Talkback: Honey: The Facts

I always have Manuka honey in the house and during cold/flu season, I give my 3 yr old a spoonful every night - she rarely ends up with the snots/splutters that everyone else gets and if she does, her recovery time is quicker. 

Its also amazing for upset tummies!

I'm doing my first Half in two weeks time and haven't been able to get my fueling strategy right - sports drinks/gels just upset my tummy and leave me with cramps and a feeling that resembles a hangover!  I am going to try out honey tomorrow (doing a 10m forest run) and see how that works for me.

Great article, thanks!!

I love the stuff so I am definitely going to test it out on my long runs!

Just need to work out a good way to take it with me but I am sure they are ways to do this without any hassle...

Thanks for the inspiration RW! 

I'm a big honey fan but does anyone know how to stop it crystallising into sugar before the jar/tube is finished?

I am addicted to Manuka honey!

My additive energy / hydration drink before I run is:

I make a drink of 600ml water, desertspoonful of chia seeds, one of honey, juice of a lime and a pinch of salt .

This keeps me going over 10k's

Alternative to reform crystallised honey, warm in the microwave.

On long runs I mash Half a Banana with 3-4 teaspoons of honey & spoon into a small sandwich bag. Tie the bag with a knot, pushing the mixture into a corner. When you are ready for the boost, just bite the corner to pierce, then squeeze out. Make enough "Bombs" for 1 every 45-60 mins.

I find it helps to keep you & your backback clean & unsticky, to tie a low & high knot in the bag.

It's a good idea to time the Bomb taking so that you have it just before a Drinks Station & wash down with a swig of water.

Hi Virgil

 ...if your honey starts to crystallise - stand the jar/tube in hot/warm water for about 10-15 minutes - usually does the trick.

 Good Luck..!

The facts ... !

Well, the difference in absorption between glucose and fructose is marginal, sucrose is merely 1 glucose molecule attached to 1 fructose molecule, so all sugars are pretty close there.

What was _not_ mentioned is that like all things with a higher fructose level than glucose, it makes you fart, well a very high percenage of us anyway, as fructose intolerance is surprisingly common.

As for eating honey on the run, well that's just plain stupid. The amount of sales of energy gels etc indicate that people want something thats utterly easy-peasy to eat.

Interesting idea for an article but written for printing on chip-wrapping.

Thanks for that - interesting although I have to say I have so much confusion about fructose, glucose and sucrose  that I wouldn't be able to comment.  The one thing I know is that with all things especially sugars the closer to their natural state the better they are for you.  However difficult they might be to metabolise. So I guess honey is better than the gelpacks.  I heard some really bad stuff about fructose recently that has totally put me off anything with fructose in it! 

I tend to agree with you about eating honey on the run but it obviously works for some people - takes all sorts!!

Thanks for the reply though

Hi Virgil,

crystallizing honey is a problem if you don't eat it fast enough! I usually sit the jar in a small saucepan of hot water for a few minutes, that does the trick but it will crystallize again later.

Looks like a lot of people are getting interested in honey as a natural alternative to expensive , tummy upsetting gels. Hope the bees can cope with the demand!