Despite its sugar content, honey, especially raw honey, has long been associated with health benefits. The trace nutrients it contains may have antioxidant and antibacterial properties, while there are even claims that honey can reduce appetite. Relying on healthy drinks containing honey is one of the best ways to enjoy honey on a regular basis without overindulging in sugar intake.
The drinks on this list typically use about a teaspoon or two of honey, often as a sweetener. The honey can also help soften the intense flavors of other ingredients like lemon or turmeric, creating a delicious drink that you're sure to enjoy.
Many of these drinks contain a variety of ingredients that may benefit health in different ways, such as:TurmericAndCinammon. This makes them particularly powerful.
Before we begin, let's dispel a common myth - the notion that honey is toxic when heated. This is not the case at all. Honey is perfectly fine once heated.
Heated honey may not be quite as healthy as cold honey, as the heat changes the chemical composition somewhat and could weaken or even denature some enzymes. Despite this, heated honey is still healthy and safe to enjoy.
Table of contents
Healthy drinks with honey
- Honigwasser
- honey with milk
- golden milk
- Smoothies
- honey and tea
- honey and coffee
- honey lemon water
- Ginger tea with honey and lemon
- Homemade lemonade
- Rosemary Raspberry Lemonade
- Other types of lemonade
- Hot toddy
- Honigcocktails
- Honey Limeade
- Icetea
- Hot chocolate
Honigwasser
The easiest way to drink honey is to mix it with warm water. The water doesn't have to be boiling hot—just warm enough for the honey to dissolve. While the drink isn't packed with flavor, it's an almost effortless way to enjoy honey. You don't even have to boil the pitcher. Hot water from the tap would be warm enough.
There's also the suggestion that warm water in the morning might help with digestion. You may also get more energy if you drink the water on an empty stomach.
The honey can also provide additional benefits as it contains some nutrients and minerals. And of course, honey contains some sugar, so warm water and honey will give you more energy than water alone.
honey with milk
Honey and warm milk is a soothing drink that is ideal in the evening. The idea is basically an evolution of a glass of warm milk, giving you extra flavor and trace elements from the honey.
You can also take the drink a step further by adding spices. Even just cinnamon and vanilla take the drink from simple to amazing. You can even use cardamom and cloves to create a soothing spiced drink.
golden milk
Golden milk is a hot drink made with turmeric and some type of milk (plant-based milk is typically the most common choice). The basic idea is that you boil the ingredients together, simmer, and then strain the finished drink into cups.
We include golden milk in this list because it's often made with additional ingredients, including various spices and honey. The honey is especially important as it helps soften the drink and lessen its otherwise intense flavor.
Smoothies
Smoothies can be made in countless ways with different flavor profiles. Many rely on fruit, fruit juice, or even simple sugar for added sweetness. However, honey is also sometimes used as a sweetener. Honey is actually a particularly good choice as it gives the smoothie its very own flavor.
Also, a smoothie with honey is healthier than one that uses too much fruit juice.
There are even some smoothies that take advantage of the flavor of honey. To do this, you need to make sure that the other ingredients are relatively mild. Ingredients like almond milk, cinnamon, and plain yogurt are all examples that can work well.
The trick with smoothies isChoose your ingredients carefully. When you focus on nutrient-dense ingredients and superfoods, you end up with a healthy drink that may also fill you up. On the other hand, smoothies that rely heavily on fruit juice, bananas, and fruit are often loaded with sugar and may not be good for you at all.
honey and tea
Instead of adding sugar to sweeten your tea, you can use honey instead. This is an easy way to appreciate honey, as the flavors of honey and tea complement each other perfectly.
It doesn't matter if you put milk in your tea or not, the honey will work just fine either way.
Likewise, you can use honey with any type of tea. This includes herbal teas. In fact, the flavor of honey naturally complements many types of herbal teas. For example, clover or holly honeys pair well with jasmine tea, while mild honeys pair perfectly with chamomile tea.
With so many types of herbal teas and just as many types of honey, you may have to play around to find the best combination. That's not a bad thing. In fact, experimenting can be quite fun.
honey and coffee
Most people prefer sugar over honey with their coffee and it's easy to see why. Honey has a distinctive flavor that doesn't always pair well with coffee. This is especially true if you are using heavily flavored honey.
However, some types of honey pair better with coffee than others. You might get lucky and find a coffee and honey combo you love.
