A recent trend in the fitness community has been the use of honey in pre-workouts. While anyone can enjoy the sweet, natural taste of honey, can you actually use honey as a pre workout and have it be effective?
The answer is that honey pre workout whether on its own or mixed in with something else can be a very effective pre workout. The low cost, great taste, and dense carbohydrates make honey a great option for lifters.
In this guide we will break down the science behind honey as a pre workout and also discuss some different ways you can enjoy honey pre workout.
Why Use Honey As Pre Workout?
While honey is usually just seen as a sweet treat, it actually has a number of key attributes and benefits that make it a good option for lifters.
Increased Performance
Studies have shown that using honey as a pre workout is a great way to boost short-term performance. The reason for this boils down to the fact that the vast majority of honey is made up of quick-digesting carbohydrates.
By replenishing and even topping up your glucose stores right before working out, you can ensure that you are operating at peak performance.
Natural
Taking something sweet or sugary before a workout is not something new to the fitness industry. Many lifters on Youtube use things such as gummy bears or rice crispy treats to replenish their glucose stores before a hard workout.
While the effect of these sugary snacks will be similar to that of honey, you would be missing out on lots of the other key vitamins and minerals that come with honey. You also have to keep in mind that the repeated consumption of processed carbs and sugars in the form of snacks may not be good in the long run.
On the other hand, honey is natural and you know exactly what you are getting. Even better, you can get a large container of honey that can easily last you for months.
Versatility
Another great advantage of honey is that the great taste and smooth texture mean that you can add it to any shake or snack without much headache. We will get to some more specific methods later on, but rest assured you can add honey to basically anything and it will only enhance the flavor.
Is Honey A Good Pre Workout?
For what it is, honey is a great pre-workout option. As we already mentioned, fast-acting carbs will give you an energy boost and ensure that your performance does not crash after a few sets due to fatigue.
However, if you expect the same pump and energy effects that you would get with a regular pre-workout, you should lower your expectations. Honey on its own does not contain many of the key ingredients such as caffeine and citrulline that give you that “wired” feeling when your pre-workout kicks in.
That being said, you certainly do not need any of the dozens of ingredients that most pre-workouts have. If you are just looking for a tasty energy booster that is easy and natural, you cannot go wrong with honey.
How To Take Honey Pre Workout
If you are ready to take honey as a pre workout, here a few simple ways you can add it into your fitness routine:
Natural Pre Workout Honey
At the end of the day, all pre-workouts have some common goals: energy, focus, and a great pump. Using just some basic ingredients, we can recreate several of the same effects. Just mix some coffee, honey, and himalayan pink sea salt and you will have a very effective natural pre workout.
Honey Toast: Carb Overload
If you have a very taxing workout ahead of you, you may want even more carbs for more energy. You can easily do this by eating some bread and fruits along with your honey. Just toast some bread and spread honey and fruit slices on top.
Honey As A Mixer
Lastly, the easiest way to consume honey before a workout is to just mix it into your regular pre-workout drink. You can really knock two birds with one stone here as you are getting the extra carbs and making your shake taste better at the same time.
Just be aware that if you have a zero calorie pre-workout, the additional calories from honey will break your fast.
Final Thoughts On Honey Before Workout
For what it is, honey can be a great addition to any pre-workout drink or snack. The great taste and low-cost means you can add it to almost anything with little friction. The natural sugars and carbs in the honey will help top off your energy stores to ensure your performance does not fade in the gym.
FAQs
How much honey should you take for pre-workout?
Is it better to eat honey before or after workout?
Can I have honey and water before gym?
Daniel Mesa, CPT, is a trusted fitness expert and founder of FitDominium. With his extensive experience and commitment to helping others, Daniel is the go-to source for reliable fitness advice and recommendations.
