Updated on: 6/3/2025
Is Honey Syrup Healthier Than Sugar Syrup?
Choosing between honey syrup and sugar syrup comes down to more than just flavor. Many home bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts wonder if swapping plain syrup for honey syrup offers any real health benefits, or if it's simply a matter of taste.
What Makes Honey Syrup Different?
Honey syrup is made by blending honey with water—usually at a 1:1 ratio, such as 50 ml honey to 50 ml water. This reduces viscosity, making honey easier to mix in drinks compared to thick, raw honey. Sugar syrup, or simple syrup, is typically a mix of white granulated sugar and water at a similar ratio.
Nutritional Differences: Does Honey Syrup Offer More?
Honey is less processed than white sugar, and naturally contains small amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. When you make honey syrup, some of these compounds remain present, although they're diluted by the water and any heat used in preparation.
- Honey syrup retains trace antioxidants and micronutrients like vitamin C, potassium, and flavonoids.
- Sugar syrup is almost entirely sucrose, offering no nutritional value beyond simple carbohydrates.
- Neither syrup contains enough nutrients to offset the effects of high sugar content in cocktails.
Comparing Calories and Sweetness
On a per-ml basis, honey is slightly sweeter than sugar, so you may end up using less. However, honey syrup and sugar syrup are often matched for sweetness in drink recipes. Their calorie counts per serving become nearly identical after dilution—roughly 12–15 calories per 10 ml.
- Honey syrup: some antioxidants; comparable calories to sugar syrup; more flavor complexity.
- Sugar syrup: neutral taste; pure carbohydrate; no added nutrients.
Is Honey Syrup a Healthier Cocktail Choice?
In most situations, honey syrup can be considered a marginally healthier option because of the extra micronutrients from honey—but the difference isn’t dramatic. The real advantage is in flavor: honey syrup brings floral and herbal notes to cocktails that sugar syrup cannot.
When to Use Honey Syrup in Cocktails
- Swap honey syrup for sugar syrup in classics like the Bee’s Knees or Penicillin to add extra depth.
- Use it in spirit-forward drinks for a richer mouthfeel and floral flavors.
- Avoid in drinks where a pure, clean sweetness is needed—sugar syrup works best for minimal flavor interference.
Whether you choose honey syrup or sugar syrup, moderation is key. Both are added sugars and should be enjoyed occasionally as part of cocktails, not relied on for health benefits.