Diabetes foods: Can I substitute honey for sugar?

Date Updated: 09/15/2021

Answer Section

Generally, there's no advantage to substituting honey for sugar in a diabetes eating plan. Both honey and sugar will affect your blood sugar level.

Honey is sweeter than granulated sugar, so you might use a smaller amount of honey for sugar in some recipes. But honey actually has slightly more carbohydrates and more calories a teaspoon than does granulated sugar. So any calories and carbohydrates you save will be minimal.

If you prefer the taste of honey, go ahead and use it. But only use honey in moderation. Be sure to count the carbohydrates in honey as part of your diabetes eating plan.