Is Honey Good In Coffee? Yes! It’s More Than A Health Buzz

I get many questions in our coffee community asking, “is honey good in coffee?” The clear, obvious and factual answer is yes!

Honey is full of nutrients and many other healthy compounds that improve your well-being. I’m talking vitamins, minerals, antibacterial, antimicrobial agents, antioxidants and more.

Honey not only adds a nice lovely sweet flavor it makes it healthier.

Keep reading for the full details!

Is Honey Good In Coffee?

When it comes down to the taste, many people prefer sugar over honey probably due to the familiarity and, the fact that there are many different types of sugars like black sugar, brown sugar and coconut sugar and not just white sugar that add slightly different tastes to your coffee drink.

On the flip side,

There are also many different types of honey which all on their own right taste different and bring around a different taste to your coffee. I am on the side of enjoying various types of honey in my coffee from orange honey to rosemary honey, regular honey, manuka honey and when congested eucalyptus honey.

If honey doesn’t go well with your coffee, don’t immediately discard the idea. Persist and persevere and try different types of honey and if it is still not working out for you try different roasts.

Chances are your perseverance will pay off, and you will find a honey that goes well in your coffee and gives it a great taste and compliments your coffee perfectly and tastes great for you.

As a bonus, the overall end goal is you will have a coffee that tastes great and improves the nutritional profile of your coffee, and add many health benefits when compared to regular sugar.

Yes, absolutely honey is good in coffee and is something I encourage you to try and persist with.

Read: Can you put honey in coffee?

Who Started This Trend Of Putting Honey In Coffee

Honey has been used by humans for over 8,000 years and counting and is unlikely to come to an end any time soon. Who came up with the genius of adding putting honey in coffee and tea is unknown. I suspect that it was an Indian as honey is an integral art of ayurvedic medicine which is practice that is 4000+ years old.

Even though coffee is considerably younger than the traditional medicine practices of India, the fact that coffee is bitter by nature, and it is a coffee growing nation I’m putting two and two together and coming up with four.

Putting honey in coffee is not so radical as it is very common to put honey in milk and tea and even Starbucks add it to their drinks. They have a honey Almondmilk flat white on their menu and, depending on your location, a honey latte.

With the growing trend amongst the health conscious the use of natural sweeteners over sugar and artificial sweeteners is growing and will continue to grow.

Is It Bad To Put Honey In Hot Drinks?

Honey when added to hot drinks can become toxic. If you have been heating honey, it is a good idea to stop doing so straight away. The same rule applies to adding honey to hot beverages with one caveat.

Let your drink cool down to lower that 60C (140F).

That is the maximum temperature that honey should be taken to as above this temperature it starts to become toxic, and you will lose some of the benefits of the nutrients as they start to become denatured.

Honey Vs Sugar – Is Honey In Coffee Better Than Sugar?

Yes, in the little battle or comparison of honey Vs sugar it is as clear as the day is long that honey in coffee is much better for you and your health than sugar and any artificial sweeteners.

Artificial sweeteners and sugar offer nothing in terms of nutrition or any health benefits; they are literally and factually empty or dead calories.

The only advantage is a very familiar taste that is universal for all kinds of food and beverage.

Honey provides you with a host of vitamins and minerals and other health-enhancing compounds like antioxidants, phenolic compounds and antimicrobial and antibacterial agents.

Sugar is inflammatory meaning it makes conditions worse while honey is anti-inflammatory.

Honey has a lower glycemic index than sugar but has more calories. The amount of calories is not something to look at between these as sweeteners as it only tells “a story” but not “the story”

The difference between a single teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon of sugar is 4 calories, which is so few calories that it is insignificant. The 4 extra calories when measured on a per-volume basis are better quality calories as they come from a natural source when compared to the dead and empty calories of sugar.

There is also to take into consideration the minor but significant fact that honey is sweeter than sugar and thus to achieve the same level of sweetness you will use less honey than you would sugar which may cancel out the 4 calorie difference and even swing it favor of honey.

It really is a case of looking at the bigger picture and getting the whole story and not just “a story”.

Read: Does honey taste good in coffee?

Honey Has A Ton Of Vitamins And Minerals

It is very rare that something so sweet and so rich tasting has many good and great properties for your health.

Honey is a source of many of the B group of vitamins, as well as vitamins A and C as well as calcium, potassium, magnesium and manganese to name a few great minerals found in honey. It turns out honeybees are looking after the planet, they are looking after us too.

Very rarely does something this sweet contain so much good stuff for the body. Honey is rich in calcium and vitamin C. It looks like the honeybees aren’t just looking out for the planet, but also our health.

Honey Contains Antibacterial Properties

Honey contains pollen, which means it can aid your allergies and will be particularly better for you if your honey is raw, organic and locally sourced.

The antibacterial properties mean that it may aid your runny nose, sore throat and persistent cough and headache.

Coffee And Honey Are Both High In Antioxidants

Getting a lot of antioxidants in your diet is great as they help to reduce the quantity of sick cells in the body. When you have too many sick cells it leads to many long term negative effects and thus adding a little honey to your coffee to increase the antioxidants to your coffee, which is also a source of antioxidants, is a great thing to do your well-being.

How Does Honey In Coffee Taste?

