Does putting honey in hot tea get rid of its benefits?

December 12, 2025 •

4 min read

According to research published by the NIH, heating honey above certain temperatures can degrade beneficial compounds. This has led many to question, 'Does putting honey in hot tea get rid of its benefits?' The short answer is yes, excessive heat can reduce honey's potency, but understanding the nuances of temperature and honey type is key.

Quick Summary

Heating honey, especially raw honey, to high temperatures can destroy delicate enzymes and antioxidants. To preserve its health benefits, it should be added to warm, not boiling, tea. The temperature and processing history of the honey are the main factors determining how much benefit is retained.

Key Points

Enzymes are heat-sensitive: Honey’s beneficial enzymes, like glucose oxidase, are denatured and destroyed by high temperatures, eliminating their activity.
Nutrient loss occurs above 40°C (104°F): The degradation of honey's nutrients, including enzymes and some antioxidants, begins at temperatures above 40°C, a threshold easily exceeded in a hot cup of tea.
HMF is a marker of degradation: Heating honey increases the formation of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a compound used as an indicator of heat treatment and quality loss.
Raw honey is most affected: Because commercial honey is already heat-treated (pasteurized), adding it to hot tea has less impact on its already diminished benefits compared to raw honey.
Wait for your tea to cool: To preserve honey's health benefits, wait for your tea to cool to a warm drinking temperature (below 40°C) before stirring it in.
Heat does not make honey toxic: Modern science debunks the myth that heating honey makes it poisonous; however, the heat does render it less nutritionally potent.

The Science Behind Honey's Beneficial Properties

To understand if heat affects honey's benefits, we first need to look at what makes honey so special. Beyond just a natural sweetener, raw honey contains a complex profile of enzymes, antioxidants, and other compounds that contribute to its health-promoting properties.

Enzymes: These protein molecules are sensitive to high temperatures. Key enzymes like invertase, which helps convert nectar into honey's sugars, and glucose oxidase, which creates hydrogen peroxide (a natural antimicrobial agent), are crucial to honey's therapeutic value.
Antioxidants: Raw, unfiltered honey is rich in antioxidants, including phenolic compounds and flavonoids, which help protect the body from cellular damage. The concentration of these compounds can vary widely depending on the floral source and processing method.
Antimicrobial Properties: Honey's ability to fight bacteria and viruses comes from multiple factors, including its low water content, high acidity, and the presence of hydrogen peroxide created by the glucose oxidase enzyme.

The Impact of Heat on Honey

Heat is the primary culprit in degrading honey's beneficial components. When you pour honey into a scalding hot cup of tea, you initiate a process called denaturation, where the proteins (enzymes) begin to lose their structure and function.

Temperature Thresholds for Degradation:

Above 40°C (104°F): Enzyme activity, including invertase and glucose oxidase, begins to decline noticeably. This is a common threshold cited for significant nutrient loss in raw honey.
Above 60°C (140°F): At temperatures commonly used for commercial pasteurization, most of the sensitive enzymes are destroyed rapidly. Studies have shown that antimicrobial activity can be severely compromised at this temperature.
Above 71°C (160°F): At these high temperatures, pasteurization occurs, destroying nearly all active enzymes and potentially causing honey to caramelize.
HMF Formation: Heating honey for prolonged periods also increases the concentration of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). While not toxic in small culinary amounts, it is a marker of degradation and excessive heat treatment, indicating a loss of honey's quality and freshness.

Raw vs. Processed Honey: Why It Matters

The heat sensitivity of honey's enzymes and antioxidants also explains the difference between raw and commercial, pasteurized honey. Commercial honey is often heated to high temperatures to prevent crystallization, kill yeast, and extend shelf life. This processing removes much of the beneficial enzyme content before it even reaches your kitchen. Raw honey, conversely, has not been subjected to this heating and filtration, retaining its full enzymatic profile and higher antioxidant levels. Therefore, adding commercial honey to hot tea is less of a concern for nutrient loss since many of the benefits are already gone. However, adding raw honey to boiling water will rapidly undo the very properties you are trying to preserve.