Also, some people enjoy the taste of honey in their coffee. After all, we all have our own taste preferences. Choosing mild honey is a good start as there is less risk of the honey's flavor clashing with your coffee.
You can also add other complementary ingredients like cinnamon and vanilla extract. Combining such ingredients creates a more complex flavor profile that could make your coffee much more delicious.
honey lemon water
This hot drink is as simple as the name suggests. You just drink a cup of hot water to which some lemon juice and honey have been added.
Various claims have been made about this drink, including the idea that it can help you lose weight or get rid of toxins. Such claims are often exaggerated, but you won't see any ill effects from honey lemon water either. After all, you only look at three ingredients and they are all good for you.
Last but not least, honey lemon water is an easy way to increase your water intake, especially on a cold day. This alone makes the drink a healthy choice.
Ginger tea with honey and lemon
While we talked about honey and tea earlier in this list, the idea of lemon and ginger tea deserves a special mention. The drink is often popular because of the ginger, as various health benefits are attributed to ginger. Many people also love the taste, making it a more interesting drink than hot water with lemon and honey.
There are various ginger teas on the market, but most people who talk about ginger tea with honey and lemon make the drink themselves. That means grating the ginger root yourself and soaking it in water.
Using fresh ginger can be a little frustrating when you're short on time. Still, the end result is worth the effort. Ginger powder just doesn't have the same flavor intensity as fresh ginger. You'll also likely see more health benefits with the fresh stuff.
Homemade lemonade
Lemonade is often a sugary drink that may not even contain very much lemon juice. However, if you make lemonade yourself, you can control the amounts of ingredients used.
Many homemade lemonade recipes don't use that much sugar at all. This approach allows the lemon to become the dominant aroma, as it should be.
Swapping the sugar for honey also works well. The flavor of the honey often complements the lemonade well. When using honey, it's important to heat the lemonade as part of the preparation process. This helps bring the lemon flavor into the water, but the main reason is to make sure the honey dissolves well.
Rosemary Raspberry Lemonade
Regular lemonade isn't the only approach to consider. Many variations use additional ingredients for flavor, like rosemary raspberry lemonade. This approach preserves aromas of rosemary, raspberry, lemon, and the honey, making it a more sophisticated drink than the classic lemonade.
Heating is important for this recipe as well, and not just because you're using honey. You also need to boil the rosemary with water to make a rosemary infusion. This part of the process is essential, as you won't get the flavors of rosemary by simply adding the herb to your drink on its own.
Other types of lemonade
There are, of course, countless other types of adult soda to consider. These follow a similar theme, where you add additional flavoring ingredients to create a more complex drink.
Many of these recipes use mint leaves to create a refreshing drink that's ideal for summer. Sometimes lemon balm is also used. This is an additional source of lemon flavor for the drink that also adds a subtle flavor variation.
Hot toddy
A hot toddy is a classic cocktail for everyonea cough or a cold. A lot of people find that they enjoy ithot cocktailevery cold evening, especially when they're trying to relax.
The ingredients of a hot toddy are all classic for a healthy hot drink, including lemon, cinnamon, honey and hot water. Other spices like turmeric or star anise can be added depending on your taste preferences.
The special thing about the Hot Toddy is of course the alcohol (the drink is actually one of manyHonigcocktails). A hot toddy is generally spiked with whiskey or perhaps rum. The alcohol makes the drink even more warming and relaxing. The alcohol is relevant even for those with a guilty conscience as it can help soothe your throat and make sleep a little easier.
Just watch out for the alcohol content. Too much alcohol in your hot toddy can easily dehydrate you, meaning you get fewer benefits from the drink itself.
Now, the inclusion of alcohol in a list of healthy drinks is somewhat controversial. Some people believe that giving up alcohol completely is the best health option, while others believe that a little alcohol every once in a while is actually good for you. We'll let you make up your own mind, but either way, the rest of the ingredients in a hot toddy are very healthy indeed.
Honigcocktails
Honey also finds its way into cocktails. For example, a Bee's Knees cocktail may be made with gin, honey, and lime juice, while another type of honey cocktail uses tequila, lemon juice, and honey.
As with a hot toddy, whether you consider a honey cocktail healthy depends entirely on your definition of healthy. Still, many such cocktails keep sugar levels down and don't rely on fruit juice, so they're pretty healthy when it comes to cocktails.
Honey Limeade
We mentioned different types of lemonade earlier in this list. Limeade is a similar approach that relies on limes rather than lemons as a source of citrus. The process can be more difficult since limes have much less juice than lemons and have their own distinctive flavor.
Nevertheless, you can certainly make delicious lemonade with honey as a sweetener. And once again, there are many variations for you to try. Adding fresh ginger is a simple approach that works surprisingly well. Cucumber, orange, blueberry, peach, and even coconut are other flavors that sometimes find their way into lemonade recipes.
Icetea
Honey is not reserved for hot tea. It works just as well as a sweetener for iced tea. The process is easy since you'll generally be using hot water to steep your tea bags anyway. You can mix in the honey after removing the tea bags and before chilling the tea.
This process means the honey completely dissolves, pleasantly sweetening your drink. The rest of the steps are the same as any other type of iced tea.
Hot chocolate
Did you know honey works in hot chocolate too? Now we're not talking about the hot chocolate powder mixes that you can buy at many stores, which often rely on fillers and have a decent amount of sugar. Adding honey to any of these would make an overly sweet drink that isn't very healthy at all.
Instead, honey works best when combined with high cacao cocoa. The cocoa content should be at least 75%, although higher cocoa concentrations are always better.
There are two reasons. First, the high cocoa content means you're getting many of the beneficial compounds that cocoa offers. Low cacao products don't have nearly as many of these compounds.
Also, products high in cocoa content tend to be bitter. Honey is a perfect way to balance out that bitterness while still getting the best results.
FAQs
What is a healthy morning drink with honey? ›
Honey With lemon
It is also called a morning drink. As simple as the name recommends, you should simply fill your glass with warm water, get some lemon juice into it, and add 1-2 teaspoons of honey. This drink is very beneficial for those people who want weight reduction and detox overall.
Mead (/miːd/) is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey mixed with water, and sometimes with added ingredients such as fruits, spices, grains, or hops.
How do you use honey in drinks? ›A one-to-one ratio of honey to water will make a mild-tasting honey syrup. For something richer, you can bump up the ratio of honey to water, making a 2:1 syrup or even a 3:1.
What happens when you drink honey with warm water every morning? ›Keeps your body hydrated
Another great benefit of warm water with honey is that both possess moisturising properties. Hence, when you drink this mixture first thing in the morning, your body automatically stays duly hydrated all day. This also further aids in the fat burning process to hasten weight loss.
Also, keep in mind that honey is a type of sugar, so consuming it will cause your blood sugar levels to rise ( 20 , 21 ). Plus, eating large quantities of honey, especially consistently over a long period, can contribute to weight gain and increase your risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes or heart disease.
Should I drink honey before sleep? ›Additionally, honey may promote melatonin formation due to its possible tryptophan content (a precursor to melatonin) that both helps to initiate sleep as well as promote release of hormones that facilitate whole body recovery during sleep.
What is the healthiest drink to drink in the morning? ›- Honey and cinnamon drink. Have a glass of honey and cinnamon drink first thing in the morning. ...
- Lemon Juice. ...
- Cinnamon Green Tea. ...
- Coconut water. ...
- Aloe juice. ...
- Pomegranate tea. ...
- Fruit smoothies. ...
- Green tea lassi.
Daily consumption of this natural golden elixir is good for children and adults alike. Drinking honey with warm water is not a miraculous drink. Be it losing weight, giving you smooth and shiny skin, or boosting your immune system, it comes with a host of benefits that are good for your health in the long run.
Is honey drink good for health? ›Honey has been linked to health benefits like improved heart health, wound healing, and blood antioxidant status. However, consuming too much may cause adverse effects due to its high sugar and calorie content. Thus, it's best to use honey to replace other forms of sugar and enjoy it in moderation.
What are the benefits of honey to the body? ›In addition to its use as a natural sweetener, honey is used as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial agent. People commonly use honey orally to treat coughs and topically to treat burns and promote wound healing.
What can I drink with honey for a sore throat? ›
Honey For a Sore Throat
Mix two tablespoons of honey in with a warm glass of water or tea and stir it well. Drink several times a day as needed. It's important to note that honey should not be given to infants under the age of one.
It works as a natural laxative, boosts metabolism, improves memory, helps in combating seasonal flu, allergies, fever, cold, sore throat and has anti- carcinogenic properties, which prevent several types of cancer.
