What is the best honey for building muscle?

October 20, 2025 •

3 min read

A 2001 study presented at the Experimental Biology conference found that honey, a complex of natural sugars, performed just as well as commercial glucose-based sports gels in boosting athletic endurance. This makes honey a compelling natural alternative, but what is the best honey for building muscle, and how can athletes strategically use it for maximum gains?

Quick Summary

Honey is an effective natural carbohydrate source for athletes, providing both pre-workout energy and aiding post-workout recovery by replenishing glycogen stores and leveraging anti-inflammatory properties. Raw honey is typically superior to processed versions, with specialized types like Manuka offering enhanced antioxidant and recovery benefits crucial for muscle building.

Key Points

Manuka is Best for Recovery: Its high anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties significantly aid in reducing muscle soreness and speeding up post-workout recovery.
Acacia is Best for Sustained Energy: With its higher fructose content and lower glycemic index, it provides a steady, longer-lasting energy source ideal for endurance workouts.
Raw is Always Better: Raw, unprocessed honey retains more beneficial nutrients, enzymes, and antioxidants than its processed counterpart, making it the superior choice for muscle building.
Strategic Timing is Key: Use honey pre-workout for fuel and post-workout with protein to maximize glycogen replenishment and muscle repair.
Variety Offers Different Benefits: Other honey types like Chestnut and Thyme provide specific benefits such as cramp prevention (minerals) and antiseptic qualities.
Part of a Balanced Diet: Honey serves as an excellent complement to a well-rounded fitness and nutrition regimen, not a magic bullet for muscle growth on its own.

The Role of Honey in a Bodybuilding Diet

For bodybuilders, diet is crucial for fueling intense workouts and supporting recovery. Honey, a natural sugar source, is seen as a less processed alternative to some sports supplements. It aids muscle building through energy provision, glycogen replenishment, anti-inflammatory support, and antioxidant effects. Honey contains glucose for quick energy and fructose for sustained release and liver glycogen replenishment, which helps maintain stable blood sugar. This makes it useful before, during, or after exercise.

Why Raw Honey is the Superior Choice

Processing methods like pasteurization and filtration in commercial honeys can remove beneficial compounds. Raw honey, being minimally processed, retains more nutrients such as bee pollen, propolis, enzymes, and antioxidants. These components offer several advantages:

Retained Nutrients: Raw honey includes vitamins and minerals important for energy metabolism and health.
Enhanced Antioxidants: Antioxidants like flavonoids and phenolic acids in raw honey help combat oxidative stress and inflammation from exercise.
Functional Compounds: Bee pollen and propolis provide amino acids, proteins, and antibacterial properties, supporting recovery and immune function.

Comparing Different Honey Types for Muscle Building

The floral source of honey influences its properties. Some types are particularly beneficial for muscle building:

Manuka Honey: Known for potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects due to high methylglyoxal (MGO) levels. It aids faster recovery and reduces muscle soreness and contains some amino acids.
Acacia Honey: A light-colored honey with a high fructose-to-glucose ratio, providing a lower glycemic index and a more sustained energy release, beneficial for longer workouts.
Chestnut Honey: A darker honey rich in minerals like magnesium and potassium, vital for muscle function and preventing cramps.
Thyme Honey: Offers antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties that support recovery and soothe muscle inflammation.

Honey Type Comparison for Muscle Building


Attribute	Raw Manuka Honey	Raw Acacia Honey	Raw Multifloral Honey
Energy Release	Steady (medium GI)	Sustained (lower GI)	Variable, depending on floral source
Key Benefits	Superior anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, amino acids	Stable, sustained energy from high fructose	Balanced nutrition, general recovery support
Best For	Enhanced recovery, reducing soreness	Endurance workouts, steady fuel	Everyday use, versatile flavoring
Anti-inflammatory/ Antioxidant Levels	High	Moderate	Variable, often high in darker varieties

Practical Ways to Incorporate Honey into Your Routine

Strategic timing and combinations maximize honey's benefits for muscle building:

Pre-Workout Fuel:

Mix 1-2 tablespoons into oatmeal before a workout for sustained energy.
Take a teaspoon or add to a drink for a quick boost before heavy lifting.

Post-Workout Recovery:

Blend 1-2 tablespoons into your protein shake. The carbohydrates can trigger an insulin spike, helping transport amino acids to muscle cells for repair.
Drizzle over Greek yogurt or cottage cheese for protein and fast carbs to replenish glycogen.

During Exercise:

For long training, mix honey with water and salt for a homemade sports drink to maintain energy and electrolytes.

Conclusion

The best honey depends on your goals. For recovery and reducing inflammation, raw Manuka honey is excellent. For sustained energy during long training, raw acacia honey is beneficial due to its high fructose content. Any high-quality raw honey offers natural sugars, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, providing a natural alternative to refined sugars. Integrating honey should complement a diet with consistent training and sufficient protein for muscle-building success.

To learn more about the role of polyphenols in recovery, check out the abstract from this study: Flavonoid Containing Polyphenol Consumption and Recovery from....

Frequently Asked Questions

While regular honey still provides carbohydrates for energy, raw, unprocessed honey is a better option for muscle building. Processed honey is often heated and filtered, which removes beneficial enzymes, bee pollen, and some antioxidants that aid in recovery and overall health.

For pre-workout fuel, 1 to 2 tablespoons about 30-45 minutes beforehand is often sufficient. Post-workout, a tablespoon blended into a protein shake is a good amount. The exact dose depends on your workout intensity and body weight.

Honey has a lower glycemic index than table sugar because it contains both fructose and glucose. This results in a more gradual and sustained release of energy, preventing the severe blood sugar spikes and crashes associated with refined sugars.

Post-workout, honey helps by rapidly replenishing depleted glycogen stores in muscles. Its natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties also help reduce muscle soreness and oxidative stress caused by intense exercise, speeding up the repair process.

Manuka honey contains high levels of methylglyoxal (MGO) and a rich concentration of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. These unique properties are particularly effective at combating the inflammation and oxidative stress that follow intense training, promoting faster and more efficient muscle repair.

Yes, mixing honey with a protein shake post-workout is highly effective. The carbohydrates from the honey help trigger an insulin response, which assists in shuttling amino acids from the protein into your muscle cells to maximize protein synthesis and recovery.

Beyond fueling and recovery, honey can support hydration and electrolyte balance when mixed with water and a pinch of salt. Its antioxidant properties also support the immune system, which can be temporarily suppressed by strenuous exercise.