Honey in hot tea: does honey lose its properties at high temperatures
Honey in boiling tea isn’t harmful, but it loses some enzymes and aroma. What happens at which temperature and when to add honey to tea without losing them.
By AndrejaPublished 3 min read
Two opposite claims do the rounds online: that honey in hot tea is “toxic”, and that heat makes no difference to honey at all. Neither is true. This is an honest explanation of what happens to honey at high temperatures and how to use it in hot drinks.
Is honey in hot tea harmful?
No. Honey added to boiling water does not become toxic or dangerous. That claim comes from traditional sources and has no support in food science. If you have put honey in scalding tea, drink it without worry.
What actually happens
Honey contains enzymes the bees add to the nectar, aromatic substances that give it its scent and taste, and sugars. Heat doesn’t affect the sugars, but it does affect the rest:
- Above about 40 degrees the enzymes start to weaken; that is also the limit the bees never exceed inside the hive.
- Above about 60 degrees the breakdown is considerably faster, and the volatile aromatic substances disappear with the steam.
- With prolonged cooking honey loses its aroma and becomes an ordinary sweetener.
So honey in boiling tea isn’t harmful, but it loses some of what made you buy raw honey rather than sugar. We explain what raw honey is in our article on raw honey.
When to add honey to tea
A simple rule: add the honey when you can drink the tea. Tea at drinking temperature is about 50 to 60 degrees; that is enough for the honey to dissolve quickly, and low enough for it to keep its aroma. In practice that means waiting a few minutes after pouring the tea.
If the tea is too hot for you to drink, it is too hot for the honey too.
Which honey for which tea
- Linden honey — camomile, linden, green tea. The linden aroma blends nicely with herbal teas.
- Acacia honey — any tea when you don’t want the honey to change the taste.
- Wildflower honey — everyday black tea.
- Chestnut honey — strong black tea, rosehip tea, for lovers of bitterness.
Honey in cooking and baking
The same logic applies in the kitchen. In cakes and marinades honey is a sweetener and adds colour and moisture; the enzymes and aroma are partly lost, but that has nothing to do with its safety. There is no point using the most expensive honey for baking; wildflower is perfectly adequate.
Honey and milk, honey and lemon
Warm milk with honey and tea with lemon and honey are classics that need nothing special. The same rule applies: add the honey when the drink is ready to drink.
Conclusion
Honey in hot tea isn’t harmful, but it is a shame: it loses some of its enzymes and aroma. Add it once the tea has cooled enough to drink, and choose linden or acacia honey depending on whether you want aroma or neutral sweetness. How to store honey so those properties stay in the jar is covered in our article on how to store honey.
Questions and answers
Is honey in hot tea harmful?
No. Honey added to hot tea is neither harmful nor toxic; the claim that it becomes toxic has no support in food science. High temperature only reduces some of its aroma and heat-sensitive enzymes, so it remains mostly a sweetener.
At what temperature does honey lose its properties?
The enzymes and aromatic substances in honey start to weaken above roughly 40 degrees and break down more strongly above 60. Tea at drinking temperature is usually 50 to 60 degrees, so it is best to add honey once the tea has cooled enough to drink.
When should you add honey to tea?
Add honey to tea only once it has cooled to drinking temperature, a few minutes after brewing. That way the honey dissolves nicely and most of the aroma and sensitive components are preserved.
Which honey is best for tea?
For tea, the most common choices are linden honey, for its distinctive aroma, and acacia honey, because it doesn’t change the taste of the tea. Chestnut honey suits stronger black teas.