The Turkish pantry

Honey

A liquid or crystallized sweetener whose floral character and texture vary by product.

Last updated: 18 October 2026

This guide concerns plain honey. A honey-flavored syrup or a mixture with added ingredients is a different product. Color and a scenic label alone do not verify floral source, origin or purity.

Types & forms

Liquid honey

Pourable honey, shown in the guide picture.

Crystallized honey

Honey can form sugar crystals during storage; crystallization alone does not establish spoilage.

Honeycomb or blended syrups · comparison

Wax-containing comb and formulated syrups have different edible portions or ingredients.

What to look for when buying

Read the ingredient list and any stated floral origin. A general honey nutrition reference does not verify a particular jar’s origin or composition.
Choose intact food packaging and follow the producer’s storage instructions. Do not infer quality from color alone.

Prepare & cook

Measure into the recipe as directed. Honey adds moisture as well as sweetness, so it is not a simple equal-volume replacement for dry sugar in every bake.
To soften crystallized honey, gently warm a suitable closed container in warm water; protect it from water entering the honey. Do not give honey to children younger than 12 months.

Store it well

Store plain honey tightly closed in a dry place. Keep water and food crumbs out by using clean, dry utensils.
Crystallization can be reversed with gentle warming. Follow the label for products containing additional ingredients; plain-honey storage advice does not automatically apply to them.

Substitutions depend on the dish

Granulated sugar

Dry sugar changes the liquid balance; use a recipe designed for the substitution.

Grape molasses

It has a different flavor and composition. Use it only as an intentional variation where the recipe allows.

Nutrition

Honey ^[1]

Per 100 g edible portion
Nutrient	Amount
Energy	304 kcal
Protein	0.3 g
Total fat	0 g
Saturated fat	0 g
Carbohydrate	82.4 g
Dietary fiber	0.2 g
Total sugars	82.1 g
Sodium	4 mg
Cholesterol	0 mg
Calcium	6 mg
Iron	0.42 mg
Potassium	52 mg
Vitamin D	0 µg

Plain honey per 100 g; a generic reference rather than an analysis of a named floral variety or brand. Values are rounded for readability; “not reported” does not mean zero. A “<” value is below the source’s measurement limit.

Nutrition values come from the reference source named above. They are published reference values, not our own measurements. Actual products and cooking methods may change the values.

At the Turkish table

Bal can be served as a sweetener or paired with other breakfast foods. This guide describes honey itself; the nutrition of a serving with cream, bread or nuts depends on those added ingredients.