A common concept is that honey is "natural" so it can be used more comfortably than white sugar. However, WHO states that free sugar includes glucose, fructose and other sugars naturally available in honey.
This means that one spoonful of honey used in tea, warm water or cooking still needs to be included in the total sugar intake of the day.
For people with high uric acid, this issue is even more noteworthy because fructose is related to the metabolic process of urate formation.
Therefore, honey should only be considered a sweetener, not a treatment for hyperuricemia.
For people who still want to use honey, the important principle is to use small amounts and not use them regularly in large quantities.
For example, if you add honey to tea or warm water, you need to calculate this amount along with sugar from confectionery, soft drinks, ready-made tea, sugared coffee and other sweet foods during the day.
In particular, you should not drink many glasses of honey water every day just for the purpose of "purifying" or reducing uric acid.
Increasing the amount of free sugar can increase total energy intake. A diet rich in free sugar can contribute to unhealthy weight gain, while maintaining a healthy weight is an important part of a lifestyle that is good for metabolic health.
One point to distinguish is that the sugar in honey is different from the intrinsic sugar in whole fruits.
A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, beans and whole grains; and recommend limiting free sugar.
Whole fruit also provides fiber, vitamins and many other nutrients, while honey is mainly a source of sweetness and energy.
Therefore, if you want to reduce the habit of eating sweets, choosing raw, less processed foods is usually more suitable than replacing white sugar with honey but still using it in large quantities.
In summary, people with high uric acid should not consider honey as a food that helps lower uric acid. Honey contains free sugar, including fructose, so it needs to be used in moderation and included in the total daily sugar intake.
Instead of focusing on one type of food, people with high uric acid should maintain a reasonable weight, limit alcohol, control purine and fructose-rich foods, eat diversely, increase fiber-rich foods and adhere to treatment when indicated.
