Honey is 1 to 1.5 times sweeter than conventional sugar. Wondering how some of the most common sweeteners compare?
Honey is comprised of about 35% glucose and 40% fructose. It has about 9% sucrose, and smaller amounts of some other simple carbohydrates.
Conventional sugar, on the other hand, is made up of sucrose. Each molecule of sucrose has one molecule of glucose bound with one molecule of fructose. Overall, sugar is about 50% glucose and 50% fructose.
Though honey and sugar are mainly made up of glucose and fructose, honey tastes sweeter because most of its glucose and fructose are not bound together into sucrose.
| Sweetener | Sweetness Scale | Glycemic Index | Calories/100g | Fructose g/100g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honey | 1 | 31-87 | 304 | 44 |
| High Fructose Corn Syrup | 1.1 | 58 | 286 | 55 |
| Agave Nectar | 1.4 | 11-15 | 310 | 75 |
| Brown Rice Syrup | 0.5 | 25-98 | 320 | 25.5 |
| Maple Syrup | 0.6 | 54 | 260 | 8.8 |