If you have IBS, you don't necessarily need to give up honey altogether — it's the type of honey that matters more than whether to have it at all. Here's what the evidence actually says about honey and IBS, and why a thick, set honey can be a gentler choice than a runny one.
What Is IBS?
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common, long-term condition affecting the digestive system. It can cause bloating, stomach cramps, and changes in bowel habits such as diarrhoea, constipation, or both. IBS varies a lot from person to person, and it's important to get a proper diagnosis from a GP, since several other conditions can cause similar symptoms.
Does Honey Actually Help With IBS?
You may have read that honey can reduce IBS symptoms directly. The honest answer is that there isn't good-quality clinical evidence for that. Raw honey does contain small amounts of natural compounds — including oligosaccharides, which can act as a mild prebiotic, and various antioxidants — but that doesn't mean it treats or relieves IBS. Research specifically looking at honey and IBS is very limited, and general nutritional properties of a food are not the same thing as a proven treatment for a medical condition.
Honey And FODMAPs: Why Not All Honey Is Equal
For many people with IBS, this is where it gets more nuanced than "honey is good" or "honey is bad." The FODMAP concern with honey relates to excess free fructose — when a honey contains meaningfully more fructose than glucose, that extra fructose isn't easily absorbed by some people and can trigger bloating, gas and stomach pain. This is the basis of the low-FODMAP diet developed by researchers at Monash University, one of the more evidence-backed dietary approaches for managing IBS symptoms, and it's why honey as a whole category often gets a blanket "avoid" label.
But honey isn't one thing. Its fructose-to-glucose ratio depends on the flowers the bees forage from. Honeys that stay runny almost indefinitely, like acacia, tend to be higher in fructose. Honeys that set thick and firm do so because they're naturally lower in fructose relative to glucose — glucose is less soluble, so it crystallises out of solution more readily. That's relevant biologically too, since glucose helps the gut absorb fructose: a honey where glucose matches or exceeds fructose is less likely to trigger the fructose-malabsorption effect than a high-fructose, runny honey.
The good news is you don't have to guess which is which — a honey's thick, set texture is itself the visible sign of a glucose-dominant profile. That's why a firm-set honey, like our raw organic Mesquite Honey below, tends to be a gentler starting point than a runny one if you're mindful of FODMAPs.
To be clear: this hasn't been tested in a clinical FODMAP trial specific to honey, and we can't label any honey "low FODMAP" without that kind of certified lab testing. This is a compositional explanation, not a treatment claim — always introduce any new food gradually and see how your own body responds.
Meet Raw Organic Mesquite Honey
Our Mesquite Honey comes from bees feeding on wild mesquite trees across the high plains of the Mexican Plateau, in Aguascalientes state — harvested once a year by the Gomez family, a local beekeeping family, then brought to you raw and unfiltered.
It's a thick, creamy, set honey that customers often describe as tasting like "toasted marshmallows," with notes of white chocolate and a gentle smokiness from the mesquite blossom. In August 2019 it won a One-Star Great Taste Award from the UK Guild of Fine Food, whose judges described it as "a thick, creamy set honey with a bright, fruity aroma... a complex product that could work well as an accompaniment to sweet and savoury food."
It's certified organic, raw and unpasteurised, with an 84% lab-tested mesquite pollen count confirming its floral source. Beyond a spoonful in warm water, it's good drizzled over toast or yoghurt, stirred into tea or coffee, or used as a glaze for roasted or barbecued food, where its natural smokiness comes through.
If you'd like to try it: Raw Organic White Velvet Mesquite Honey.
What Actually Helps With IBS
If you have IBS, the most reliable next step is speaking with your GP or a registered dietitian, who can help rule out other conditions and talk you through evidence-based options such as the low-FODMAP diet, fibre adjustments, stress management and, where appropriate, medication. Self-treating persistent or worsening digestive symptoms with a single food — even a well-chosen one — is not a substitute for a proper diagnosis.
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. If you have ongoing or worsening digestive symptoms, please speak to your GP or a registered dietitian.