Is Honey Good for Weight Loss?

Losing weight looks different for every body.

And the conflicting advice online can be confusing.

But most people can probably agree that when it comes to food choices, the most effective diets are:

1. As natural (unprocessed) as possible

2. Holistic (it’s about lifestyle, too), and

3. Sustainable (it needs to work in the long-term)

Pure, raw honey can be part of an effective weight loss plan for reasons that cover these three key pillars.

As a natural sweetener with some amazing wellness benefits, this guide explains how to use honey for weight loss as part of a healthy lifestyle.

In this guide to whether honey is good for weight loss:

• Is honey good for weight loss?

• Why use Manuka honey for weight loss

• 3 ways to achieve weight loss with honey

• When weight loss with honey won’t work

• The best honey for weight loss

Is there any proof in the pudding?

Let’s see.

Is Honey Good for Weight Loss?

Yes, honey is helpful as part of a broader, holistic weight loss programme.

However, it’s important to note that no single food, supplement, or even exercise regime will definitely lead to weight loss.

At least, not in a healthy or sustainable way.

“Our review indicated that there is no single best strategy for weight management. Hence, strategies for weight loss and its maintenance should be individualized.”

• Optimal diet strategies for weight loss and weight loss maintenance, The Journal of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome.

There’s no quick fix. And it takes a combination of internal and external factors that influence whether someone loses the weight and keeps it off.

"Successful weight maintenance is associated with more initial weight loss, reaching a self-determined goal weight, having a physically active lifestyle, a regular meal rhythm including breakfast and healthier eating, control of over-eating and self-monitoring of behaviours.

Weight maintenance is further associated with an internal motivation to lose weight, social support, better coping strategies and ability to handle life stress, self-efficacy, autonomy, assuming responsibility in life, and overall more psychological strength and stability."

• Who succeeds in maintaining weight loss? A review of factors associated with weight loss maintenance and weight regain, Obesity Reviews.

We know, you’ve heard it all before.

So why are we starting with this?

Because even the purest, most potent raw honey, with all its brilliant benefits which we’ll discuss next, won’t do the job alone¹.

Using honey for weight loss should be just one part of your long-term plan.

Now that’s taken care of, let’s explore how weight loss with honey is possible.

4 Reasons why honey is good for weight loss

Here’s how honey can help you in your weight loss journey.

1. It’s a natural sweetener with a difference

It’s vital that any lifestyles changes you make to lose weight are sustainable.

That includes allowing yourself foods you enjoy as well, like sweet ones.

By replacing refined sweeteners like sugar, stevia, or agave nectar with raw honey, you can achieve the same delicious sweetness with the extra benefits mentioned below.

2. It helps to curb the appetite so you stay fuller for longer

Pure, raw honey raises blood sugar levels slowly compared to refined sugars².

This helps your body to sustain energy levels for longer, and you don’t feel hungry as quickly in between meals or snacks.

In fact, studies have suggested that honey is a good sweetener for diabetics, for this very reason.

Reducing blood sugar spikes is a key part of getting out of the food-craving rollercoaster.

Learn more: Where is Manuka Honey on the Glycemic Index?

3. It helps the body to prepare for and recover from exercise

Simple and easy-to-digest carbohydrates are great sources of fuel for exercise³.

And honey is exactly that.

Raw honey gives our bodies the fuel they need to workout, and it also provides amino acids and antioxidants that repair muscles and protect cells against damage.

4. It contains beneficial properties that promote overall health and wellness

Honey has been used throughout the world for thousands of years for its health and wellness benefits - long before we knew what was really going on under the surface.

It turns out that honey has potent antibacterial properties that are used to heal some of the most serious wounds, as well as tackle skin complaints, stomach problems, hormone imbalance, infections, and so much more.

A weight loss journey should be a healthy, holistic one. And honey offers a naturally holistic, sweet solution.

A 2021 review noted that honey's usefulness in weight loss may come from the presence of polyphenols, flavonoids, and fructooligosaccharides (a type of prebiotic fibre that feeds good gut bacteria).

"The therapeutic effects of honey largely depend on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of its polyphenol and flavonoid contents. Polyphenols, such as caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, and gallic acid, are some of the phenolic acids known to have antiobesity and antihyperlipidaemic properties...

Meanwhile, caffeic acid and quercetin in honey are also known to reduce body weight and fat mass. In addition, fructooligosaccharides in honey are also known to alter lipid metabolism by reducing FAS activity."

• The Mechanism of Honey in Reversing Metabolic Syndrome, Molecules.

More research is needed, but it's clear that honey has a role to play in weight loss.

When it comes to the potency of beneficial compounds, however, not all honeys are created equal.

There is one that offers some of the best wellness properties of them all. That is, Manuka honey.

Why Use Manuka Honey for Weight Loss?

Manuka honey is a type of honey made from the pollen and nectar of the mānuka plant in New Zealand.

In the 1980s, Dr. Peter Molan at the University of Waikato uncovered that the uniquely high antibacterial properties of Manuka honey come from a compound called methylglyoxal (MGO) and that it contains up to 100 times more than other honey types.

This discovery spurred a significant amount of research into Manuka honey.

As a result, it has become one of the most heavily studied and regulated honeys in the world.

For these reasons, along with its antibacterial properties, it's the best choice for weight loss.

The research

A wide range of studies have been conducted on the benefits of Manuka honey, and you can find many of them cited in our blogs and articles.

