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Author Topic: Is honey fattening?  (Read 9009 times)

Offline twb

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Is honey fattening?
« on: October 07, 2007, 09:26:26 am »
Some people say they do not wish to buy any honey from me because it would not fit in to their weight loss plan.  I try to smile and nod but then gently add that maple syrup and honey are two of the best natural sweeteners there are(imho).  I do understand that what we put the honey on may encourage weight gain but it made me wonder.....is honey really fattening?  Isn't there a whole diet based on consuming honey before retiring to bed so that the body's metabolic rate is speeded up causing weight loss while you sleep?
"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."  Proverbs 16:24

Sincerely,
TWB

Offline randydrivesabus

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Re: Is honey fattening?
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2007, 11:06:06 am »
i think honey and sugar are about equal in 'fattening' potential...the problem with honey, from the weight gain perspective, is that you are more likely to use honey on fattening foods than sugar. like you're not gonna spread sugar on a slice of toast.

Offline Understudy

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Re: Is honey fattening?
« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2007, 11:26:07 am »
http://www.honey.com/media/honeymonth/FS_HoneyNutrition.pdf
http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/item.php?item_id=19296&size=1
http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/sugar.htm (somewhat questionable but nutrion freaks love stuff like this)
http://nutrition.about.com/od/askyournutritionist/f/honey.htm ( a little better)


Honey is not fattening like say pasta alfredo. But as compared to sugar it has pluses and minuses. It has more calories teaspoon to teaspoon but you actually use less honey so it balances out. Also raw honey has other health benefits that sugar does not.

I think any real health food person would know this. I think they are either fake or don't want your honey.

Sincerely,
Brendhan



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Offline BeeHopper

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Re: Is honey fattening?
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2007, 12:07:26 pm »
Some people say they do not wish to buy any honey from me because it would not fit in to their weight loss plan.  I try to smile and nod but then gently add that maple syrup and honey are two of the best natural sweeteners there are(imho).  I do understand that what we put the honey on may encourage weight gain but it made me wonder.....is honey really fattening?  Isn't there a whole diet based on consuming honey before retiring to bed so that the body's metabolic rate is speeded up causing weight loss while you sleep?

Probably the same people who eat tons of food and wash it down with Diet Coke.  :roll:

Offline randydrivesabus

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Re: Is honey fattening?
« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2007, 12:43:03 pm »
i think the whole diet based on consuming honey before bed has more to do with sweet dreams than weight loss.

Offline Cindi

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Re: Is honey fattening?
« Reply #5 on: October 07, 2007, 01:21:12 pm »
That is a terrible mind set about honey being fattening, I don't doubt it is indeed more related upon what you put honey on that is fattening.  Honey is an incredible giver of energy.  Eat a teaspoon of honey and see how it uplifts your soul, even your metabolism.

Many athletes chose honey (products) as an energy food while any kind of endurance feats.  Known fact.

I would never not eat honey because I am worried about any kind of weight gain because of it.  The health benefits, in my opinion, outweigh the weight thingy.  Best of this beautiful day, lovin' this thing called life.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline bberry

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Re: Is honey fattening?
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2007, 09:00:10 pm »
In Ayurvedics honey is often used to make Rasayanas(herbal medicinal pastes) more palatable and that includes weight loss preperations. When following an ayurvedic diet complimentary to your dosha type honey is considered a neutral substance with the health benis mightily outweighing the bad.

Offline twb

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Re: Is honey fattening?
« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2007, 09:14:35 pm »
Thanks for all the links and comments.  Interesting to read and think about these things.  I am biased but it is difficult for me to see honey in anything but a positive light.  Enjoy your harvests. :)
"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."  Proverbs 16:24

Sincerely,
TWB

Offline Zoot

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Re: Is honey fattening?
« Reply #8 on: October 07, 2007, 11:13:08 pm »
the positive benefits of honey are undisputable. Yet as with many things there are limitations; I know people who've insisted on giving it in various forms to infants - a proven negative. Also had friends back in the 60's ( I lived on a commune for almost 2 years) when honey enjoyed a huge revival of popularity who assumed that honey was a an all around perfect substitute for sugar with none of the ill effects like calorie accumulation, tooth decay, etc. Lots of people today have ruined teeth because their parents misunderstood this.

Offline Cindi

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Re: Is honey fattening?
« Reply #9 on: October 08, 2007, 12:47:33 am »
Basically, honey does contain, in minute amounts, the botulism spores.  They can live without air.  Children under the age of 2 should not be given honey, period......These young people  run the risk of botulism poisoning, as their immune systems are not completely developed.  Not a good idea.  Always remember that.  Have a wonderful day, this beautiful life we live. Cindi

Quote from Wikipedia, the first site that came up as I googled.  Listen and learn.

