Which honey for coffee? Can you add honey to coffee?
It is undeniable that coffee is the most popular drink in the world. With over 400 billion cups consumed every year, coffee lovers still can't get enough, and the coffee-drinking trend is intensifying 😊 In the modern world, you can drink coffee even in the beer you drink, as well as in the cake you eat. Some like it black, some add milk, and still others various sweeteners.
But did you know that many people use honey to sweeten their morning brew? Adding honey to coffee not only tastes delicious but also has many health benefits. We decided to delve a bit into the topic of drinking coffee with honey, and share the results of our analysis with you in this post.
We invite you to read and get some sweet inspiration!
Table of contents:
- Who started the trend of adding honey to coffee?
- Can honey in coffee be unhealthy?
- Honey vs sugar- comparison of honey and sugar
- Which honey for coffee?
- The best honey for coffee?
1. Who started the trend of adding honey to coffee? How did it start?
Honey was part of our lives as far back as 8000 years ago. However, the first person to add honey to coffee is still unknown. It most likely originates from the culture of coffee enthusiasts who love to experiment with many different flavours. This should not be surprising as sources state that caffeine supporters can consume their favourite drink even with the addition of salt, cinnamon, and even nitrogen.
Another reason why adding honey to coffee is not a huge shock is that our grandmothers were big fans of adding honey to tea. It is known that honey is a healthier alternative to sugar or other artificial sweeteners. It can therefore be expected that many people use honey to sweeten their coffee, but should we do it? Is it healthy?
2. Can honey in coffee be unhealthy?
Consuming something sweeter certainly comes at a price, right? Usually, when something tastes better, it has more calories. In short, the presence of honey in coffee will increase the number of calories in the cup. But don't worry, because this sweet, sticky alternative still has many health benefits. Honey in coffee, besides its calorie content, cannot provide any negative values, rather a host of positive ones.
3. Honey vs sugar- comparison of honey and sugar
If you are someone with experience in nutrition, you probably know that honey has slightly more calories than sugar. Honey also affects blood sugar levels in a similar way to regular sugar. Honey vs sugar is also a significant dissonance when it comes to caloric content. A teaspoon of honey has about 20 calories. White sugar has about 12 calories in a similar amount.
But if we're talking about health benefits, we can't just look at calories anymore. You have to look at the bigger picture to see why honey is a better solution that will give you an extra dose of energy for your mornings. This is where honey can help, however, white sugar not necessarily. What then are the health indications strengthening the position of honey in the duel honey vs sugar?
- Honey has desensitising properties
Due to the fact that honey contains pollen, it can help fight the symptoms of seasonal allergies, such as a runny nose, sore throat, or headaches. Imagine a beautiful spring morning with less of a runny nose and a sweet cup of coffee sipped in beautiful natural surroundings 😊
- Coffee and honey possess many antioxidants
Antioxidants help reduce the number of "sick" cells in the body. Too many of these sick cells can lead to negative long-term effects for the body. So adding a bit of honey instead of sugar can be very effective, and this definitely argues that coffee and honey is a good idea.
- Honey has many vitamins and minerals
It is very rare for something so sweet to contain so much good for the body. Honey is rich in calcium and vitamin C. It seems that honeybees care not only about the planet, but also about our health… 😊
It should be noted that all the precious health properties of honey apply only to natural, raw honey- we definitely recommend such honey for daily use in coffee. Raw honey comes directly from the hive. It contains more nutrients than regular shop-bought honey and is generally healthier. Why? It is not subject to high-temperature processing, which can damage the natural structure of the honey. If you are someone who wants to avoid processed sugars and preservatives, we recommend the real honeys that you will find in our shop.
Remember!
If your coffee is too hot, it can reduce the nutritional and health value of the honey, so it is best to wait until the coffee cools down a bit before adding the honey.
4. Which honey for coffee?
Now that we know why it is worth using real honey in coffee, it is worth noting what kind of honey should be used for this purpose. When it comes to the types of honey that best suit consumption with coffee, it often depends on our personal preferences- primarily taste, but also in terms of health properties.
There is a possibility that you might not like the taste of coffee with honey after the first time you add it. However, do not let this bad experience discourage you. Sometimes it's not the combination of honey and coffee that doesn't taste good, but the type of honey you are using. If you are not an expert on honey varieties- you can rely on us. We present a short guide on which honey for coffee will work best in your case.
Acacia Honey – Definitely the sweetest honey on the market. It goes great with morning coffee. It does not have intense flavor notes, but a delicate sweet aroma. Due to its lower glycaemic index, it will be recommended for diabetics.
Clover Honey – It has calming and soothing properties, which will most likely make your morning moment of relaxation an even more pleasant respite for the body.
Lime Honey – Warming, supporting the upper respiratory tract- it will definitely work in the autumn and winter period in this warm drink to strengthen our immunity.
Buckwheat Honey – essentially the most intense honey on the market. It has a very distinct bitterness-sharpness. We would not recommend it in coffee for beginner honey lovers. However, if you care about supporting heart and circulatory system function also while drinking coffee- we recommend rapeseed honey.
Multiflower Honey – a multi-valued honey in terms of taste and health. Additionally, it is the cheapest honey on the market. Thanks to this, it can be the most accessible substitute for regular white sugar.
5. The best honey for coffee?
There is no single best recommendation. There are many more types of honey available on the market than those mentioned above. However, there is a universal rule that in our opinion is worth sticking to when choosing honey for coffee…
… the darker the colour of the honey (black, brown), the less we recommend it for coffee!
Light honeys (white, yellow colour) mean less distinct flavour notes that will not interfere too much with the taste of our favourite coffee.
We remind you that each of the honeys available in our online shop is appropriately described; we encourage you to follow the description, where taste tips will definitely help you choose the best honey for coffee.
We encourage you to try every type and choose your favourite honey for coffee.
Remember!
If your coffee is too hot, it can reduce the nutritional and health value of the honey, so it is best to wait until the coffee cools down a bit before adding the honey.