Can you have honey when you're intermittent fasting?

January 8, 2026 •

3 min read

Approximately 43% of American adults have tried some form of intermittent fasting, and a common point of confusion is whether natural sweeteners like honey are permitted during the fasting window. So, can you have honey when you're intermittent fasting? The simple answer is no, because its caloric and sugar content will break your fast.

Quick Summary

Consuming honey will break an intermittent fast due to its calorie and sugar content, triggering an insulin response. It should be consumed only during the eating window to avoid interrupting the fasted state and diminishing potential benefits like fat burning or autophagy. Moderation is key for enjoying its health benefits.

Key Points

Honey Breaks a Fast: Any amount of honey, no matter how small, contains calories and sugar that will cause an insulin response, ending your fasted state.
Consume During Eating Window: Enjoy honey only during your designated eating period, where it can be a healthy, antioxidant-rich addition to meals.
Avoid Insulin Spikes: The goal of fasting includes keeping insulin levels low to encourage fat-burning and cellular repair; honey's sugars will counteract this effect.
Opt for Calorie-Free Options: Stick to water, black coffee, plain tea, and zero-calorie sweeteners like Stevia or monk fruit during your fasting window.
Moderation is Key: While honey is healthier than refined sugar, it is still calorically dense and should be consumed in moderation during eating hours.
Check Your Fasting Goals: If your goal is strict autophagy or weight loss, avoiding all calories during the fasting window is necessary. For less restrictive fasting methods, small amounts of certain caloric foods may be acceptable, but honey is typically too high in sugar.

Does Honey Break a Fast?

Yes, consuming honey during your fasting window will break your fast. The core principle of intermittent fasting is to restrict calorie intake to a specific period, allowing the body to enter a fasted state where it can burn stored fat for energy and initiate cellular repair processes like autophagy. Honey, while a natural product, is primarily composed of fructose and glucose and contains approximately 64 calories per tablespoon. This caloric and sugar content signals your body to exit the fasted state and start its digestive processes, which is the opposite of the metabolic goal of fasting.

The Insulin Response Explained

When you ingest sugar, including the natural sugars found in honey, your blood sugar levels rise. In response, your pancreas releases insulin to transport the glucose from your bloodstream into your cells for energy. This spike in insulin is the key reason honey breaks a fast. A high insulin level switches your body out of its fat-burning mode, as it now has a new, immediate source of energy (sugar) to work with. This completely undermines the metabolic shift that intermittent fasting is designed to create, and it can disrupt blood sugar control, particularly for those with insulin resistance or diabetes.

Using Honey Safely in Your Eating Window

Just because you can't have honey during your fasting window doesn't mean it's off-limits entirely. You can and should enjoy honey during your eating window, provided you do so in moderation. When used wisely, honey can be a beneficial part of your diet.

Here are a few ways to incorporate honey during your eating periods:

As a natural sweetener: Use a teaspoon of honey in your tea, coffee, or oatmeal to replace refined sugar.
In salad dressings: Combine honey with olive oil, vinegar, and herbs for a flavorful, healthier dressing.
For marinades: Add honey to marinades for meats like chicken or salmon to create a sweet and savory glaze.
In healthy desserts: Drizzle honey over yogurt with berries or use it in baking healthy muffins or granola bars.
Pre- or post-workout fuel: A small amount of honey can provide a quick energy boost to fuel a workout or help replenish glycogen stores afterward.

Comparison of Sweeteners for Fasting

For those seeking a sweetener to use during their fasting window, it is crucial to understand that only zero-calorie options will not break a fast. Here is a comparison of honey and popular alternatives:


Sweetener	Caloric Content	Insulin Impact	Fasting-Friendly?	Notes
Honey	High (~64 kcal/tbsp)	High	No	Breaks a fast due to sugar content; consume only during eating window.
Stevia	Zero	None	Yes	A plant-based, zero-calorie option; available as liquid or powder.
Monk Fruit	Zero	None	Yes	A natural, calorie-free sweetener derived from monk fruit.
Table Sugar (Sucrose)	High (~49 kcal/tbsp)	High	No	Highly refined, will immediately break a fast and spike insulin.
Agave Nectar	High (~60 kcal/tbsp)	Moderate to High	No	Still a caloric sweetener, will break a fast.

Alternatives for Fasting

If you need a flavorful alternative during your fasting hours, consider the following zero-calorie options:

Water: The most important and primary beverage for fasting; can be still or sparkling.
Black Coffee: Contains negligible calories (around 3 per cup) and is acceptable for most fasters, but avoid milk, cream, or sugar.
Plain Tea: Herbal or black tea without any sweeteners is generally allowed.
Apple Cider Vinegar: A small amount diluted in water can help curb appetite and is generally acceptable during fasting.
Stevia or Monk Fruit: These zero-calorie sweeteners provide sweetness without stimulating an insulin response, making them suitable for the fasting window.

Conclusion

For those practicing intermittent fasting, understanding the effect of every food and drink is crucial. While honey offers numerous health benefits and can be a fantastic natural sweetener, its caloric and sugar content means it will unequivocally break a fast. To maintain the full metabolic benefits of your fasting window, it is essential to consume only zero-calorie beverages. Save honey for your eating window, where it can be a healthy and delicious addition to your diet in moderation. By being mindful of when you consume honey, you can enjoy its flavor without compromising your fasting goals. The key takeaway is to prioritize your fasting window with non-caloric drinks and to enjoy honey as part of your balanced diet during your eating period. Remember to consult with a healthcare professional before making any significant changes to your diet, especially if you have underlying health conditions.

Optional Outbound Link: Learn more about Intermittent Fasting benefits on Healthline

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, even a small amount like a teaspoon of honey will break your fast. It contains enough sugar and calories to trigger an insulin response and shift your body out of its fat-burning, fasted state.

No, honey water is not acceptable during the fasting period. The honey's sugar and calories will break your fast. Stick to plain water, black coffee, or plain tea during your fasting window.

No, adding honey to your tea or coffee will break your fast. For beverages during the fasting window, you should only have black coffee or unsweetened tea. Save the honey for your eating window.

From a fasting perspective, there is no significant difference between honey and table sugar, as both will break your fast by spiking insulin levels. While honey has more nutrients, its sugar content is incompatible with the metabolic goals of fasting.

You can have honey during your designated eating window. This is the period when you consume all your daily calories and are not in a fasted state.

Alternatives include zero-calorie sweeteners like Stevia and monk fruit, or simply adding natural flavor to water with lemon or mint, which will not break your fast.

Yes, honey will knock your body out of ketosis. The sugar in honey provides a quick source of glucose, which your body will use for energy instead of ketones derived from fat.

Yes, raw honey, just like regular honey, contains sugar and calories and will therefore break a fast. The caloric content is the deciding factor, regardless of whether the honey is raw or processed.