What Nutrients Are in Honey? A Comparison of Raw Honey and Pasteurized Honey

What nutrients are in honey?

Fresh raw honey contains antioxidants, but it only contains trace amounts of other nutrients. The main advantage of using honey instead of refined sugar is that the natural sugars in honey take longer to digest than refined sugar. This means your pancreas does not have to secrete as much insulin to capture and store the extra sugar. When insulin removes sugar from your blood, your brain sends signals that it needs more sugar and you feel hungry. Honey can help you avoid spikes and crashes, whether used on its own or added to tea or coffee.

Raw Honey vs. Pasteurized Honey

Raw honey is not subjected to any form of heat treatment, although it sometimes becomes more pleasing. This means it still contains all its natural nutrients. According to the “Beekeeper Association Newsletter” from Mississippi State University, the optimal temperature for pasteurizing honey is 145 degrees Fahrenheit. This destroys many of the nutrients in honey, just as cooking vegetables at high temperatures destroys their vitamins and minerals. Adding pasteurized honey to tea or coffee has no effect on its nutrient content, because those nutrients have already been destroyed. For raw honey, it depends on the temperature of the beverage.

Hot Tea and Coffee

Tea and coffee are usually made with boiling water or water close to it, around 212 degrees Fahrenheit, although at high altitudes such as Denver, Colorado, the temperature is lower. This temperature is high enough to burn your mouth, and it is also high enough to destroy the nutrients in raw honey. Letting your tea or coffee cool to a drinkable temperature can help raw honey retain its nutritional value.

Iced Tea and Coffee

Adding raw or pasteurized honey to iced tea or coffee should have no effect on its nutrient content. Cold temperatures may make honey harder to dissolve, so using a small stirrer can be helpful.