Honey vs. white sugar: All the differences you did not know

Which has fewer calories, which is sweeter and what percentage of sugar is in honey? What’s the best way to sweeten food? Here’s everything you want and need to know.

 Spiced honey cake (photo credit: PASCALE PEREZ-RUBIN)
Spiced honey cake
(photo credit: PASCALE PEREZ-RUBIN)

Here are some differences between honey and white sugar you probably aren’t aware of, and are important to know:

Israeli beekeeper Paz Raziel check a honeycomb in a field near Kibbutz Yad Mordechai (Credit: GIL COHEN MAGEN/REUTERS)
Israeli beekeeper Paz Raziel check a honeycomb in a field near Kibbutz Yad Mordechai (Credit: GIL COHEN MAGEN/REUTERS)

Calories

Honey has fewer calories than white sugar. How much less? One hundred grams of sugar has 400 calories, 100 grams of honey has only 320, which is a significant difference.

Sweetness

Honey is 1.3 times sweeter than white sugar. Therefore, you can use less honey and still get the same level of sweetness you want in a recipe.

(Credit: Ingimage)
(Credit: Ingimage)

Composition

White sugar consists of 100% sugar molecules. Honey is 80% sugar, along with 17% water and 3% compounds including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and propolis.

Purity

Honey is a raw material that comes from nature. Wait, but sugar also comes from sugar cane which grows in the ground, right? True, but the white sugar we buy goes through various processes, including refining, which strips away any nutritional value.

The bottom line is that in any baked goods you make, the use of a sweetener should be moderate and measured. You’ll have some advantages with honey.

This article was originally published by The Jerusalem Post's sister site, Walla!