Infant botulism

Infant botulism (first recognized in 1976) is the most common form of the ailment in the United States, but is rarely diagnosed in other countries. It affects about 100 infants per year in the United States, with the majority in the state of California (50–60%). Infants less than 12 months of age are susceptible, with 95% of cases occurring between the ages of 3 weeks and 6 months of age at presentation. The mode of action of this form is through colonization by germinating spores in the gut of an infant. The first symptom is usually constipation, followed by generalized weakness, loss of head control and difficulty feeding. Like the other forms of botulism, the symptoms are caused by the absorption of botulinum toxin, and typically progress to a symmetric descending flaccid paralysis. Death is the eventual outcome unless the infant receives artificial ventilation.

Honey, corn syrup, and other sweeteners are potentially dangerous for infants. This is partly because the digestive juices of an infant are less acidic than older children and adults, and may be less likely to destroy ingested spores. In addition, young infants do not yet have sufficient numbers of resident microbiota in their intestines to competitively exclude C. botulinum. Unopposed in the small intestine, the warm body temperature combined with an anaerobic environment creates a medium for botulinum spores to germinate, divide and produce toxin. Thus, C. botulinum is able to colonize the gut of an infant with relative ease, whereas older children and adults are not typically susceptible to ingested spores. C. botulinum spores are widely present in the environment, including honey. For this reason, it is advised that neither honey, nor any other sweetener, be given to children until after 12 months. Nevertheless, the majority of infants with botulism have no history of ingestion of honey, and the exact source of the offending spores is unclear about 85% of the time. Spores present in the soil are a leading candidate for most cases, and often a history of construction near the home of an affected infant may be obtained.
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline JP

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Re: Is honey fattening?
« Reply #10 on: October 08, 2007, 02:07:40 am »
The foods to watch out for are ones with empty calories such as refined white sugar, bleached white rice and white bread. Of course these and any food can and should be eaten in moderation. Balance is the key. If someone is fat because they are taking in more calories than they burn then they need to reverse this scheme. Imo food is what you make it to be. Raw honey is a good food in moderation, its sweet, but does give something back to the system.
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Offline Moonshae

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Re: Is honey fattening?
« Reply #11 on: October 08, 2007, 09:09:45 am »
Basically, 3500 calories = 1 lb of body fat. So to lose 1 lb, you need to burn 3500 calories more than you consume; to gain a pound, you need to consume 3500 calories more than you burn (this is why it's so much easier to gain weight than lose it). Thus, any food with calories is "fattening" if used in excess, but 1 calorie from honey vs 1 calorie from a rice cake vs 1 calorie from chicken are the same with regard to body weight.

Controlling your calorie intake, exercising, and maximizing the nutrition from each calorie consumed is probably the best weight-management strategy.
"The mouth of a perfectly contented man is filled with beer." - Egyptian Proverb, 2200 BC

Offline reinbeau

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Re: Is honey fattening?
« Reply #12 on: October 08, 2007, 09:16:17 am »

Controlling your calorie intake, exercising, and maximizing the nutrition from each calorie consumed is probably the best weight-management strategy.
I agree with your assessment, but I'd rearrange the order.  Maximize the nutrition from each calorie, exercise consistantly and control your caloric intake.  So many people are looking for a magic pill that'll help them lose weight when they've got all the control they need.  Eat reasonable quantities of whole, unprocessed, unrefined food as you can (that includes honey!), complex carbohydrates, well-raised meat if you eat meat (a reference to my current read, The Omnivore's Dilemma), and move!  You can't lose or maintain weight while sitting on a coach watching TV, laying in bed reading, sitting around a restaurant table, or any other leisure activities that don't involve movement.  You've got to move to keep fit, burn calories, feel energized and alive.

Offline Scadsobees

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Re: Is honey fattening?
« Reply #13 on: October 08, 2007, 11:47:33 am »
They may be on a low-carb diet.  Carbs are a no-no....
Honey is all carbs (except the water).  Sure it is a slower processed carb than white sugar, but a carbohydrate non-the-less.

Define fattening...Honey is a no-fat food! :)
Rick

Offline kensfarm

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Re: Is honey fattening?
« Reply #14 on: October 08, 2007, 10:00:47 pm »
Of course it's fatting..  haven't you guys seen Poo Bear stuck in Rabbits house!   :-D

Offline JP

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Re: Is honey fattening?
« Reply #15 on: October 08, 2007, 10:33:08 pm »
Unless for specific matabolical conditions beware of low anything diets, moderation again is key. Eat a balanced diet and move like reinbeau says. No such thing as easy, but diet can be enjoyable. We are so spoiled, if we can catch it and get it in our mouths we'll eat it. :-D
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anything