit, it is better to choose a brown cane product. Its glycemic index is lower and is 55 units.

Honey and diabetes

In a severe form of the disease, useful nectar should be discarded when the pancreas is practically unable to produce insulin. But why is the discussion going on in the media about the benefits of honey for diabetes? Many "healers" even advise using it in unlimited quantities. The fact is that honey has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, which is important for diabetics, has a positive effect on the work of the heart muscle, and relieves insomnia.

Endocrinologists are allowed to eat no more than 1-2 teaspoons of honey a day, and the first portion should be taken in the morning on an empty stomach, and the second - during the day. With compensated diabetes mellitus, such a dosage will not be harmful to health. It is recommended to choose those varieties that have a low GI - pine or acacia.

Despite the approximately identical glycemic index of honey and sugar, their usefulness indicators vary significantly. To prevent an increase in blood glucose, buy a quality beekeeping product and do not forget about the sense of proportion.