Honey

Honey technically has more calories than sugar. 

A teaspoon of honey has about 21 calories, while one of white sugar contains around 16 calories. The sugars in honey have a lower glycemic index than those in white sugar. 

The glycemic index measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar levels. Foods with a lower GI cause a slower, more gradual rise in blood sugar.

Table sugar (sucrose) has a GI of about 65, while honey's GI typically ranges from 35-58, depending on the variety. This difference occurs because:

Honey contains a mixture of fructose and glucose (with more fructose), whereas table sugar is a 50/50 split of fructose and glucose.

Honey contains small amounts of fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that may slow glucose absorption.

The body processes all kinds of sugar in largely the same way. The differences in health benefits or risks between using honey and table sugar are largely negligible. 

If you're looking for a healthier sweet treat, consider choosing fruits, which contain sugar in their natural form.

Monofloral honey is made primarily from the nectar of one type of flower. Polyfloral honey, also known as wildflower honey, is derived from the nectar of many types of flowers.

Honey is produced by bees who have collected nectar or honeydew. Pure honey is considered kosher (permitted to be eaten by religious Jews), though it is produced by a flying insect, a non-kosher creature.

In Islam, an entire chapter (Surah) in the Quran is called an-Nahl (the Bees). According to his teachings (hadith), Muhammad strongly recommended honey for healing purposes.

The World Health Organization recommends honey as a treatment for coughs and sore throats.

In Hinduism, honey (Madhu) is one of the five elixirs of life (Panchamrita). 

India certifies honey grades based on additional factors, such as the Fiehe's test, and other empirical measurements.

The genus name Apis is Latin for "bee". While about 20,000 species of bees exist, only eight species of honey bee are recognized: 

• Apis andreniformis (the black dwarf honey bee)
• Apis cerana (the eastern honey bee)
• Apis dorsata (the giant honey bee)
• Apis florea (the red dwarf honey bee)
• Apis koschevnikovi (Koschevnikov's honey bee)
• Apis laboriosa (the Himalayan giant honey bee)
• Apis mellifera (the western honey bee)
• Apis nigrocincta (the Philippine honey bee).