Can You Have Tea with Honey on a Carnivore Diet?

November 21, 2025 •

4 min read

The carnivore diet eliminates all plant-based foods, leading many to question what beverages and sweeteners are permissible. This creates a dilemma for those wondering, can you have tea with honey on a carnivore diet, since both are non-animal products by origin.

Quick Summary

The carnivore diet generally excludes plant-based foods like tea and high-sugar items like honey, but some followers create modified versions. The acceptability of tea and honey depends on an individual's strictness and health goals. Understanding the differences is key for those considering adding these items.

Key Points

No Honey on Strict Carnivore: Strict followers of the carnivore diet must avoid honey due to its high sugar content and plant-based origin.
Tea is Plant-Based: Since tea leaves come from a plant, all varieties of tea are excluded from a pure carnivore diet.
Modified Carnivore Variations: Some individuals on a modified animal-based diet may include small amounts of honey or plain herbal teas.
Risks of Adding Sugar: Adding honey can disrupt ketosis, cause blood sugar spikes, and potentially lead to cravings, undermining the diet's goals.
Bone Broth is a Better Alternative: For warmth and flavor, bone broth is a fully compliant and nutritionally dense carnivore beverage.
Determine Your 'Why': Your personal health goals for following a carnivore diet should dictate your decision on including non-animal products like honey and tea.

Can you have tea with honey on a carnivore diet? Understanding the core principles

To determine if you can have tea with honey on a carnivore diet, it's essential to first understand the core principles of the diet itself. The strictest version of the carnivore diet mandates consuming only animal products: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and small amounts of low-lactose dairy. All plant-based foods, including vegetables, fruits, grains, and nuts, are completely excluded. This zero-carb approach forces the body into a state of ketosis, burning fat for fuel instead of glucose. It is within this rigid framework that the questions around tea and honey arise. Both are derived from plant matter, either directly (tea leaves) or indirectly (honey from flower nectar).

The case against honey and tea on a strict carnivore diet

For a strict carnivore, the verdict is a clear no for both tea and honey. The primary reason is their plant-based origin. Tea leaves are plants, and honey, while produced by bees, comes from flower nectar. This violates the fundamental rule of consuming only animal-sourced foods. Additionally, honey is a concentrated sugar source, composed mainly of fructose and glucose. A single tablespoon contains approximately 17 grams of sugar, which is a significant carb load for a diet that aims for near-zero carbohydrate intake. This high sugar content can cause blood glucose spikes, counteract ketosis, and disrupt the metabolic adaptations of a pure carnivore lifestyle.

Modified carnivore diets: A different perspective

Not all followers adhere to the strictest form of the carnivore diet. Some practice a more flexible approach, sometimes referred to as an "animal-based" or "ketovore" diet, which allows for some carefully selected non-animal foods. Prominent figures in the carnivore community, such as Dr. Paul Saladino, have experimented with adding fruit and honey back into their diet after experiencing issues with electrolyte balance and energy. For these individuals, a small, infrequent amount of honey may be used to replenish glycogen stores, especially for highly active people. Likewise, plain, unsweetened teas—particularly herbal varieties like peppermint or chamomile—are sometimes included for their perceived health benefits or simply for a change of flavor. However, this is a conscious deviation from the core principles of the diet.

Benefits and drawbacks of adding honey

Adding honey introduces a complex set of considerations. While it is a better alternative to refined sugars, it is not without its drawbacks for a carnivore follower.

Potential Benefits of Honey

Nutrients and Antioxidants: Raw honey contains trace amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants not found in processed sugar.
Energy Source: Some individuals find that a small amount of honey can provide a quick, natural energy boost for intense physical activity.
Medicinal Properties: Honey has long been used in traditional medicine for its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Potential Drawbacks of Honey

High Sugar/Carb Content: Significantly increases carbohydrate intake, potentially disrupting ketosis and causing blood sugar fluctuations.
Weight Gain: The high sugar content can impede weight loss goals for some individuals.
Digestive Issues: The gut biome on a carnivore diet is adapted for fat and protein, and introducing sugar can cause digestive upset.
Allergic Reactions: Pollen contamination in honey can trigger allergies in sensitive individuals.

Beverage options: Tea versus bone broth

For those seeking a warm, flavorful beverage, the carnivore diet offers alternatives to tea.

Comparison of Tea and Bone Broth on Carnivore Diet


Feature	Tea (Herbal/Black)	Bone Broth
Sourced From	Plants (leaves)	Animals (bones, connective tissue)
Compliance	Excluded in strict carnivore	A staple of the carnivore diet
Carbohydrates	Contains negligible carbs, but honey adds significant sugar	Zero or negligible carbs
Nutritional Profile	Varies by type; antioxidants, some vitamins	Rich in collagen, minerals, and amino acids
Primary Function	Flavor, hydration, and potential plant compounds	Hydration, electrolytes, and nutrient replenishment
Permissibility	Often viewed as a gray area, for modified versions only	Fully compliant and highly recommended

Conclusion: Your dietary choice

Ultimately, whether you can have tea with honey on a carnivore diet depends on your specific goals and adherence level. For purists, both are off-limits due to their plant origin and high sugar content, respectively. For those following a more flexible animal-based approach, moderate, mindful consumption might be an option, but with the understanding that it deviates from strict carnivore principles. The best practice is to understand your "why" for following the diet, monitor your body's response, and prioritize whole animal products. While tea and honey might offer some benefits, bone broth and water remain the undisputed champions of carnivore-compliant beverages.

Authoritative Link

For more information on the nuanced approaches to the carnivore diet, including discussions on incorporating different foods, you can visit the comprehensive guide available on Carnivore Style's website: Honey on a Carnivore Diet (Benefits & Reasons to Avoid It)

Frequently Asked Questions

Honey is not allowed on a strict carnivore diet because it is essentially a high-sugar, plant-based food derived from flower nectar, which is counter to the diet's core principle of consuming only animal products.

Herbal tea, like black tea, is made from plants and is therefore excluded from a strict carnivore diet. Only plain water and bone broth are fully compliant beverages.

A strict carnivore diet is exclusively animal products. An 'animal-based' diet is a more flexible version that may include animal foods along with some plant-derived items like honey or fruit, often based on individual health goals.

Yes, even a small amount of honey, which is high in fructose and glucose, can be enough to significantly increase your carbohydrate intake and disrupt the state of ketosis.

You cannot sweeten tea with honey on a strict carnivore diet. Some people add heavy cream or butter to their coffee or tea, as it's an animal fat, though it's still a modification.

While honey does contain some antioxidants and has antimicrobial properties, these benefits are considered outweighed by its high sugar content and its violation of the core carnivore principles. Plant-based foods are also not needed for these benefits in the carnivore context.

No, while honey is produced by bees, the raw material is plant nectar, making it a plant-derived carbohydrate. For this reason, it is not considered a true animal product by most carnivore adherents.