Why honey’s just as bad for you as white sugar

It’s promoted as a healthy alternative to sugar and believed to be a more natural way to sweeten your morning cup of tea.

But honey and syrups are just as harmful to health – in terms of fuelling calorie intake, obesity and associated health problems – as processed table sugar, campaigners say.

A study has confirmed that honey, often used as an ingredient and on pack descriptions as a badge of goodness, is no different to standard white sugar.

For example, a teaspoon of Asda Extra special Manuka Honey, sold for £5.98 a jar and which can be added to a cuppa, is equivalent to 6g of sugars – even more than the 4g in a standard teaspoon of table sugar. the same issue is seen with natural syrups and nectars, also sold as alternatives to sugar.

For example, one portion (15ml) of Morrisons the Best 100% Pure Canadian Maple syrup added to porridge contains 13.1g of total sugars, which is not much less than an equivalent portion – 15g – of table sugar. the figures come from campaigning group Action on sugar, which analysed 223 honeys, sugars and syrups sold on the high street. It says consumers are being ‘misled’ and is calling for a change in the law to ensure that all food and drink packaging clearly displays its true contribution to our daily consumption of free sugars, which should be no more than 30g.

Campaign lead at the group, Dr Kawther Hashem, based at Queen Mary University, London, said: ‘ It’s disappointing that companies boast about products containing honey, knowing that honey and syrups are nearly as high in sugars as table sugar. the amount added is often really small (1g or 2g) while the main sweetening ingredient continues to be other high-sugar syrups and table sugar (25g). this is to mislead customers into thinking the products are healthier and better than they really are. Our advice is to always opt for less sweetness by using less sugar, syrups and honey.’

For many years honey, particularly expensive Manuka honey from New Zealand, pictured, has been promoted on the basis that it offers health benefits.

However, Action on sugar insisted: ‘the evidence around the supposed health benefits of honey is limited.’ It added: ‘there are no approved health and nutrition claims for honey. ’