By Anna Burns-Francis
Honey, the golden spread, has gone from super food to super bad overnight as it has entered a new list compiled by researchers at Otago University of foods to stay away from if you are trying to lose weight.
Honey has long been considered a scientific super-food, and beekeepers like Allen McCw are less than impressed that honey has now been officially classified as a food that can make you fat.
“Carry on eating honey when you need the energy, but be careful. Don’t have too much, moderation is the answer,” says Mr McCaw.
He says it is anti-bacterial and a well known cold remedy too.
“Honey offers a great deal more than just the sugar content,” says Mr McCaw.
Honey is on the list along with 48 other more obvious snacks like pies, sausages and chips that are deemed high in calories but low in nutrients.
“You could completely do without them and your health would be improved. It certainly wouldn’t be adversely affected,” says researcher Dr Jane Elmslie of Otago University.
And it is advice weight watcher Tracy Chambers wishes she had known about.
“I'd eat honey because I didn’t realise honey was that bad for you. I wasn’t smashing a glass of it, I was just having it on my toast but it turns out it’s not that good for you,” says Ms Chambers.
Fruit juice, muesli bars, even whole milk are also on the list and anti-obesity campaigner Robyn Toomath says while some people might be surprised by the list, they should not be.
“If you want to stay slim and healthy, you need to be consuming these in vary small quantities,” says Ms Toomath.
So for dieters looking to lose a few pounds this latest list should be something to stick to.
3 News