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# Is Honey Really Healthy? Natural Sugar and Metabolic Health
- URL: https://www.gutminds.com/natural-sugar-and-metabolic-health/
- Published: 2026-09-22T09:22:55.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T09:22:55.000Z
- Description: Is natural sugar better? Honey, coconut sugar, agave syrup, xylitol - are they good options for metabolic health? What if the differences aren't as big as we think? After all, many of these sweeteners break down into glucose and fructose, regardless of what they are made from.
- Author: GutMinds

[Expert Insights & Quotes](#the-bottom-line)

I used to believe that some sugar substitutes were healthier than others, and certainly healthier than table sugar. So I tried all sorts of alternatives, from xylitol and coconut sugar to stevia and more.

But somehow I never noticed any real difference between them when it came to my health and how I felt day to day. If you've ever experienced the so-called sugar rush or sugar crash after eating too many simple carbohydrates, you know exactly what I mean. 

And eventually, I realised that...

## It's All Sugar

Here's what Jessie Inchauspé says about table sugar substitutes in her book *Glucose Revolution*:

*This is surprising to most people*, *but on a molecular level*, *there is no difference between table sugar and honey*. *And there is no difference between table sugar and agave syrup*. *In fact*, *there is no difference between table sugar and any of these*: *agave syrup*, *brown sugar*, *caster sugar*, *coconut sugar*, *icing sugar*, *demerara sugar*, *evaporated cane juice*, *honey*, *maple syrup*, *molasses*, *muscovado sugar*, *palm sugar*, *palmyra tree sugar*. *They are all made of glucose and fructose molecules*. *They are just packaged differently*, *named differently*, *and priced differently*. 

This is a hard pill to swallow for anyone who thought they were making a healthier choice by using natural or artificial sweeteners. 

### Coconut Sugar

Years ago, I was hooked on coconut sugar. It wasn't just because it was supposed to be healthier than table sugar, but because it had something other sweeteners didn't: its own distinctive texture, colour, taste and aroma.

I fell for the marketing claims.

Still, if you're looking for some fancy sugar that looks and tastes "special" or "unique", I think coconut sugar is a great option.

### Agave Syrup

I remember the agave syrup trend, when it was being marketed as a healthier sugar alternative, even though it's mostly fructose, which may be even worse for metabolic health.

Here's another quote from *Glucose Revolution*:

*Now*, *get this*: *recall from Part I that fructose is worse for us than glucose*: *it overwhelms our liver*, *turns to fat*, *precipitates insulin resistance*, *makes us gain more weight than glucose and doesn't make us feel as full*. *As a result*, *since agave has more fructose than table sugar does*, *it is actually worse for our health than table sugar*. *Don't believe the hype*. 

### Honey

The truth about honey is even harder to accept, because real, raw honey is considered a superfood in many cultures. 

But when it comes to metabolic health, the beneficial compounds in honey simply aren't present in sufficient amounts to counteract the effects of the glucose and fructose it mostly consists of.

As Jessie Inchauspé put it:

*In the same way that we saw in Hack 4 that there is no logic to drinking fruit juice for the vitamins*, *there is no logic to eating honey for the antioxidants*. *Yes*, *honey contains antioxidants and fruit juice contains vitamins*, *but those don't outweigh the impact of the large amounts of glucose and fructose they contain*. 

#### The Bottom Line

If you don't want to give up sugar completely but still want something to bake with or use in desserts, what are some good options? 

According to Jessie Inchauspé, these are the better choices for metabolic health:

- allulose
- monk fruit
- stevia
- erythritol

With stevia, you need to check for fillers, as they're often added to the extracts. 

Personally, I never felt good after having stevia extracts, and I found their taste far too unnatural.

#### Sources

Jessie Inchauspé, **Glucose Revolution*: **Stop Cravings*, **Get Your Energy Back*, **Feel Amazing*. **The Life-Changing Power of Balancing Your Blood Sugar*. Octopus Publishing Group Ltd, 2022\.