Honey

Honey is about 80% sugar — roughly 40% fructose and 30% glucose, plus small amounts of sucrose and other sugars. The remaining 20% is water with trace minerals, enzymes, pollen, and polyphenols. By calories and blood sugar impact, honey is not meaningfully different from table sugar; a tablespoon contains about 65 kcal and 17g of carbohydrate.

FODMAPs and IBS

Honey is one of the highest-fructose foods commonly eaten — fructose exceeds glucose, which is the configuration that triggers fructose malabsorption symptoms. Monash University rates honey as high-FODMAP from one teaspoon upward, making it a frequent and surprising trigger for people who have eliminated added sugar but kept honey because it "feels healthier."

Cough, wounds, and the manuka question

Honey has well-documented evidence for two specific uses: soothing cough in children over 1 year old (multiple trials show it outperforms placebo and matches some OTC cough suppressants), and as a topical wound dressing (medical-grade honey is FDA-cleared for certain wound types — the high sugar content draws moisture out of bacteria). Manuka honey has higher methylglyoxal content and stronger antibacterial activity, but most of the premium pricing reflects scarcity rather than dramatically better evidence at typical dietary doses.

Never give honey to infants under 12 months — it can contain Clostridium botulinum spores, which an infant's gut can't yet handle. Adult guts neutralize them without trouble.