What kind of honey and what else do I take the cure diabetes 2
Executive summary
There is no validated cure for type 2 diabetes based on honey or any single food; research shows some honeys may produce smaller glucose rises than pure glucose and can have beneficial antioxidant and wound‑healing properties, but clinical trials also report increased long‑term HbA1c with regular honey use in diabetics, so any use must be cautious and supervised by a clinician [1] [2] [3] [4].
1. How the evidence actually reads: modest benefits, mixed outcomes
Small human trials and animal studies suggest natural honey can sometimes lower body weight, improve blood lipids, and produce a smaller short‑term glucose excursion than pure glucose, yet an 8‑week randomized trial found daily 50 g of natural honey raised HbA1c in people with type 2 diabetes while another 8‑week trial saw improvements in weight and lipids but warned of higher A1C, so the data are inconsistent and limited by short follow‑up and small sample sizes [1] [2] [3] [5].
2. What kind of honey is discussed in the literature: raw, monofloral, and Manuka
Clinical and review papers emphasize “natural” or raw honey — unadulterated, un‑filtered honey — because it contains antioxidants, oligosaccharides and bioactive compounds that processed honeys may lack [6] [7] [4]; monofloral varieties and Manuka are singled out in wound‑healing and small clinical reports for stronger antimicrobial and antioxidant activity (Manuka’s MGO and wound‑care data), but commercial sources promoting Manuka often have a sales agenda and should not be read as proof of systemic glucose benefits [8] [9] [10] [11].
3. Practical reality: honey remains a concentrated sugar and must be used sparingly
Major clinical guidance notes honey is still an added sugar and will raise blood glucose; raw honey may be preferable to honeys with added sugars, but substituting honey for table sugar offers no clear advantage for diabetes control and public‑health bodies recommend minimizing added sugars overall [6] [12] [13].
4. Adjuncts and combinations people ask about: cinnamon, sweetener swaps, wound dressings
Popular writeups and some small studies tout cinnamon’s potential to improve insulin sensitivity and pairing cinnamon with honey (cinnamon‑honey blends) is marketed as a “natural” remedy, but the evidence is not robust and comes largely from small or non‑rigorous sources; for sweeter alternatives, clinicians point to non‑caloric natural sweeteners such as stevia or monk fruit as safer options for limiting carbs [14] [6]. Separately, there is stronger, more consistent evidence supporting topical honey—especially standardized Manuka formulations—for treating diabetic foot ulcers and promoting wound healing [8].
5. What else to take or do: proven diabetes care versus hopeful remedies
Standard, evidence‑based management of type 2 diabetes remains lifestyle modification (diet, weight loss, exercise), glucose‑lowering medications and, where indicated, insulin and newer agents proven to reduce complications; the honey literature does not replace these therapies and some trials indicate honey can worsen long‑term glycemic markers if added in substantial amounts, so any dietary experiment should be coordinated with a treating clinician and blood sugar monitoring [2] [3] [5].
6. How to make a cautious, informed choice
If a clinician and blood glucose data support a brief trial, choose pure raw honey without added sugars and use it as a small, occasional replacement rather than an addition to existing sugars, and prioritize overall carbohydrate targets and proven treatments; for wound care, standardized medical honeys (e.g., Manuka dressings in trials) are a distinct, better‑supported use than oral consumption — keep commercial claims about systemic cures in perspective [6] [8] [9] [10].