IS STARBUCKS HONEY PALEO?
The Paleo List Answers:Is Starbucks’ Honey Paleo
So you have to dip into Starbucks for a little pick me up, but you’re in the mood for something a little sweeter than a straight green tea. You spot the little packets of honey at the cream and sugar station. Dare you add a little packet to your beverage? Is Starbucks’ honey Paleo?
What is Starbucks’ Honey?
We’ve covered regular honey here before, but it is a bit of a tricky topic. Some “honey” you see on grocery store shelves might not be honey, so it is definitely important to read the front and back of the packaging. Buying raw, local is the best option, since we know raw honey contains beneficial bacteria.
Many brands of real honey, much like the honey offered at Starbucks, is quite processed, going through filtration processes to remove pollen and keep the honey from crystallizing. Some honey (brands from China, specifically) goes through ultrafiltration, which strips the honey of any remaining benefits, and results in a sweeter fructose-heavy syrup, which is technically no longer honey!
This Flavor Fresh honey is made by Diamond Crystal Brands, Inc., and though it probably doesn’t go through ultrafiltration, it is definitely not raw, organic, or local (unless you live in Georgia, USA). We tried to contact them to learn more about their sourcing and filtration processes, but the customer service representative did not have any information about those practices.
Is Starbucks’ Honey Paleo?
We’re actually going to have to leave this one up to you. For us, no, it’s not really Paleo. Based on the company from which it hails, it looks like this honey is highly processed. It’s definitely not raw, so it’s essentially just a packet of fructose with 12 grams of sugar. That being said, using processed honey is nominally better than regular sugar, and might not actually be better than raw sucanat or turbinado, so if you find yourself deciding between those options next time you’re at Starbucks, whichever choice you make isn’t going to be much better or worse than the other. Just don’t add a packet of this honey to your coffee or tea very often!
Are you struggling with which foods are Paleo? Do you need help planning some Paleo meals? Check out this great Paleo cookbook:
