Sweetening the cup: Honey's role in your coffee ritual

According to dietitians, it's generally best not to sweeten coffee or tea. Limiting sugar can be beneficial for the diet, but not everyone can imagine their drinks "unsweetened."

How should you sweeten coffee? The answer used to be simple: sugar. Today, there are many more options. Sweeteners and sugar substitutes, often considered healthier, have emerged. Syrups suited for this, such as maple or acacia syrup, are also available. However, one of the most natural and healthy options appears to be honey. But is that really true?

You've likely read numerous times about how healthy coffee can be. There's no need to mention honey's health benefits since it's recognized as one of the healthiest products globally. But how do they work together? Unlike sugar and artificial sweeteners, which offer minimal nutritional value, honey contains vitamins, minerals, and other compounds beneficial to health. Honey also helps strengthen the immune system. With these benefits, coffee becomes a more wholesome drink.

Coffee with honey has some nutritional value, but these benefits aren't significant enough for you to consume it without limits. Despite honey's nutritious components, it also contains a lot of sugar. Adding two teaspoons of honey to your coffee? That's about 40 calories and 12 grams of sugar. Therefore, the sugar adds up if you consume several cups of this blend daily. It's better to use honey in coffee occasionally.

Coffee with honey can be enjoyed as a dessert—mild honey, like linden or floral, pair especially well with black coffee. Flavoured honeys work beautifully with a robust espresso. An intense shot of espresso with a touch of gingerbread honey or cardamom is delightful.