How to Maximize Honey's Benefits in Tea

For those who want the full health potential of their honey, a mindful approach to adding it to tea is necessary. The key is to wait for your tea to cool down to a warm, but not scalding, temperature.

Steps for Optimal Honey Use:

Boil Water: Prepare your tea by boiling the water and steeping your tea bags or leaves as usual.
Let It Cool: After steeping, remove the tea and let the beverage cool for several minutes. A good rule of thumb is to wait until you can comfortably hold the cup in your hands.
Add Honey: Stir in your honey once the tea reaches a pleasant, warm drinking temperature, ideally below 40°C (104°F).

Alternatively, you can take a spoonful of raw honey directly, either before or after your tea. This ensures you receive all the benefits without any heat degradation.

Honey vs. Sugar in Tea: A Comparison

To highlight the importance of how honey is treated, let's compare it to adding regular table sugar to your tea.


Feature	Honey (especially Raw)	Table Sugar (Sucrose)
Composition	Complex sugars (fructose, glucose), enzymes, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals.	Simple disaccharide (sucrose), no nutritional value.
Impact on Health Benefits	Contains therapeutic properties, but they are highly sensitive to heat and degrade quickly.	No intrinsic health benefits to be lost, but provides empty calories.
Flavor Profile	Diverse and complex, with different floral notes depending on the source.	Consistently sweet flavor.
Usage in Hot Beverages	Best added to warm (not hot) tea to preserve delicate compounds.	Can be added to hot or cold beverages without affecting its basic properties.
Glycemic Index (GI)	Slightly lower GI than sugar, but still impacts blood sugar.	Higher GI, leading to a faster blood sugar spike.

Conclusion: Enjoying Your Honey Wisely

The idea that putting honey in hot tea negates its benefits is largely true, particularly for the heat-sensitive components found in raw honey. While heat does not make honey toxic, as some myths suggest, it undeniably destroys the very enzymes and antioxidants responsible for its unique therapeutic properties. If you are using raw honey specifically for its health advantages, such as soothing a sore throat with its antimicrobial agents, it is best to let your tea cool to a warm, not boiling, temperature before adding it. If you're simply looking for a sweetener, adding honey to hot tea is perfectly safe, but you are primarily tasting its flavor rather than benefiting from its full nutritional profile. To enjoy honey's full potential, a little patience goes a long way. So next time you brew a cup, wait a few minutes before adding your golden elixir to ensure you get all the goodness nature intended.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, honey in hot tea is not bad for you. The high heat does not make honey toxic, but it does destroy many of the beneficial enzymes and antioxidants, reducing the nutritional value. It is perfectly safe to consume.

Honey begins to lose its benefits, specifically its heat-sensitive enzymes, at temperatures above 40°C (104°F). Significant degradation and loss of antimicrobial properties occur at higher temperatures, such as those used for pasteurization (above 60°C or 140°F).

Yes, if you want to preserve the beneficial enzymes and antioxidants in the honey, it is best to let your tea cool to a warm, comfortable drinking temperature (below 40°C) before adding it. This will ensure you get the maximum health benefits.

HMF, or hydroxymethylfurfural, is a compound that forms when honey is heated. It is a marker of degradation and quality loss. While not considered toxic in the small amounts found in culinary uses, high levels are a sign that the honey has been overprocessed.

Processed honey, which has been heated and filtered, loses many of its enzymes and a portion of its antioxidants. While it still retains some nutritional value and can be a healthier alternative to sugar, it offers fewer therapeutic benefits compared to raw honey.

Raw, unfiltered honey is the best choice if you are seeking the full health benefits. Varietals like wildflower, clover, or acacia offer mild, pleasant flavors that pair well with many teas. Remember to add it to warm, not hot, tea.

Yes, honey is generally considered healthier than table sugar, especially raw honey. It contains vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that sugar lacks. However, both are forms of added sugar and should be consumed in moderation, as they both affect blood sugar levels.

It is considered a mistake only if the goal is to maximize honey's therapeutic properties. The high heat denatures the enzymes and antioxidants responsible for benefits like antimicrobial action, essentially making the honey just a sweetener.