Heating honey is a common kitchen habit that many assume is harmless, but celebrity gut health expert and Ayurveda coach Dimple Jangda is urging people to rethink it. In a video on Instagram, Jangda described honey as a “potent medicine” that must be consumed with care. She warned that heating honey or mixing it with certain foods can make it toxic and potentially harmful over time, a concern supported by both Ayurvedic teachings and emerging scientific insights.
Honey should not be used as a regular sweetener, Jangda stressed. "Honey is medicine, not food," she said, adding that the old science of Vriddhahal in Ayurveda has long provided guidelines for pairing foods. Never heat honey is at the top of that list.
According to classical Ayurvedic texts like the Charaka Samhita, heating honey is believed to generate “ama,” a sticky, indigestible toxin that clogs the body's channels and acts as a slow poison over time. In contrast, raw, unprocessed honey is considered highly therapeutic. It is said to balance the kapha and vata doshas while supporting immunity, digestion, and overall vitality.
Jangda claimed that heating honey causes hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a toxic substance, to be released. “Studies tested heated honey on honeybees and found a 100% mortality rate,” she said. “When tested on rats, there was a 50% mortality rate. We don't need tests on humans to know this is toxic.”
Jangda advises making sure honey is always raw and only combined with lukewarm water in order to safely consume it. “Dip your pinky finger into the water if you can hold it there for five seconds, it's safe to mix honey,” she advised. Hot water beyond a bearable temperature is strictly off-limits.
She also advised against using honey in baked products, cakes, cookies, teas, and coffees. “It turns toxic and poisonous,” she said. Certain dietary pairings should be avoided since they may obstruct intestinal channels (srotas) and disrupt gut function, especially equal parts of honey and ghee or honey and sesame oil.
Honey with hot milk, fish, beef, and radish are among the other combinations that Jangda deemed "toxic." She cautioned that these pairings can result in burning sensations, indigestion, or gastritis. Fruits and honey should only be combined in moderation due to their high natural sugar content, which might lead to an unnecessary glucose spike.
Jangda did point out several favourable combinations: raw honey combined with ginger, pepper, turmeric, or cinnamon can ease sinus problems, tinnitus, colds, and coughs. She advised avoiding eating honey when you have a fever because the body's high temperature could cause HMF to build up again.
She also mentioned the benefits of honey, particularly when eaten raw, for ailments like thyroid imbalance, allergies, asthma, wheezing, PCOS, and PCOD. However, anyone with psoriasis, eczema, rosacea, urticaria, acidity, or reflux should completely avoid it.
Global food authorities have established safety standards in light of these hazards. HMF levels in honey are limited to 40 mg/kg by the international food standards authority Codex Alimentarius (or 80 mg/kg in tropical climes, where heat naturally promotes HMF generation).
Honey heated below 95°C (203°F) is safe, according to studies, but baking, frying, or extended storage can raise HMF levels significantly. This implies that raw honey is best consumed unprocessed.
“Here's to healthy living and a healthy you,” Jangda said in closing, advising careful and moderate usage of the most treasured natural sweetener found in nature.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