Taste is a critical factor in deciding to put honey in coffee and if honey in coffee is a good thing for your own taste preference. Remember you can always change your roast and the type of honey that you are using.

There are thankfully a lot of variables, including the type of coffee that you enjoy, including the type of milk in your coffee, which is known to compliment honey very well.

To enhance flavor and nutrition you can of course consider coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk and soy milk.

You can also slowly train your taste buds to get used to the taste if it doesn’t suit you.

I’m not suggesting that honey is horrible in coffee or doesn’t match or go well at all. It absolutely does in my opinion. It is just that everyone has their own unique tastes and likes. I’m just trying to help you to enjoy a healthier coffee just in case the taste is not to your liking initially.

Many people, at least, initially, find the taste of honey and coffee to be a little strange.

Tupelo honey, clover honey, manuka honey, rosemary honey, orange honey, regular honey and eucalyptus honey all taste different and coffee grown in different parts of the world and different roasts all taste differently.

It is something to experiment with until you get the taste that hits the spot for you.

Read: Honey in coffee

How To Make Coffee With Honey?

So, now that you know all about coffee with honey you are perhaps thinking about trying it out.

Start by finding a honey that you enjoy the taste of but understand that the same honey on your toast may taste great but so great in your cup of coffee.

Start slowly and add just half a teaspoon and go from there until you get the sweetness that suits you.

Add Raw Organic Honey To Your Coffee

Without getting too granular with the details, there are two main types of honey:

• Regular honey, which is known as pasteurized honey.
• Raw honey, which is also known as unpasteurized honey.

Raw honey is taken directly from the bee hive and is more nutritious than regular honey and is much better for you. If you can get raw honey from your local farmers market, go for it; use that as it is better and healthier for you.

If you can get manuka honey, use that as it is a very healthy honey loaded with nutrients.

Add one teaspoon and mix well to ensure that your coffee has cooled down to lower than 60C (140F).

Frequently Asked Questions About Is Honey Good In Coffee?

Does Coffee With Honey Taste Good?

Honey has a strong flavor that some coffee lovers don’t enjoy with their coffee. It depends on the type of honey: regular honeys are great, but eucalyptus honey is horrible in my opinion. The taste of honey in coffee is fine. Try it, starting only with a tiny bit of honey. If you enjoy it, add some more and mix well. Coffee with honey can be very tasty.

There is that little clash with some coffee beans where it may end up being unpleasant.

Can We Mix Honey In Coffee?

Yes, honey in coffee has been used for centuries as a natural sweetener and healthier alternative to zero calorie sweeteners and white sugar.

Is It Better To Use Honey Or Sugar In Coffee?

In my opinion and compared to other sweeteners, raw honey is a better sweetener for your tea and coffee due to the health benefits of raw honey in coffee outweigh white sugar and other alternative sweeteners.

What Are The Benefits Of Honey In Your Coffee?

The benefits of honey in your coffee come from the vitamin and minerals that it adds to your drink. Honey has vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, potassium, magnesium, manganese, vitamin C and antioxidants and phenolic acids.

Does Honey Lose Its Benefits In Hot Coffee?

 Yes, if you add raw, regular or pasteurized honey to hot coffee that is above 140F (60C) you may have a toxic effect. Let your coffee cool a little bit before you add, and you will have no effect on the nutrients.

Does Honey Need To Be Refrigerated?

No, it is important that you don’t refrigerate your honey. If you do, the colder temperature may turn your honey into a solid mass.

Can I Put Manuka Honey In My Coffee?

Yes, absolutely. Manuka honey can be added to your coffee. Manuka honey is in fact one of the best honeys that you can put in your coffee.

What Are The Benefits Of Honey In Tea Or Coffee?

Honey has many health benefits as it is a natural antibacterial agent and thus can help you to fight off infection. It is a powerful source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and will help to give your immune system a nice boost.

Honey is known for relieving sore throats and coughs.

Final Thoughts – Is Honey Good In Coffee?

If you have read this far, (thank you kindly, it’s appreciated) you will have the answer to that question is honey good in coffee in detail. If I have missed anything, it is appreciated if you contact us with your questions as I’ll happily answer all of them.

Join our cool coffee community and tell us about your own experience with honey in coffee. Do you like it, do you love it or do you have suggestions for making your morning brew even more healthy! Find us on Facebook/meta.

Derek Marshall

Derek Marshall, a certified barista by the Specialty Coffee Association possesses over two decades of experience in specialty coffee shops. He holds professional certifications for coffee brewing and barista skills. Derek is also an author with authoritative books covering various coffee topics including specialty coffee, sustainability and coffee, coffee brewing, coffee recipes, coffee cocktails and books focusing on Brazilian coffee, Vietnamese coffee, Indonesian coffee and Malaysian coffee. As a barista for over two decades, Derek Marshall has worked in specialty coffee shops across the United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His expertise extends to the distinct coffee cultures, specialty beverages, and brewing techniques of each nation. Functioning as a coffee consultant, Derek charges US$50 per hour. To learn more about Derek Marshall and Latte Love Brew, visit his About Me Page. For coffee inquiries, contact him at +34-639-410-375 or Derek@LatteLoveBrew.com, mentioning your name and location