added: 25-08-2026

Honey for athletes

Honey is a natural sugar, produced directly by bees from nectar. This golden substance is collected in hives by our winged friends and is essentially ready for consumption immediately. Its composition varies depending on the environment in which the bees live – flowers, pines, trees, plants… It contains glucose, fructose, and trace elements, thanks to which you will discover that honey for athletes is an ideal ally[1].

Table of contents:

Why honey is good for athletes
When athletes should consume honey to maximise their results
Acacia honey for runners
Benefits of organic acacia honey for athletes

1.Why honey is good for athletes

If you have been buying sports gels to sustain yourself during training, you might try honey instead. According to findings presented at the annual Experimental Biology conference, honey is good for athletes because it provides a significant performance boost during strenuous exercise. "In many studies, carbohydrates have been highlighted as a key nutrient in endurance exercise," – says lead researcher Richard Kreider of the Exercise and Sport Nutrition Laboratory at the University of Memphis. "Most studies to date have found that glucose supplementation provides additional endurance. We were pleased to find that honey, a "cocktail" of different natural sugars, worked just as well." The team allowed nine male cyclists to ride 64 kilometres a week for three weeks, feeding them honey, dextrose gel, or a flavoured, calorie-free placebo. Participants received 15 grams of this supplement along with 250 millilitres of water before the race, and then every 16 kilometres while cycling. Both honey and dextrose gel led to better time results and greater cycling power among athletes compared to the placebo effects. While the dextrose gel slightly outperformed the honey, the difference was negligible, leading the researchers to conclude that honey can be a natural and effective source of carbohydrates for endurance athletes[2].

2. When athletes should consume honey to maximise their results

The idea of supporting training with carbohydrates is not new. Every athlete has heard of carbohydrates. Whether we like to consume carbohydrates or not, the basic fact is that carbohydrates provide the body with energy to burn. The British Nutrition Foundation puts it very succinctly: The main role of carbohydrates in physical activity is to provide energy. For athletes, if their diet does not contain enough carbohydrates, their performance and recovery are likely to be impaired, as carbohydrates are a key fuel for the brain and muscles during exercise. Experts recommend eating 300-400 g of carbohydrates 3-4 hours before a run. This is exactly when honey fuels the body for the upcoming work, thus honey maximises athletic performance[3].

3. Acacia honey for runners

In the scientific journal Medical Journal Malaysia (IMJM), the results of scientific research regarding the effect of acacia honey on runner performance in the heat compared to a commercially available sports drink were presented. The study results proved that glucose, insulin, cortisol levels, total antioxidant status, and running performance did not differ statistically between the honey and sports drink trials. These findings indicate that a drink with acacia honey and a sports drink consumed before and during exercise produced a similar effect on glucose metabolism and performance in endurance running. Therefore, acacia honey can be used as an ergogenic aid for athletes who train and compete in hot and humid environments and represents a significantly healthier choice than an energy drink[4].

4. Benefits of organic acacia honey for athletes

A source of glucose, providing immediate energy.
A source of fructose, gradually releasing energy during sports activity.
Moderate glycaemic index suitable for long-term sports activity.
Effective digestion during sports due to its liquid form.
100% natural and organic[5].

In summary, honey, and in particular acacia honey is an ideal product for athletes which not only provides energy properties to support training but is also a healthy, natural, and very easily absorbed carbohydrate, as it has the lowest glycaemic index of all honeys (around 30) and a high fructose content[6].

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