Honey vs. Sugar
It’s no contest – honey wins every time
Here is another reason why honey should be your go-to condiment on your dining table: In our humble opinion, honey tastes better than sugar.
There. We said it. And yes, we’re biased. But we just can’t help but be overzealous about our favorite food. Honey is better in so many ways.
Honey vs. sugar?
It’s not a fair fight, really. How can any food compete with something that tastes so deliciously sweet? Honey wins every time, especially when compared to a food it so naturally replaces.
You’ve seen it on labels and advertisements for your favorite foods – “naturally sweetened with honey.” The switch to honey as a preferred sweetener has been taking place for several years and continues to increase, with more and more consumers requesting honey – in everything from teas and cereal to salad dressings and breads. If we held a popularity contest today, honey wins, spoons down.
What we know about sugar
Natural and added sugars are found in a wide variety of foods. Sugar is a calorie-rich ingredient that has little nutritional value on its own [1] [2]. Sugar is often added to processed foods to improve flavor, color, texture and shelf-life [3]. Consuming too much sugar has been associated with diabetes, tooth decay and poor cognitive functioning [4] [5] [6]. Harvard Health says too much added sugar can be one of the greatest threats to cardiovascular disease [7].
A natural choice
Sue Bee® honey comes naturally right from our 200+ beekeeper members’ hives. No additives, no preservatives. Honey doesn’t need it. There’s no shelf life on honey.
And honey is a better choice for baking, too. Because honey is sweeter than sugar, you’ll need less of it. The general rule is, for every 1 cup of sugar use 1/2 to 2/3 cup of Sue Bee® honey. Other tips for baking with honey include:
Reduce liquids: Honey contains a small percentage of water, so when substituting honey in recipes that call for 1 cup or more of sugar, reduce the other liquids in the recipe by 1/4 cup for every 1 cup of honey.
Add baking soda: If the recipe doesn’t already call for it, add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda, which helps balance honey’s natural acidity to allow the baked good to rise properly. In cookie recipes using eggs, or in recipes with no other liquids, increase the flour by 2 tablespoons for each cup of honey.
Lower the temp: Honey caramelizes faster than granulated sugar, and therefore burns faster, so reduce the oven by 25 degrees.
More than baking
Of course, adding honey to baking recipes is just the beginning. Honey is our preferred choice for coffee, tea, salads, smoothies, grilling, cocktails, popcorn, tacos, soups … it’s an endless list, so be sure to bookmark our recipe section at SiouxHoney.com where you’ll find all sorts of fresh new ways to use honey in your kitchen.
[1] Men’s Fitness – http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-eat/study-sugar-really-making-you-fat
[2] LiveStrong.com – https://www.livestrong.com/article/474832-recommended-grams-of-sugar-per-day/
[3] Science Daily – https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/08/150818131807.htm
[4] Time – http://time.com/3380563/sugar-tooth-decay/
[5] GettingHealthier.com – http://gettinghealthier.com/the-harmful-effects-of-sugar
[7] Harvard Health – https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/the-sweet-danger-of-sugar
