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Types of honey are sorted in three official ways in the United States: by floral source, the plant the nectar came from; by color, using the seven USDA color designations; and by form, such as liquid or crystallized and filtered or strained. This guide to honey varieties quotes FDA’s guidance on naming honey and the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) grade standards, then shows USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy values for honey per tablespoon. For the comparison with table sugar, see our honey vs sugar guide.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- FDA says you do not have to declare the floral source of honey, but names such as Orange Blossom, Clover or Wild Flower Honey are acceptable when supported.
- USDA AMS grades honey color in seven designations, from Water White to Dark Amber, and says color is not a factor of quality.
- In USDA data, a tablespoon of honey lists about 17.2 grams of sugar, 34% of the FDA Daily Value for added sugars.
- CDC says: "Do not give honey or products made with it, including honey pacifiers, to infants."
Types of honey by floral source
FDA’s 2018 guidance for industry, Proper Labeling of Honey and Honey Products, which is nonbinding, describes honey as “a thick, sweet, syrupy substance that bees make as food from the nectar of plants or secretions of living parts of plants and store in honeycombs.” FDA says a food that contains only honey “must be named “honey”” and needs no ingredient statement.
On floral source, FDA writes: “You do not have to declare the floral source of honey on the label.” A producer may name the plant or blossom if information supports that it is “the chief floral source of the honey.” FDA says “Names such as “Orange Blossom Honey,” “Clover Honey,” or “Wild Flower Honey” are acceptable.” The USDA AMS grade standard defines floral source as the flower from which the bees gather nectar to make honey, and its flavor scores are judged “for the predominant floral source” or for a blend of floral sources. So the honey varieties on a shelf, named for clover, orange blossom or wildflowers, are floral-source names that FDA says must be truthful and not misleading.
USDA color designations for honey
The USDA AMS United States Standards for Grades of Extracted Honey give seven color designations, measured against USDA-approved color standards. AMS lists each with a range on the Pfund scale, in millimeters, and notes that the Pfund grader used by the honey industry is not the officially approved device for official color designation.
| USDA color designation | Pfund scale range (USDA AMS Table I) |
|---|---|
| Water White | 8 mm or less |
| Extra White | Over 8 to and including 17 mm |
| White | Over 17 to and including 34 mm |
| Extra Light Amber | Over 34 to and including 50 mm |
| Light Amber | Over 50 to and including 85 mm |
| Amber | Over 85 to and including 114 mm |
| Dark Amber | Over 114 mm |
USDA AMS states that “The color of extracted honey is not a factor of quality for the purpose of these grades.” The AMS grades A, B and C are scored instead on flavor and aroma, absence of defects and clarity, with minimum totals of 90, 80 and 70 points, and soluble solids are measured with a refractometer under the AMS standard. In AMS terms, a color designation describes shade, and a grade describes those scored factors.
Liquid, crystallized, filtered and strained honey
The AMS standard covers extracted honey, which it defines as honey “separated from the comb by centrifugal force, gravity, straining, or by other means.” It sorts extracted honey into three types and two styles:
- Liquid honey: USDA AMS says it is “free from visible crystals.”
- Crystallized honey: USDA AMS says it is “solidly granulated or crystallized, irrespective of whether candied, fondant, creamed or spread types.”
- Partially crystallized honey: in USDA AMS terms, a mixture of liquid and crystallized honey.
- Filtered style: USDA AMS says all or most of the fine particles, pollen grains, air bubbles or other suspended materials have been removed.
- Strained style: USDA AMS says most particles, including comb and propolis, have been removed, while grains of pollen, small air bubbles and very fine particles would not normally be.
AMS adds that the type “is not incorporated in the grades of the finished product,” because it depends on preparation and processing. In USDA AMS terms, comb is the wax-like cellular structure bees use for brood and for storing pollen and honey.
What USDA lists for honey per tablespoon
USDA SR Legacy has one generic honey entry, with no split by floral source or color. The table shows it at the two household portions USDA lists, with the percent Daily Value (%DV) against the FDA Daily Value of 50 grams for added sugars, since FDA counts sugars from honey as added sugars.
| Honey (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Calories | Carbohydrate | Total sugars (% DV added sugars) | Fructose | Glucose | Sucrose | Maltose |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honey (169640) | 1 tbsp (21 g) | 64 | 17.3 g | 17.2 g (34%) | 8.6 g | 7.5 g | 0.2 g | 0.3 g |
| Honey (169640) | 1 packet (0.5 oz) (14 g) | 43 | 11.5 g | 11.5 g (23%) | 5.7 g | 5.0 g | 0.1 g | 0.2 g |
In USDA data, the tablespoon of honey lists 8.6 grams of fructose and 7.5 grams of glucose, with 0.2 gram of sucrose. FDA says packages of single-ingredient sweeteners such as honey show the percent Daily Value for added sugars so that it does not look as if sugars were added to the product. The Nutrition Facts label on a jar is the figure for that product.
Honey beside other syrups in USDA data
| Syrup (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Calories | Carbohydrate | Total sugars (% DV added sugars) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honey (169640) | 1 tbsp (21 g) | 64 | 17.3 g | 17.2 g (34%) |
| Sorghum syrup (169662) | 1 tbsp (21 g) | 61 | 15.7 g | 15.7 g (31%) |
| Molasses (168820) | 1 tbsp (20 g) | 58 | 14.9 g | 14.9 g (30%) |
| Maple syrup (169661) | 1 tbsp (20 g) | 52 | 13.4 g | 12.1 g (24%) |
Per tablespoon in USDA data, honey lists 64 calories and the maple entry 52, partly because USDA’s tablespoon of honey weighs 21 grams against 20 grams for the maple entry. More syrups, including agave, are in the sibling guide to types of sugar; see also maple syrup, molasses and agave.
Honey blends and labels
FDA’s guidance says a product of honey and a sweetener such as sugar or corn syrup cannot be labeled only as honey. FDA gives “Blend of honey and corn syrup” as an example name when there is more honey than corn syrup, with both listed in the ingredient statement, the one present in the greater amount by weight first. A honey with an added flavor, FDA says, would carry a name such as raspberry-flavored honey.
Honey and infants
CDC says: “Honey can contain the bacteria that cause botulism.” CDC also says: “Do not give honey or products made with it, including honey pacifiers, to infants.” The CDC wording covers every type of honey in this guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main types of honey?
FDA accepts floral-source names such as Orange Blossom, Clover and Wild Flower Honey, USDA AMS sorts honey into seven color designations, and the AMS standard names liquid, crystallized and partially crystallized types.
Do honey labels have to name the flower?
No. FDA says you do not have to declare the floral source of honey on the label, but a plant or blossom name may be used when it is the chief floral source.
Is darker honey a higher grade?
No. USDA AMS says the color of extracted honey is not a factor of quality; grades are scored on flavor and aroma, absence of defects and clarity.
What is the difference between filtered and strained honey?
In the USDA AMS standard, filtered honey has all or most fine particles and pollen grains removed, while strained honey has most particles removed but would normally keep pollen grains.
Can babies have honey?
CDC says not to give honey or products made with it, including honey pacifiers, to infants, because honey can contain the bacteria that cause botulism.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Types of Sugar: What the FDA Label and USDA Data Show, Honey vs Sugar: USDA Calories, Nutrition and What the Label Rules Say, Types of Sugar: What the FDA Label and USDA Data Show.