Honey vs Stevia: Calories, Taste and Which Sweetener to Use When
Honey vs stevia is a comparison between two sweeteners that both come from nature but behave in completely different ways. Honey is a sugar-based food made by bees; stevia is a zero-calorie, high-intensity sweetener from a plant leaf. This guide compares their calories, taste, cooking uses and regulation, so you can choose the right one for each job.
Where each comes from
Honey is made by bees from flower nectar and is mostly fructose and glucose. Stevia comes from the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana, a plant native to South America, where it has long been used as a sweetener. Commercial stevia sweeteners are purified extracts of sweet compounds called steviol glycosides, such as rebaudioside A.
The FDA has not objected to high-purity steviol glycosides being used as generally recognized as safe, but whole stevia leaves and crude extracts are not approved as food additives in the US. Many stevia products are blended with bulking agents such as erythritol or dextrose to make them easier to measure.
Honey vs stevia at a glance
| Honey | Stevia sweetener | |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Flower nectar, made by bees | Stevia leaf extract |
| Calories (1 tbsp honey / sugar-equivalent stevia) | About 64 | About 0 (blends vary) |
| Sugar | About 17 g per tbsp | None |
| Sweetness | Sweeter than sugar | 200 to 400 times sweeter than sugar |
| Taste | Floral, rich, varies by flower | Sweet, can be bitter or licorice-like |
| Browning and moisture in baking | Yes | No |
Taste and aftertaste
Honey has a full flavor that changes with the flower, from mild clover to bold buckwheat; see honey flavors. Stevia tastes intensely sweet but some people notice a bitter, metallic or licorice-like aftertaste, especially at higher amounts. Newer extracts reduce this. In coffee and tea, honey adds body and flavor; stevia adds sweetness only.
Cooking and baking
Honey works as an ingredient: it adds moisture, helps browning, keeps baked goods soft and binds bars and granola. Stevia only sweetens. In baking, replacing sugar or honey with stevia means you lose bulk, moisture and browning, so you need recipes designed for it or stevia blends made for baking. Stevia works well in drinks, yogurt and oatmeal where bulk does not matter.
To bake with honey instead of sugar, see baking with honey and our honey conversion chart.
Sugar, diets and blood sugar
Honey is an added sugar, and the American Heart Association recommends no more than about 6 teaspoons of added sugar a day for most women and 9 for most men. Stevia has no sugar and is often chosen by people limiting carbohydrates, such as those on keto diets. People managing blood sugar should follow their own clinician's advice; see honey glycemic index and is honey keto.
Choosing between them
Many people use both: stevia where they want sweetness with no calories, and honey where flavor and texture matter, such as on toast, in tea, dressings, glazes and baking. If you choose honey, a little goes a long way, especially with a flavorful one. Try Pure Raw Honey for everyday use or Orange Blossom for a bright, floral spoonful.
Sources
- Aspartame and Other Sweeteners in Food · U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- How much sugar is too much? · American Heart Association
Frequently asked questions
- Is stevia healthier than honey?
- Stevia has no calories or sugar, while honey is an added sugar. Honey adds flavor and cooking benefits. Which suits you depends on your goals.
- Can I replace honey with stevia in baking?
- Not directly. Stevia lacks honey's bulk, moisture and browning, so use recipes or blends designed for stevia.
- Why does stevia taste bitter?
- Some steviol glycosides have a bitter or licorice-like aftertaste, especially at higher amounts.
- Is stevia natural?
- It comes from a plant leaf, but commercial stevia sweeteners are purified extracts, often blended with other ingredients.
- Can I mix honey and stevia?
- Yes. Some people use a little honey for flavor plus stevia for extra sweetness, which cuts total sugar while keeping honey's taste.
Al Safa Honey is a food producer, not a medical provider. Nothing here is medical advice. Never give honey of any kind to a baby under 12 months old.
