Our editorial policy

Why we publish guides

We sell honey, bee products, dates, nuts and dried fruit. That gives us a reason to be careful: a seller has every incentive to overstate its products. Our guides exist to help people choose and use sweeteners well, including when the honest answer is "use less".

Where our facts come from

• Government sources first: FDA, USDA (including FoodData Central and the Agricultural Marketing Service), HHS and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the CDC, and state agriculture departments.
• Peer-reviewed research, such as the international glycemic index tables, cited with author, journal and year.
• Recognized health organizations, such as the American Heart Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
• University extension services and industry bodies (such as the National Honey Board) for cooking and handling practice, labeled as such.

Every guide lists its sources at the end, with links. Numbers are calculated from the source data and say which serving they apply to.

Rules we follow

• No health claims. We do not say any food treats, cures or prevents a disease, or "boosts" immunity. Where research is mixed, we say so.
• Honey is sugar. We describe honey, syrups and sugars as added sugars, as U.S. rules and guidelines do.
• Comparisons are fair. We show where other sweeteners do better than ours, such as maple syrup's manganese or molasses's potassium.
• Commercial links are clear. Guides link to products we sell. Those links never change what a guide says.
• Not medical advice. For diabetes, pregnancy, infants or any condition, we point readers to their doctor or a registered dietitian.

Review and updates

Each guide shows the date it was last updated. We review guides when a primary source changes, for example a new edition of the Dietary Guidelines, and at least once a year.

Corrections

If you find an error, tell us. We correct it, update the date, and note significant changes at the end of the guide.