Quoting the conclusion of the linked abstract: "These results suggest that in comparison with sucrose, honey may reduce weight gain and adiposity, presumabl

Quoting the conclusion of the linked abstract: "These results suggest that in comparison with sucrose, honey may reduce weight gain and adiposity, presumably due to lower food intake," It seems like the rats on honey diet just ate less. I don't think this transfers to the honey as sweetener use case, where you'd use about the same amount of sugar compounds to reach desired sweetness level of the beverage.