From the frosty cold glasses during the summer heatwave, to the warm mugs of tea before bed and everything in between, this is why you should consider ditching granulated sugar in favour of honey the next time you go to make yourself a drink.
First, is honey a good substitute for sugar in drinks?
Simply put, yes of course! Honey is a naturally produced sweetener, made by bees from the nectar of flowers, and requires minimal processing. Honey adds a little more to drinks than just sweetness, it also adds flavour. Different honeys come from bees foraging in different regions, on different flora. This can mean each honey can taste more floral, fruity, or rich than other honeys. This can complement the drink you’re making perfectly.
Another great benefit of honey is that it tastes sweeter than sugar, meaning you won’t need to use as much. Whilst there’s no direct comparison table, you’ll find your drink reaching your desired sweetness with much less when using honey.
Honey is a great partner for so many natural ingredients too. Lemon, ginger, berries, mint, herbs and more. All of these ingredients make for great drinks, and honey helps to make them even more enjoyable. Its incredible versatility makes it perfect for adding to any drink, especially since it dissolves so well.
Although it is certainly a great alternative to refined sugar, honey is still a form of natural sugar, contains calories and should be enjoyed in moderation.
Drinks you can enjoy honey in
Cold Drinks
Iced teas and coffees, honey water, fruit-infusions or smoothies and milkshakes. These are a few excellent ways you can enjoy the sweetness and subtle flavours of honey in your drinks, especially during the heatwaves we’re becoming increasingly familiar with! To make dissolving the honey a little easier, you can always mix it in a drop of warm water before adding it to your drink.
Here are some suggestions for cold drinks to make with honey:
Rowse Honey and Peanut Butter thick shake
Ingredients
- 8 tbsp (50g) porridge oats
- 2 peeled, chopped and frozen bananas (160g – 180g)
- 150ml – 175ml almond milk
- 3 tbsp peanut butter
- 2 tbsp Rowse Runny Honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Optional 2 tsp cocoa powder for a chocolate version
Method
Put everything into a blender with 150ml of milk and blitz to a thick, smooth shake, adding more milk if needed, to get a thick, creamy consistency. Drink straight away.
Hot drinks
Of course, honey isn’t just for cold drinks. It’s a fantastic addition to hot drinks too. It dissolves easily and is regularly enjoyed in everyday favourites, such as teas and coffees, or even just warm water with a splash of lemon.
Rowse Manuka and Ginger
Ingredients
- 300g ginger, grated, skin on
- 300ml filtered water, boiled
- 220g Rowse Manuka Honey 250+ MGO
- 200ml raw cider vinegar
Method
- Place the grated ginger into a heat proof bowl and pour over the boiling water. Macerate, covered, overnight or up to 8 hours for a more intense flavour.
- Strain into a saucepan through muslin or a fine mesh sieve. Gently warm on a low heat without boiling and stir in the Rowse Manuka Honey so it dissolves.
- Take off the heat, add the vinegar and pour into a clean bottle and store in the fridge once cooled.
- Add 50-60ml to a glass of hot water as your daily healthy gut tincture.
The Honey category is worth £224m in the UK and set to grow by £56m over the next two years. Rowse is the category leader and driving 14% volume growth YOY.
100% pure & natural honey, since 1938. Contact your Wholesale Group supplier for further information.
