5 Minute Read
Tags:Healthy Living
Written by Ruby
What do you think of when you first think of honey? Honey Nut Cheerios? Burt's Bees? Your daily tea sweetener? Do you ever stop to think where does my honey come from and does it have drastic impacts on bee populations?
Of course not! This is why we're writing this article. Honey does have its benefits, but it's doing more harm than good, both to you and your environment. If honey is a daily ritual or maybe just a sweet treat, date syrup can replace it with the same flavor, more nutrients, and less damage. Read all the reasons why you should make the switch below 👇✨
Lower Glycemic Index
Most of us have heard about the Glycemic Index through some article or the morning news, but what is it and why should we care? The GI is the "ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar (glucose) levels after eating" (About: Glycemic Index). Lower glycemic foods have lower ranks and have shown to help balance weight, manage type 2 diabetes, and lower cholesterol.
When it comes to sweeteners, most are on the high end within the 80-100 range...
Honey has a score of 87 - it digests quickly and provides short bursts of energy.
Dates have a score of 62 - this energy will last longer throughout your day! Using date syrup means you can enjoy the sweet taste of nature without any tiring sugar crashes - score!
Higher in Vitamins & Minerals
When it comes to vitamins and minerals, honey just isn't in the same universe. It provides maximum 4% of the daily recommended amount of some vital compounds (and that's even on the high end).
Whereas, Medjool dates provide good sources of B6, Magnesium, Manganese, Potassium, Copper, and more. Even on a molecular level, it's the better choice!
Boost of Fiber
If you recently started eating more veggies, you should experience many more times running to the restroom. Why is that? Fiber! It's an essential part of our daily food consumption that keeps are digestive system running smoothly. More fibrous foods also means it takes longer to digest, which can lower rising blood sugar and sustain energy.
Honey has measly 0.2 grams of fiber, but dates have 6.7 per 100 grams! One study found dates to really help you go in case you feel a bit stuck, and can possibly reduce your chances of colon cancer. Double bonus!
Save The Bees!
In case you didn't know, honey comes from bees! Well...duh, of course you knew that, but did you know bees have been around for over 25 million years? Crazy! With that said, they have become an essential part of human existence, whether or not you're scared of being stung by one. Sadly, beekeepers are losing 70% of their hives due to unexplained phenomenons drastically killing off bees by the millions.
The only way to rid the hives of the disease is by burning them. That's right, burning all of the bees inside as well! Let's keep in mind that these bees are kept for the sole purpose of producing honey and are unable to pollinate wildlife, unable to do their job as a critical part of our ecosystem. So, the next time you take a trip to the grocery store, skip the bottle of honey for some date syrup to stop these horrid actions!
Vegan Friendly
Even though the bee is a classified insect, they are still apart of the animal kingdom and are thus honey is not vegan friendly. But our vegan friends need to satisfy their sweet tooth too, right? Absolutely. Date syrup is a great way to get that same caramel honey flavor without having to break the bank on vegan honey substitute products (which are typically made with unidentified flavors and inflammatory ingredients) or products that are questionably sourced.
Avoid Antibiotics & Pesticides
With bees dying at alarming rates STILL, beekeepers are doing everything they can to keep them producing honey, which typically means resorting to chemicals to rid out disease and other possible fatal circ*mstances. A 2017 study found there to be pesticides in over 75% of the collected samples. Ummmm...no thank you! Bees are also usually sprayed with an antibiotic to prevent foulbrood (a disease that can take out entire hives).
On the other hand, Joolies are never sprayed, treated, or coated in any chemicals or harmful elements. They are just simply fresh, natural dates!
Know What You're Eating
When the market began to demand honey at crazy high rates, companies struggled to keep up. To optimize this opportunity and their wallets, suppliers started to mix their honey with cheap substitutes like rice or corn syrup.Netflix's documentary series Rotten (Season 1: Lawyers, Guns & Honey) did a whole episode on the complexities of the honey industry and the lucrative business surrounding it.
I don't know about you, but I sure would like to know what is in my food! Thankfully, date syrup is just dates—guaranteed. Organic, Coachella-grown Joolies refuses to diss the beautiful Medjool date syrup with any additives, preservatives, chemicals, or whatever nonsense corporations are using these days!
Conclusion
Buying date syrup means less sugar, more vitamins, less harm, and more bees 🐝 It's not only the healthier alternative, but simply the superior alternative. If you don't like bees and are fine with life-threatening chemicals, then by all means stick with the honey. But for others like us who enjoy our Earth and health, date syrup will be your best friend💕
