How Much Sugar Is in Honey?
One tablespoon of honey has about 17 g of sugar — natural, but nutritionally very close to table sugar.
in 1 tablespoon (21 g) · about 4 teaspoons
- Per serving
- 17 g
- Per 100 g
- 82 g
- Type
- Natural sugar
- In teaspoons
- ≈ 4 tsp
A big chunk of a day's sugar in one serving.
A tablespoon of honey has about 17 g of sugar. It's natural and brings trace antioxidants and enzymes, but your bloodstream treats it almost identically to table sugar — the body counts it as a 'free sugar' just like syrup or sucrose.
Honey is sweeter than sugar spoon-for-spoon, so you can sometimes use less. But 'natural' doesn't mean 'unlimited' — it still counts fully toward your daily sugar. A little to finish a dish is fine; drizzling it freely is where it adds up.
Lower-sugar swaps
- Sweeten with mashed fruit or a chopped date and its fibre
- Use half the honey you normally would — it's sweeter than sugar
Frequently asked questions
- Is honey healthier than sugar?
- Marginally — it has trace nutrients and is a bit sweeter, so you may use less. But it counts as a free sugar and raises blood sugar much like table sugar.
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Sugar values from USDA FoodData Central; actual amounts vary by brand, ripeness, and recipe. Last updated 2026-07-21.