Why You Should Eat Honey As A Pre-Workout Snack Before Exercising – Health Digest

About 80-85% of honey is comprised of carbohydrates (primarily fructose and glucose). Fructose and glucose are simple carbs, and these naturally occurring sugars are what give honey its energy-boosting properties.

“Honey is a simple carb that is quickly digested and absorbed into the bloodstream. Eating simple carbs before an endurance workout offers a quick energy boost,” explained New York City-based Dietitian Natalie Rizzo (via Today). Since it takes only 15 minutes for honey to be absorbed into your system, it’s a perfect snack to have a few minutes before exercise. 

The studies looking at honey as an effective pre-workout, however, are nuanced, to say the least. For example, according to a 2019 study published in the International Journal of Sports Science, honey was found to significantly reduce fatigue in 1,500-meter runners but didn’t have an effect on their performance. A 2018 systematic review published in Science and Sports linked honey to possible improvement of aerobic exercise performance. A 2019 systematic review of nine studies found that honey compared similarly to other carbohydrate sources in terms of effect on exercise performance, perceptions of fatigue, blood glucose concentrations, and immunological responses. However, the study also noted that when honey is consumed over multiple weeks, it could weaken immunity-related concerns typically linked to moderate-to-intense exercise. The research also pointed toward honey’s positive effect on your cognitive capabilities, which could help with focus during a workout. There’s also research that’s looked at honey’s rehydration properties, which may help during exercise. After all, honey contains some amount of water, too.