Honey and Hot Water: Why This Sweetness Turns into a Toxin

Do you add honey to boiling water thinking it is good for you? Prepare to be shocked: when heated above 60°C, honey turns into a silent killer.

A study in the Journal of Food Science has revealed a dangerous secret: when honey is heated, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a Class 2 carcinogen, is formed.

“It’s like replacing vitamins with poison,” says apitherapist Lidiya Sokolova, author of the book Honey: Medicine or Trap?

Science vs. Myths: How Honey Becomes Poison

An experiment conducted at the Technion University (Israel) showed that at a temperature of 80°C, the level of HMF in honey increases 20 times in 10 minutes.

Food chemistry professor Amir Shamir explains:

"Fructose and glucose in honey undergo a Maillard reaction, forming HMF. This substance damages the DNA of liver cells and increases the risk of tumors."

In 2022, the WHO included HMF in the list of potential carcinogens, and the EU set the maximum permissible level at 40 mg/kg of honey. However, a market analysis by Consumer Reports found that 70% of honey samples sold as “natural” had HMF levels exceeded by 2–3 times due to improper storage and heating.

Why Asians Aren't Afraid of Hot Honey

Paradox: In Chinese medicine, honey has been added to hot decoctions for centuries. A study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology has revealed the secret: traditional recipes include ginger and turmeric, which neutralize HMF.

“Curcumin binds to the toxin and accelerates its elimination through the liver,” explains Dr. Zhang Li, the study’s author.

But even in Asia there are rules. Wang Lizhu, chef at Beijing's Imperial Cuisine, warns:

“Honey is added to the dish 2 minutes before it is ready, instead of cooking it for hours.”

How to Save Your Favorite Drink? 3 Safety Rules

1. Temperature limit: Use a beverage thermometer: dissolve honey at 50–55°C.
2. Protective acid. Add lemon juice or apple cider vinegar – they slow down the formation of HMF by 30% (Food Chemistry study).
3. Raw honey. Choose unpasteurized honey labeled “raw” — it contains less fructose, which is more active in forming toxins.

Recipe from nutritionist Anna Boyko : “Golden tea” – 300 ml water 50°C + 1 tsp raw honey + 1 cm grated ginger + a pinch of turmeric.

Honey Myths That Kill

"Honey is good for baking." At 180°C in the oven, HMF grows exponentially. An alternative is Jerusalem artichoke syrup or date pate.

"Heated honey cures colds." Pediatrics study proves that hot honey is useless for coughs, while cold honey reduces their intensity by 30%.

"Honey cannot be stored in the cold." On the contrary! At +4°C the processes of sugar breakdown stop.

Scandal in the US: How HMF is hidden by manufacturers

In 2023, the American NGO Food Watch sued HoneySweet for falsifying data.

Lab tests showed that their "organic" honey had HMF levels as high as 200 mg/kg, but the label stated "less than 20 mg."

"They heated the honey to improve the texture, hiding the effects," attorney Michael Tanner said.

What the stars say

Gwyneth Paltrow admitted on her blog Goop:

"I stopped adding honey to hot coffee after a nutritionist advised me to. Now I use maple syrup."

And chef Jamie Oliver on the Superfood show demonstrates a recipe for energy bars without heating honey: dates + raw honey + oatmeal.

Remember: honey is a medicine only in its raw form. As Hippocrates said: " Let food be thy medicine, but do not make thy medicine thy poison."