People have been using caffeine, creatine and protein shakes to enhance athletic performance for decades. But now TikTok fitness influencers and naturopaths have been doing something different lately to step up their game.
They swallow spoonfuls of honey sprinkled with sea salt before lacing up their sneakers.
They say it’s a cheap, natural pre-workout tip that provides quick energy and helps your body stay hydrated through the electrolytes in the salt. But does it really work? Is it better or worse than store-bought energy drinks?
We asked registered dietitian Daisy Mercer if a spoonful of honey with a pinch of salt can actually boost your workout.
Health Benefits of Honey
According to the Mayo Clinic, honey contains anti-inflammatory compounds, including flavonoids and polyphenols. It also has antioxidant properties that fight free radicals and reduce oxidative stress. So, with this sweetener, you’ll get some benefits that you don’t get from sugar or sugary energy drinks.
You can get energy-boosting carbohydrates from any kind of honey, but Mercer says you may get some added benefits if you choose local honey. “Local honey may help relieve allergies,” she said.
This is because local honey is thought to contain pollen from plants in the surrounding area.
The theory is that by ingesting small amounts of these local pollen through honey, the body can build tolerance and reduce allergic reactions when exposed to these pollen during allergy season.
This advice is more anecdotal than scientific, but it never hurts to try honey and see if it helps you. TikTok believes that.
Is it effective?
According to Mercer, this honey trick might just add a little something extra to your workout.
“Honey is made up of simple, easily digestible carbohydrates, so it provides quick energy and is useful for exercise,” she says. “It can help you feel longer while exercising.” If you give it a try, you might find that you run faster, lift more reps, or climb hills more easily.
It’s not just carbs. Salt also plays a role. “It helps maintain electrolyte balance,” Mercer says.
While this salt-honey combo has some potential benefits, Mercer says it’s not quite an equivalent replacement for commercial pre-workout drinks.
“Comparing honey with salt to pre-commercial campaigns is an unfair and unreasonable comparison,” she said. “These products contain ingredients like caffeine, beta-alanine, citrulline, and many other substances proven to increase energy and performance. Honey doesn’t give you as much energy as 200 milligrams of caffeine.
Do I really need it?
According to research, if you eat a balanced diet with enough carbohydrates, protein, and fat every day, you don’t actually need honey or any type of pre-workout energy drink if your workout is an hour or less. American College of Sports Medicine. For most people, it makes sense to keep drinking water.
Furthermore, science to date has not shown a clear payoff for such hacking. Researchers actually studied the effects of honey on exercise. A meta-analysis of nine studies published in the journal Nutrients showed that honey is no more beneficial than other carbohydrate sources.
It is worth remembering that one tablespoon of honey contains more than 17 grams of sugar. Eating a banana before exercise can provide you with more carbohydrates for energy but about the same amount of sugar.
Just don’t go to the gym hungry. “It’s important to burn some kind of energy before exercise so you can feel good and give your body the energy it needs to complete your workout,” says Mercer.
