Honey or pancake syrup: which is healthier?

Honey acts much like other sugars. In 55 adults, 50 g of carbohydrate a day from honey, table sugar or high fructose corn syrup for two weeks had similar effects on blood sugar, blood fats and inflammation. All three raised triglycerides, and in impaired glucose tolerance also blood sugar and inflammation. No glycemic index is on file for either.

Per gram, table honey has more calories and sugars: 304 calories and 82 g of sugars per 3.5 oz (100 g), against 234 calories and 21 g for pancake syrup. US labels count both as added sugars (Daily Value 50 g for adults, 25 g for children 1 to 3). USDA survey data uses a syrup record with about twice the sugars of the table: 8.4 g of sugars and 53 calories per tablespoon. Light syrup has about 25.

Honey is not fully absorbed. In 20 healthy volunteers, 100 g left about 10 g of carbohydrate unabsorbed, and 6 had loose stools. No honey before a baby's first birthday, because of infant botulism.

For maple syrup there is one 8-week trial in 42 adults with overweight: replacing 5 percent of calories from added sugar with it lowered systolic blood pressure by 2.72 mm Hg, against a rise of 0.87 with a flavored sugar syrup. Pick the taste you like and count it as sugar.

Evidence behind this note

1. Level B Two weeks of honey did the same to blood sugar, blood fats and inflammation as the same amount of table sugar or corn syrup. J Nutr, 2015
2. Level B In a crossover RCT in 55 adults, 50 g a day of honey, sucrose or HFCS for 2 weeks had similar effects, but all raised triglycerides and raised CRP in people with impaired glucose tolerance. J Nutr, 2015
3. Level E US labeling rules count sugars from syrups as added sugars on the Nutrition Facts label. 21 CFR 101.9, Nutrition labeling of food, paragraph (iii) Added Sugars
4. Level E The US Daily Value for added sugars is 50 g for adults and children 4 and older and 25 g for children 1 to 3, so a 2.1 oz (60 g) serving of pancake syrup approaches half of the adult value. 21 CFR 101.9(c)(9), Daily Reference Values, Added Sugars
5. Level E USDA survey data put one tablespoon of pancake syrup at 20 g, about 53 calories with 8.4 g sugars, and a quarter cup at about 212 calories. USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, food code 91300100 (FDC 2710273)
6. Level E USDA data show light pancake syrup at 165 calories per 3.5 oz (100 g) against 265 calories for regular, so a tablespoon of light (15 g) carries about 25 calories versus 53 calories. USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, food codes 91301510 (FDC 2710280) and 91300100 (FDC 2710273)
7. Level B Honey is not fully absorbed, and in a tenth of a jar's worth about ten grams of it never gets taken up. Am J Clin Nutr, 1995
8. Level E No honey at all before a baby's first birthday, and that includes a taste on a pacifier. CDC, Foods and Drinks to Avoid or Limit (Infant and Toddler Nutrition), page captured 2026-09-22
9. Level B In an 8-week double-blind crossover RCT in 42 overweight adults, replacing 5% of calories from added sugars with maple syrup instead of sucrose syrup lowered systolic pressure by about 2.7 mm Hg. J Nutr, 2024

Written from the studies and agency guidance we hold for both foods, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.

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More comparisons

• Honey vs maple syrup

• Honey: USDA FoodData Central, Honey, FDC ID 169640 · full profile · all forms of honey
• Pancake syrup: USDA FoodData Central, Syrups, table blends, pancake, FDC ID 169578 · all forms of pancake syrup

Each food is one USDA entry, chosen as it is usually eaten. Other cuts, brands and preparations differ; the links show them. % DV uses FDA Daily Values for adults. How we verify.