Honey, Bee Sweet
Barbara Worley, FACS Agent, UGA Cooperative Extension Forsyth County
In honor of National Pollinator Week (June 19 – 25, 2017), we’re taking a look at the delicious and nutritious side of what our honeybee pollinator friends produce for our use and enjoyment. You can find local honey at the Cumming Farmers Market, across from the fairgrounds on Castleberry Road, on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
People often ask, “Is honey healthier than sugar?”
Both honey and sugar are calorie-dense, carbohydrate sweeteners. Both are composed of a combination of glucose and fructose. But they have some distinguishing characteristics.
In sugar, which is derived from sugar beet and sugar cane plants, glucose and fructose bind together to form sucrose. In honey, fructose and glucose are primarily independent of each other. Honey does have more fructose than glucose. Additionally, researcher have identified some 25 different oligosaccharides in the composition of honey. Oligosaccharides are carbohydrates that have strings of 3-10 simple sugars linked together.
One tablespoon of white, granulated sugar contains 49 calories, while one tablespoon of honey has 68 calories. The additional calories are why honey has a higher density and weight than sugar. Honey can harbor botulism spores, so it should not be given to infants less than one year of age because their immune systems are immature.
A tablespoon of sugar contains almost 15 grams of sucrose. The same amount of honey contains roughly 8 grams of glucose, 9 grams of fructose, and 0.2 grams of sucrose, along with tiny amounts of minerals, vitamins, and amino acids. The additional nutrients are too minute to constitute an appreciable nutritional benefit.
The difference between how our bodies digest honey and sugar lies in the composition of enzymes in each of these products. Because sucrose (table sugar) is a disaccharide – a sugar composed of two monosaccharides – it passes through our stomachs without any digestion occurring. Enzymes in the stomach cannot break down the glucose-fructose structure of table sugar; that happens when it reaches the small intestine. Then the liver utilizes a few enzymes to convert the molecules into glucose, which is able to enter the bloodstream for further use.
Another question we hear is, “How do I substitute honey for sugar in a recipe?” In cooking, one (1) cup of sugar can be exchanged for one (1) cup of honey, but you’ll need to reduce other liquids in the recipes by ¼ cup. In baked goods, add ½ teaspoon of baking soda for each cup of honey substituted, and lower the baking temperature by 25 degrees. For cookie recipes using eggs and no additional liquid, increase the flour by about two (2) tablespoons per cup of honey. Chill before shaping and baking. When making cakes or cookies, first mix the honey with the fat or the liquid, and then mix with other ingredients. If you skip this step, the top may come out soggy.
Honey That’s Easy! Dressing – Barbara Worley (article adapted from https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/ramseycountyExtension/news/extended-to-you/2012-extended-to-you/honey-or-sugar)
½ cup local honey
¼ cup stone-ground mustard
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
Whisk all ingredients together or combine in a jar and shake well. Use as salad dressing or vegetable dip.