Can diabetics consume honey?

Question

Honey tastes sweet. But I am not sure whether or not it is safe for people suffering from diabetics.

So the question is can diabetics daily consume honey?

Answer 1

Honey is rich in glucose (31%) and contains other insulin-triggering sugars such as sucrose and maltose. One study found that it has a glycaemic index of 87, much higher than that of table sugar (59), but note that GI is rather fickle to measure and you can probably find differing numbers for both. I've seen sources (not peer reviewed) which claim that honey's GI is somewhat lower than that of sugar.

A diabetic can consume honey just like any other carbohydrate. He will have to adjust the amount of honey and other carbohydrates in the same meal such that his blood sugar does not overshoot the target amount. If he is insulin-dependent, he will have received guidelines how to adjust insulin injections depending on the amount of carbohydrates eaten, and will have to include the amount of honey he consumed in his calculation.

If the diabetic is on a low-GI diet, honey may not be allowed by the diet-specific rules. This will be explained by the specialist who prescribed the diet.