
Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
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Among all the foods you can enjoy on a low carb lifestyle, one of the most confusing categories is keto sweeteners — especially honey! Like coconut sugar, it’s a minimally processed and natural sweetener… but is honey keto friendly? Let’s take a closer look at how honey fits into a ketogenic diet, the carbs in honey, and the best keto honey substitute to enjoy when you’re watching your carb intake.
New to counting carbs or keto? Learn the keto diet basics here and grab my printable keto cheat sheet system to make it easy.
Is Honey Keto Friendly?
Unfortunately, honey is not keto friendly. How can honey be off limits if it’s naturally produced by bees? Well, it mainly contains the simple sugars glucose and fructose — both of which can send you straight out of ketosis. Honey may be considered conventionally healthy, because it’s natural and contains small amounts of enzymes, proteins, vitamins, and minerals, but it does not align with a low-carb lifestyle.

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Is Honey Mustard Keto?
Conventional honey mustard dips and dressings are not keto, as they contain added sugars or honey. These have too many carbs per serving to easily fit in a low carb diet.
However, there are ways to make keto friendly honey mustard. The Easy Keto Cookbook contains an easy recipe for it that tastes like the real thing!
Is Raw Honey Keto?
Raw honey is not keto friendly, either. While raw honey contains the most nutrients (it’s not processed like regular honey, so it has the most micronutrients and is the closest to what the bees produce), it still contains the same amount of sugar and spikes insulin levels. Keto dieters would be better off finding a low carb honey substitute.

How Many Carbs In Honey?
Are there carbs in honey? Yes! Carbs in raw honey and regular honey are the same. Carbs in a tablespoon of honey add up to 17 grams of carbs (total and net carbs) [*, *].
How Many Carbs In Honey Mustard?
Carbs in honey mustard are not great for keto. A single tablespoon contains 3.8 grams total carbs and 3.65 grams net carbs [*], which are 100% from sugar. Besides, typically people consume more than one tablespoon, so it adds up fast.
Serving Size | Total Carbs | Net Carbs |
---|---|---|
1 tablespoon honey | 17g | 17g |
1 tablespoon honey mustard | 3.8g | 3.65g |
Keto Honey Substitutes
What is a honey substitute for keto? For a long time, there wasn’t one! Stevia or sugar alcohols such as erythritol and xylitol don’t have the same flavor, artificial sweeteners such as sucralose are highly processed, and natural sweeteners like pure maple syrup will still spike blood sugar levels. Plus, it’s difficult to find a sweetener with the same thick, sticky texture as honey.
After months of testing, I developed the absolute best low carb substitute for honey: Wholesome Yum Keto Honey Substitute! It has the same flavor, thickness, stickiness, sweetness, and flavor of honey because it uses real honey flavor (from actual honey!), natural fiber for texture, and natural monk fruit sweetener with allulose. (In fact, all the photos on this page are this product!) You can substitute it 1-to-1 with conventional honey in baking, sauces, and drinks, and each serving has just 15 calories and 0g net carbs.

If you don’t have keto honey, sugar-free maple syrup would be the next best substitute. Wholesome Yum Keto Maple Syrup is thinner than honey (the consistency of maple syrup), but still has delicious sweetness and stickiness.


Keto Honey Recipes & Uses
Use keto honey just like regular honey in sweet and savory recipes! Try these ideas:
- Sauces & glazes – Make keto honey mustard, brush honey onto bacon wrapped brussels sprouts, whisk into a salmon marinade, or drizzle into homemade teriyaki sauce (and use for keto teriyaki chicken!).
- Toast & bread – Spread honey on a keto English muffin (pictured at the top of this page), almond flour biscuits, or a slice of keto yeast bread.
- Healthy snacks – Substitute keto honey for maple syrup in energy balls, or try it on top of almond flour crackers.
- Easy breakfasts – Sugar-free honey tastes delicious as a garnish for low carb overnight oats or homemade keto yogurt (or coconut yogurt).
Conclusion: Is Honey Keto Approved?
Conventional honey contains too many carbs to easily enjoy on a low carb diet. However, keto honey has all the same flavor and sweetness as the real deal — give it a try!

14 Comments
Pamela
0Does your substitute honey taste like Monk Fruit?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Pamela, My keto honey tastes like honey. I’m very sensitive to aftertastes and this one does not have any. 🙂
Sharon
0Where can I buy this without having to order it by mail?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sharon, You can check the store locator here to see stores near you that carry our products.
Kathy
0Does keto honey have artificial sweetener?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kathy, Wholesome Yum Keto Honey does not have artificial sweetener or any other artificial ingredients. All my products are 100% natural.
Karen
0I have a family recipe that involves boiling dough in honey. Can this keto-honey be used? Can it be boiled and yet retain its honey qualities?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Karen, I have never tried to boil this honey but I believe it should work for you.
Anne Frazer
0Can I make my own? I live in Australia and do not have a store that stocks this product.
Anne
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Anne, Unfortunately, this cannot be made at home; maybe you would be interested in homemade maple syrup.
Lori M.
0Hi, my response on June 8 was meant to answer this question from Anne Frazer, not Julie Wright’s below. Sorry for the mix up.
Julie Wright
0Once opened, do it need to be stored in refrigerator?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Julie, No, it does not need to be stored in the refrigerator.
Lori M.
0I have made several keto funny honeys. I understand iHerb sells allulose in Australia, as that would be the best tasting sweetener and would not crystallize. You can use extracts for flavor or steep flower petals for a bit of nectar – my favorites come from my lawn weeds of dandelion and white clover. I follow the technique I learned from Messy Little Monster of equal water cups to petal cups for the steep then equal infusion weight to sweetener for the surup. Throw in an overnight steep a la Spruce Eats. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Stirring frequently, bring to a boil, then simmer to thicken. Sprinkle a little xanthum gum to desired consistency.