Do you put honey in tea or coffee? ›Honey has long been used to sweeten foods and beverages, including tea and coffee. In fact, many people prefer this sweet, thick liquid as a healthier alternative to sugar or zero-calorie sweeteners. However, while honey may offer several health benefits, it has some drawbacks to consider.
How do you drink honey daily? ›- Use honey to sweeten your dressings or marinades.
- Stir honey into coffee or tea.
- Drizzle honey on top of toast or pancakes.
- Mix honey into yogurt, cereal, or oatmeal for a more natural sweetener.
- Spread raw honey over whole grain toast and top with peanut butter.
Raw and unfiltered honey can hydrate your skin, soothe your throat, help heal wounds and sweeten everything it touches, but it can also help you get a sweet night's sleep. Raw honey, eaten just before bed, helps you snooze in two general ways: It provides easy-to-access fuel for your brain throughout the night.
How many times a day should you drink honey water? ›How much honey water should you drink each day? Because of the sugar content, limit your daily intake of honey to about one tablespoon daily. You might choose to have one to three cups of honey water daily with about one teaspoon of honey in each cup.
Does honey lower cholesterol? ›Reduce Risk of Heart Disease
Honey has been shown to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by 6%, triglyceride levels by 11%, and potentially boost HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
The recommendation for a healthy person, without weight problems, and who does not base his diet on an excessive consumption of sugars would be to take a maximum of one small spoon of honey a day. This is approximately 10 to 12 grams of honey.
Can too much honey hurt you? ›Consumption of too much honey can harm our digestive system and lead to gas, bloating and stomach problems. While stomach crampings and bloating are not good for our health, they occur due to problems in the digestive system.
Is honey good for your hair? ›Yes! Honey is good for your hair due to its hydrating, strengthening, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. It has the ability to hydrate and strengthen the hair, boost shine, soothe the scalp, and more.
What happens if you take honey first thing in the morning? ›
Usually the doctors recommend honey to be taken empty stomach early in the morning as it gives an instant kick and energy boost which is enough to counter an entire day. Also, while going to bed, a spoonful of honey not only gives a good night's sleep but also helps in digestion and relaxation of mind and body.
What happens when you drink honey water on an empty stomach? ›Many people start their day with a glass of warm water and honey on empty stomach to lose weight. It is said to help in absorption of cholesterol and fat and prevent weight gain. Honey, a natural sweetener, is known to be rich in antioxidants, minerals and enzymes and has many health benefits.
How much honey per day is too much? ›“Honey should be treated like all added sugars, something to include in your diet carefully and kept to a minimum,” Keating says. The American Heart Association recommends that men consume no more than nine teaspoons (36 grams) per day; women and children, no more than six teaspoons (24 grams) daily.
What is the best drink for your heart? ›When it comes to heart-healthy drinks, there's none better than water. Our bodies need it. In fact, we're mostly made up of water, including our major organs, such as the heart. Most of the chemical reactions that happen in our cells need water, and it helps our blood carry nutrients around the body.
Is honey Good in mixed drinks? ›Like simple syrup, honey is used to sweeten cocktails – but, unlike simple syrup, it also adds a deliciously unctuous floral flavour to your finished drink.
What Cannot be mixed with honey? ›The thumb rule is to avoid mixing of honey and ghee in equal quantities. Honey and ghee are not considered an ideal combination. In many food preparations like honey-oat cookies or muffins, clarified butter is often used along with honey, which could have undesirable repercussions on one's health.
Does honey mix well in cold drinks? ›Making Honey SyrupHoney in all its gooey glory is tough to mix into cold drinks, so it's best to thin it into a syrup. Pour equal amounts of honey and hot water into a glass container and stir.
What can you mix with honey for a cold? ›Drinking tea or warm lemon water mixed with honey is a time-honored way to soothe a sore throat.
Can you drink honey with coffee? ›Honey has long been used to sweeten foods and beverages, including tea and coffee. In fact, many people prefer this sweet, thick liquid as a healthier alternative to sugar or zero-calorie sweeteners.
Is honey drink good for skin? ›Beneficial Nutrients: Honey contains amino acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that are beneficial for fighting free radicals and improving the overall health of the skin.
Is that good to drink water and honey on empty stomach? ›
Honey contains proteins in the form of amino acids, vitamins and minerals that help assimilate fats and cholesterol. As a result, this prevents weight gain. Furthermore, honey has good sugar, which increases energy levels. Consider drinking warm water with honey on an empty stomach in the morning for best results!