Low GI Honey

A Preliminary Assessment of the

Glycemic Index of Honey

A report for the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation

by Dr Jayashree Arcot and Prof Jennie Brand-Miller

RIRDC Contact Details

Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation

Level 1, AMA House

42 Macquarie Street

BARTON     2600

PO Box 4776

KINGSTON   2604

Phone: 02 6272 4819

Fax: 02 6272 5877

Email:

rirdc@rirdc.gov.au. Website:http://www.rirdc.gov.au

downloads at www.rirdc.gov.au/fullreports/index.htm

purchases at www.rirdc.gov.au/eshop

Foreword

In recent years scientists have been investigating the physiological responses (effect on blood sugar levels) to food, particularly the effects of different carbohydrate containing foods. Honey has been classified to be a food containing simple sugars and this has several implications on the choice of foods for diabetics.

Glycemic Index factor is a ranking of foods based on their overall effects on blood sugar levels. The source of honey decided the sugar and acid composition of honey which can show differences in the GI factor. Little or no information exists on the GI of honey and in particular no information exists on the differences in the GI of different honey varieties.

The quantitative measurement of organic acid and carbohydrate composition of different floral varieties would therefore enable the study of GI of honey, and lead the way to understanding whether or not all types of honey should be classified as one type of food for people with Diabetes.

RIRDC has been able to facilitate this study by providing the funding for this project. This report discusses the sugar and acid composition of six floral varieties of honey, namely Red Gum, Salvation Jane, Ironbark, Yellow Box, Stringybark and Yapunyah and two commercialblends obtained in 2001, and their effects on the blood glucose response in humans.

The Glycemic Index

The Glycemic Index (GI) is a physiologically based method used to classify carbohydrate foods according to their blood glucose-raisingpotential.

The Glycemic Index measures the area under the glycemic response curve during a 2-hour period after consumption of a 50g carbohydrate serve from a test food, with values being expressed relative to the effect of either white bread or glucose.

Table 12. The Glycemic Index (GI) of foods

Low Glycemic Index (<55)GI	Moderate Glycemic Index (56-69)GI	High Glycemic Index (>70)GI
Bread                                            41Heavy mixed grain                      30-45Breakfast cerealsAll Bran                                                                                                42 Toasted muesli                                                                                      43 Psyllium-based processed cereal                                                            42 Dairy foods Milk, full fat                                                                                           27 Milk, skim                                                                                             32 Yoghurt, low fat, fruit                                                                             33 Confectionery Chocolate (Dove)                                                                                  45 M&Ms                                                                                                   33 Snickers Bar                                                                                        41 Fruits Apple                                                                                                 36 Orange                                                                                               43 Peach                                                                                                  28 Legumes Lentils                                                                                                 28 Soybeans                                                                                            18 Baked Beans├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á┬á 48	├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 57Barley bread├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 65Rye bread├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 65Breakfast cereals Cream of wheat├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 66 Muesli├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 66 Dairy foods Ice cream, full fat├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 61 Confectionery Mars Bar├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 65 Fruits Pineapple├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 52 Pawpaw├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 58 Rices├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 50-60(high amylose varieties, e.g. basmati) Honey (blended Australian)├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 58	BreadsWhite bread├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 70Wholemeal bread├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 72French bread├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 95Breakfast cereals Cornflakes├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 84 Rice Bubbles├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 82 Potatoes├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 80-100 Confectionery Jelly beans├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 80 Life Savers├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 70 Fruits Watermelon├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 72 Rices├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á├é┬á 70-90(low amylose, white or brown) Honey (blended not Australian) 87

Reference food is Glucose = 100

Source: Brand-Miller, J and Foster-Powell, K. (1999)

The International Tables of Glycemic Index lists honey as having a Glycemic Index of either 58 or 87 (Powel et. al., 1995). The Glycemic Index of 58 is an Australian blended honey (Brand-Miller, 1995).

Test Foods

Table 13. The weight (g) and sugar content (g) of the test portion of the reference food and honeys

Food	Portionsize	Av.Carbohydrate	Fructose	Glucose	Sucrose	Maltose
Reference food	25 gglucose 250mL water	25.0	0.0	25.0	0.0	0.0
Commercial.Blend 1	49.6	25.0	13.6	15.5	0.8	0.7
CommercialBlend 2	35.6	25.0	13.6	10.5	0.3	0.6
Iron Bark	41.7	25.0	14.1	9.8	0.5	0.6
Red Gum	33.9	25.0	11.7	11.2	0.8	1.3
SalvationJane	40.6	25.0	12.9	11.2	0.4	0.4
Stringy bark	30.4	25.0	15.9	8.5	0.3	0.3
Yapunya	36.9	25.0	15.5	8.8	0.3	0.3

GI Testing

 

Figure 2. The average plasma insulin response curves for the reference food and the four honeys tested in the first part of the study, depicted as the change in blood insulin concentration from the fasting baseline level

Figure 3. The average plasma glucose response curves for the reference food and the five honeys tested in the second part of the study, depicted as the change in glucose concentration from the fasting baseline level.

Recommendation

The low GI honeys such as Yellow Box, Stringybark, Red Gum, Iron Bark, Yapunyah and the moderate GI honeys such as Commercialblend #2 and Salvation Jane can be marketed by stating in their promotional materials that the GI values of the honeys were measuredusing valid scientific methodology through this project.

The values should be published in relevant GI publications particularly in the future editions of

Brand-Miller’s books about the GI (The GI Factor series) which will be appropriately referenced

Finally there may be more floral varieties of honey that need to be tested. One question that needs further research is any pure floralhoney low GI? For example, is any Yellow Box honey low GI?

Final Thought

While we diabetics might think that we can therefore eat these honey my local honey man says that honey from the some source can vary from year top year and even season to season. He believes that a lot of research needs to be done before we can use these honeys with confidence. If you read the full report this is acknowledged by the researcher.

My advice is that you test your own reaction to these honeys and if you are affected remove honey from your diet. Experienced diabetics will know if they are affected by the way you feel.

I have tried to present this scientific study by showing the results in a way that I hope most can understand. If you have that kind of mind, you can read the full report by following the links provided at the beginning of the page.

I have used Yellow box honey instead of sugar in my bread making and I have been very pleased with the result. Both in taste and body reaction.