Honey vs maple syrup: which is healthier?

They are about equally nutrient-dense: honey scores 0/100 and maple syrup 3/100, so pick by your goal. Both can be part of a healthy diet; the table below shows where each one is stronger. Source: USDA FoodData Central.

Honey

0/100Low nutrient density

304 kcal per 100 g. 1 tbsp: 21 g

Maple syrup

3/100Low nutrient density

260 kcal per 100 g. 1 tbsp: 20 g

Which to pick for your goal

Fewer caloriesMaple syrup304 vs 260 kcal per 100 g
More proteinAbout even0.3 vs <0.1 g per 100 g
More fiberAbout even0.2 vs 0 g per 100 g
Less sugarMaple syrup82 vs 60 g per 100 g
More potassiumMaple syrup52 vs 212 mg per 100 g
Less saturated fatAbout even0 vs <0.1 g per 100 g

Nutrition side by side

Per 100 g and per typical portion. Bold marks the better value for each row.
Nutrient	Honey, 100 g	Maple syrup, 100 g	Honey, 21 g	Maple syrup, 20 g
Calories	304 kcal	260 kcal	64 kcal	52 kcal
Protein	0.3 g	<0.1 g	<0.1 g	<0.1 g
Carbohydrates	82 g	67 g	17 g	13 g
Sugars	82 g	60 g	17 g	12 g
Fiber	0.2 g	0 g	<0.1 g	0 g
Fat	0 g	<0.1 g	0 g	<0.1 g
Saturated fat	0 g	<0.1 g	0 g	<0.1 g
Vitamin C	0.5 mg	0 mg	0.1 mg	0 mg
Vitamin A	0 µg	0 µg	0 µg	0 µg
Potassium	52 mg	212 mg	11 mg	42 mg
Iron	0.4 mg	0.1 mg	<0.1 mg	<0.1 mg
Calcium	6 mg	102 mg	1.3 mg	20 mg
Magnesium	2 mg	21 mg	0.4 mg	4.2 mg
Sodium	4 mg	12 mg	0.8 mg	2.4 mg

Last updated October 8, 2026. Scores use the HowHealthyIs Score method.

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