The evidence for its incredible potential is pretty expansive, so there’s a good chance that incorporating it into your daily routine will offer some health benefits.

Manuka honey is quite unique compared to other honey types. Choosing Manuka gives you the reassurance that the science backs the legend.

The regulations

Honey has become one of the most faked foods on the planet.

Ultraprocessed and laced with additives, many honey products have lost their beneficial compounds and offer no more nutritional value than heavily refined white sugar.

Remember how we mentioned that honey's weight loss properties are in part thanks to the presence of flavonoids, polyphenols and prebiotic fibre?

If you buy generic supermarket honey, there's a high change that what you're getting has been heavily processed and is less likely to contain much of these compounds.

But the story with Manuka honey is different...

Thanks to its global wellness reputation as a superfood, Manuka honey has its own strict testing and grading system to verify authentic, potent Manuka honey. That system is called UMF™ or the Unique Manuka Factor.

By sticking to UMF™-graded Manuka honey, you can be sure that you’re getting pure, raw, monofloral Manuka honey produced and packaged in New Zealand.

The benefits

Studies have shown that Manuka honey contains particularly potent antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties that help the body regulate and repair itself. It also contains high levels of polyphenols and flavonoids compared to regular honey.

This lends it perfectly to a weight loss journey.

To lose weight, we need the energy to exercise, the nutrients to recover, and the motivation to keep going.

By allowing ourselves something delicious that also offers restorative benefits, we can get these benefits in a tasty spoonful.

3 Ways to Use Honey for Weight Loss

So, how can you use honey for weight loss? 

Here are 3 great ways you can use Manuka honey at different times of the day to enhance your weight loss results.

1. Wake up with a Manuka honey drink

Adding Manuka honey to your morning cuppa is a great way to start the day right.

The following drinks are also linked to weight loss, so try adding a spoonful of Manuka honey to one of these (after letting them cool):

• Green tea⁴

• Matcha tea⁵

• Warm water with lemon⁶  

2. Stay full for longer with a Manuka honey snack

Make your own delicious and nutritious Manuka honey snack for an energy boost throughout the day to curb those pesky cravings.

Here are a few super easy recipes to try at home:

• Salted caramel bliss balls with Manuka honey

• Manuka honey infused chia pudding

• Paleo banana bread with Manuka honey

• Manuka honey salad dressing 

Get more recipes and suggestions here.

3. Get a restorative rest with Manuka honey before bed

Sleep is vitally important to weight loss⁷.

It’s believed that honey contains melatonin which helps us fall asleep⁸. So along with keeping us full, having honey before bed could induce a restful night’s sleep.

Consuming honey before bed may also help to curb late-night food cravings. Here's what one customer said:

"I use 15+ usually about an hour before my sleep time. I used to have late night dinner even though I wasn't feeling hungry which got me unpreferred weight gain. Taking 15+ subdues my desire for bites during late night and really helps me sleep well."

• John M., Verified Buyer | UMF™ 15+ | MGO 514+

Enjoy a spoonful of honey before closing your eyes or add it to your night cap and you’ll be counting sheep in no time.

Find out more about Manuka honey and sleep in our dedicated guide.

When Weight Management with Honey Won’t Work

Have you tried honey for weight loss and not seen any improvement?

Here are a few situations where using honey to lose weight isn’t going to move the needle:

You heat honey before eating it

If honey exceeds the natural temperature of the hive (around 37℃, 98.6℉), it loses many of its beneficial compounds.

This is why ultraprocessed honey is not much different to table sugar.

If you’re adding Manuka honey to drinks or food, make sure they’ve cooled a little first.

You use honey in every drink or meal

Even the purest and highest grade Manuka honey still contains sugar.

You can get all the benefits in just a tablespoon or two a day, so don’t go overboard.

You eat honey on its own

Consuming sugars on their own (like in fruit juice, for example), results in quick blood glucose spikes and feeling hungry much sooner.

It’s important to consume other nutrients with sugars, like fibre, to ensure that slow release of energy.

Add Manuka honey to other foods for a well-rounded snack that won’t give you a sugar rush.

Or take a spoonful of honey with your breakfast or another meal.

Get the Benefits of Honey for Weight Loss with New Zealand Honey Co.

If you want to try using Manuka honey for weight management, you're in the right place.

All our Manuka honeys are UMF™ certified for authenticity and freshness, as well as being raw, halal, kosher, glyphosate-free, non-GMO, and absolutely delicious.

So if you’re on a journey to better health and wellness, we’ve got you.

Here's what a few customers have said about using Manuka honey for weight loss:

"I use this every day in my cold brew coffee and I love the taste. I am using it for immunity purposes but an unexpected side effect was belly fat weight loss. I’ll take it!"

• Verified Buyer | UMF™ 15+ | MGO 514+

"It is really tasty and I recommend mainly for losing weight."

• Verified Buyer | UMF™ 24+ | MGO 1122+

"Loved it! I have purchased this wonderful honey twice, and I feel better over all, trying to loss weight. I fast, so before beginning to fast, I take a spoon full and mix with lemon."

• Brenda C., Verified Buyer | UMF™ 15+ | MGO 514+

Shop Manuka honey.

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Suggested further reading:

• Is Honey Fattening? The Health Benefits Without Gaining Weight

• Manuka Honey: Pre-Workout Superfood?

• Is Manuka Honey Worth It? It Depends. Here’s Why… 

• Manuka Honey Ratings Explained: What You Need to Know

• Thinking of Buying Medical Grade Honey? Read This First…