Is honey processed sugar? A closer look at nature's sweetener

January 8, 2026 •

4 min read

According to the American Heart Association, added sugars, including honey, should be limited in a healthy diet. The question of whether honey is processed sugar is a common one, and the answer is more nuanced than a simple yes or no.

Quick Summary

Honey undergoes less processing than table sugar but contains simple sugars like fructose and glucose. The key lies in understanding its natural vs. added sugar classification.

Key Points

Natural vs. Added Sugar: Honey is a natural product, but health bodies classify it as an added sugar in the diet, meaning it should be limited, just like table sugar.
Less Processed than Sugar: Honey undergoes less industrial refinement than table sugar, especially in its raw form. Table sugar is heavily processed to become pure sucrose.
Different Sugar Composition: Table sugar is 100% sucrose, while honey is a mix of simple sugars (fructose and glucose) along with water and trace nutrients.
Nutrient Content: Raw honey contains small amounts of antioxidants, minerals, and enzymes that refined sugar lacks. However, the quantities are too small to be a significant nutritional source.
Glycemic Impact: Honey typically has a lower glycemic index than table sugar, leading to a slower, but still significant, rise in blood sugar.
Moderation is Key: Despite its natural origin, excessive consumption of honey poses similar health risks to excess table sugar due to its high concentration of calories and sugar.

The widespread concern over refined sugar has prompted many to seek out alternative sweeteners, leading to the common question: Is honey processed sugar? While the answer is more complex than a simple yes or no, the key takeaway is that not all sugars are created equal, even if the body processes them similarly. Understanding the journey from nectar to jar, the distinction between raw and commercially processed honey, and the classification of honey as an 'added sugar' can provide clarity on its place in a healthy diet.

The Journey from Nectar to Jar

Unlike table sugar, which is heavily refined from plants like sugarcane and sugar beets, honey is a natural product created by bees. The process begins when foraging bees collect sugar-rich nectar from flowers. Inside the bee's honey stomach, an enzyme called invertase is added, which begins breaking down the complex sugar sucrose into simpler sugars: fructose and glucose.

Upon returning to the hive, the nectar is regurgitated and passed from bee to bee, a process that further breaks down the sugars. The bees then deposit the mixture into the hexagonal wax cells of the honeycomb. They beat their wings to create a warm airflow that evaporates excess water, concentrating the sugars until the substance becomes the thick, viscous liquid we know as honey. This natural, enzymatic process is a form of processing, albeit one performed by insects rather than industrial machinery.

Commercial Processing vs. Raw Honey

The processing a bee performs is different from the processing honey may undergo for commercial sale. Here's a breakdown:

How Commercially Sold Honey Is Processed

Harvesting: Beekeepers collect honeycomb frames from the hive.
Extraction: The wax caps are removed, and the honey is spun out of the comb using a centrifuge or extractor.
Filtration: The honey is strained to remove impurities like beeswax and other debris. For many commercial brands, fine filtration is used to remove almost all traces of pollen and other particles, resulting in a clear, consistent product.
Heating/Pasteurization: To improve shelf life, prevent fermentation, and make it easier to filter and bottle, commercial honey is often heated. This pasteurization process can degrade some of the trace nutrients and enzymes.

Raw Honey: Minimal Processing

Raw honey, in contrast, is minimally processed. It is typically only strained to remove large pieces of wax and debris but is not heated or pasteurized. This means it retains more of its natural enzymes, pollen, and antioxidants, which are often cited as potential health benefits. The debate over whether raw honey is significantly healthier than commercial honey is ongoing, as the trace nutrients are still in small amounts.

Natural Sugar vs. Added Sugar: The FDA's Classification

This is a crucial point of distinction. While honey is a product of nature, health organizations like the American Heart Association and the FDA classify it as an added sugar when it is consumed on its own or added to other foods. This is because it is not part of a whole, unprocessed food matrix like the sugar naturally found in an apple, which is bound by fiber and other nutrients. The body processes these sugars differently.

Foods with naturally occurring sugars are absorbed more slowly, providing a steadier release of energy, whereas added sugars like honey or table sugar cause a faster spike in blood sugar. Therefore, even though honey is a natural sweetener, it should still be consumed in moderation as part of a healthy diet.

Honey vs. Table Sugar: A Comparison

To understand the nuances, a side-by-side comparison is helpful:


Attribute	Honey	Table Sugar (Sucrose)
Source	Nectar collected by bees.	Extracted from sugarcane or sugar beets.
Composition	Mostly fructose (≈40%) and glucose (≈30%), with water, enzymes, trace vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.	100% sucrose, which breaks down into 50% fructose and 50% glucose.
Processing	Varies widely. Raw honey is strained, commercial honey is often filtered and pasteurized.	Highly refined through an industrial process.
Glycemic Index (GI)	Typically lower than table sugar, with values varying by floral source (e.g., GI of 50-60).	Higher GI (around 65), causing faster blood sugar spikes.
Nutrients	Contains trace amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, especially in raw varieties.	Contains no nutritional value beyond calories.
Flavor	Rich, complex flavor profile that varies based on floral source.	Uniformly sweet flavor.
Sweetness	Slightly sweeter than sugar due to higher fructose content, so less can be used.	Less sweet per gram than honey.

Conclusion: Sweetening with Perspective

To answer the original question, is honey processed sugar? Yes, by a bee. But is it the same as commercially processed table sugar? No. Honey is a natural product that undergoes minimal processing by bees and potentially more by commercial bottlers. While it contains trace nutrients and has a lower glycemic index than refined sugar, it is still a concentrated source of sugar and should be consumed in moderation.

For optimal nutritional benefit, choosing a high-quality, raw, unfiltered honey can provide more antioxidants and enzymes. However, the most significant impact on health comes not from the type of sugar, but from the total amount consumed. Both honey and refined sugar contribute to your daily sugar intake, and a healthy diet prioritizes whole foods with naturally occurring sugars and fiber over all added sweeteners.

For more information on the impact of added sugars on your health, consult resources from organizations like the American Heart Association.

Note: Due to the risk of infant botulism, honey should never be given to children under 1 year of age.

Frequently Asked Questions

Honey is often considered slightly better due to its lower glycemic index and trace nutrients, especially in its raw form. However, both are concentrated sources of sugar that should be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.

Your body processes the glucose and fructose in both honey and refined sugar similarly. However, the fiber and other compounds in whole foods containing natural sugar slow down absorption, unlike honey and table sugar.

Health organizations classify honey as an 'added sugar' because it is a caloric sweetener that is added to foods, not found naturally within them, such as the fructose in fruit. It provides calories but lacks significant nutritional value.

Raw honey is minimally filtered and not heated, preserving more natural enzymes, pollen, and antioxidants. Processed honey is typically heated and fine-filtered for a clearer appearance and longer shelf life.

People with diabetes should treat honey like any other sugar, consuming it in moderation. While it has a slightly lower GI than table sugar, it still impacts blood sugar levels and should be accounted for in meal planning.

Research suggests that honey, particularly darker varieties, contains antioxidants and may have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the amounts are small, and large consumption would add excessive sugar and calories.

No, honey should not be given to infants under one year old due to the risk of infant botulism. The spores of the Clostridium botulinum bacteria, which can be found in honey, are safe for adults but can cause illness in infants.