Can Honey Help You Lose Weight?

Losing weight has been the ultimate goal for serious health problems such as high blood sugar level, high blood pressure, and high blood cholesterol level. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has even suggested that 5 to 10% of body weight loss will improve the three conditions mentioned above. Although weight loss is beneficial, healthy and sustainable weight loss is recommended over drastic weight loss.

 

A healthy weight loss is defined by the weight loss of 0.5 kilogram per week for short term, or loss of 5 to 10% of total body weight over the course of 6 months. Anything more than that is considered as drastic and may not be sustainable for the individual. Sometimes, it might even cause harm if the loss is too drastic and involve extreme calorie reduction.

 

It is almost generally known that eating less will cause you to lose weight, however, how less should you eat?

 

We all need a certain amount of energy for our daily functions such as breathing, organ functions, blood circulation, and brain functions. This energy will have to be obtained through food, and that is why we should never eat too little, as this will not provide enough energy for necessary body functions.

 

There is a thing called negative energy balance, where if you eat less energy than the amount of energy you use for daily bodily functions, food digestion and exercising, you will lose weight. For example, if you eat 1700 kilocalories and you use 2000 kilocalories for daily bodily functions, food digestion, and exercising, then you will certainly lose weight since you take in less energy than the amount of energy you lose.

 

Not only is the amount of food you eat important in controlling your weight, but the type matters too. It is crucial to avoid foods high in sugar and fat as these two holds the most calories, and it is very easy to over-eat these foods, due to their excellent mouthfeel and taste.

 

You can take for example, a palm-sized chocolate chip cookie which contains around 220 kilocalories, which is equivalent to approximately 3 scoops of white rice. The thing here is, you will not be full if you eat a piece of cookie and there is a tendency that you will eat more cookies to be full or you will top up on other foods to satisfy your stomach which will add up on the amount of calories you take in. In comparison, you will certainly be full if you eat 3 scoops of rice, along with some protein and vegetables, which will prevent you from binging on other foods.

 

Adding honey to your routine might also help you lose weight, given that you have taken all steps necessary for weight loss such as taking care of your diet and exercising.

 

A study where 38 individuals were given 70 grams of honey daily for 30 days, have managed to lose 1.3% of their weight, and none of them gained any weight, when compared to 17 individuals who were given 70 grams of table sugar daily for 30 days who gained 0.6% of their weight. Another study which involved 30 obese individuals given 48 grams of honey over 48 days, reported significant reduction in body weight, body mass index, and waist circumference. It is believed that antioxidants called polyphenols in honey, such as caffeic acid and quercetin help to reduce body weight and fat mass. Another study done on 25 diabetic patients receiving honey for 8 weeks, also reported significant weight reduction of an average of 2.5% weight loss.

 

Not only does the honey help with body weight reduction, but it also helps to improve lipid profile such as your cholesterol and triglyceride (fat in the bloodstream) reading.

 

Sometimes, people who are overweight or obese tend to have abnormal lipid profile, thus consuming honey will help kill two birds with one stone. However, it is important to also take care of the dietary consumption such as controlling sugar and fat intake and increasing intake of fiber from fruits and vegetables, as well as regular exercising to fasten the weight loss process. Bear in mind that the purity of honey consumed is also crucial in helping weight loss process, as adulterated honey or honey added with sugar might impede the weight loss journey.

 

References:

Nemoseck, T. M., Carmody, E. G., Furchner-Evanson, A., Gleason, M., Li, A., Potter, H., Rezende, L. M., Lane, K. J., & Kern, M. (2011). Honey promotes lower weight gain, adiposity, and triglycerides than sucrose in rats. Nutrition Research, 31(1), 55–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2010.11.002

Bahrami, M., Ataie-Jafari, A., Hosseini, S., Foruzanfar, M. H., Rahmani, M. & Pajouhi, M. (2022). Effects of natural honey consumption in diabetic patients: an 8-week randomized clinical trial. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 60(7), 618 - 626. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/09637480801990389

Hashim, K. N., Chin, K. Y., & Ahmad, F. (2021). The Mechanism of Honey in Reversing Metabolic Syndrome. Molecules, 26(4), 808. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26040808

Pai, S., Shivappa, C. B. & Surendra, A. (2018). Anti-obesity and Anti-hyperlipidemic activity of Processed Honey - A Randomised, Open labeled, Controlled Clinical Study. Journal Of Research In Traditional Medicine, 4(2), 40–48. https://doi.org//fulltextpdf.php?mno=816

Yaghoobi, N., Al-Waili, N., Ghayour-Mobarhan, M., Parizadeh, S. M. R., Abasalti, Z., Yaghoobi, Z., Yaghoobi, F., Esmaeili, H., Kazemi-Bajestani, S. M. R., Aghasizadeh, R., Saloom, K. Y., & Ferns, G. A. A. (2008). Natural Honey and Cardiovascular Risk Factors; Effects on Blood Glucose, Cholesterol, Triacylglycerole, CRP, and Body Weight Compared with Sucrose. The Scientific World JOURNAL, 8, 463–469. https://doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2008.64