It is sometimes claimed that honey is healthier than regular sugar because it’s natural, but that’s not true. The body processes honey in the same way as other forms of sugar, and the amount of healthy substances in honey is so small that it does not contribute meaningfully to your health. Unfortunately, becoming healthier from eating honey is a myth. Honey is made up of 80% sugar, with the rest mostly being water — in essence, honey is liquid sugar.
How unhealthy honey (or sugar) is depends on what you combine it with. If you eat honey on a slice of wholegrain bread with light margarine and a glass of milk, the sugars from the honey are absorbed more slowly by the body. In that case, a little honey does no harm. But if you eat honey by itself or dissolve it in tea, the sugars are absorbed much faster, making it less healthy.
And crystallised honey — does that mean it’s expired?
The idea that crystallised honey is no longer good is also a myth. Due to its high sugar content, honey spoils very slowly. You can make crystallised honey liquid again by gently warming it, and its nutrients will remain intact.
So, don’t eat honey because you think it’s “healthy”. Where honey can support good health is on the skin — it can be used for burns, wound care, colds, coughs, and sore throats.