Is Manuka honey better than normal honey? What’s so special about Manuka honey? Let’s find out….

Manuka honey is a New Zealand honey with many antibacterial properties. Check out the health benefits of manuka honey and find out is manuka honey good for you.

Eating Manuka honey could be beneficial to your health in several ways. It consists of sugars (mostly glucose and fructose), amino acids, vitamins, minerals and two antimicrobial ingredients, hydrogen peroxide and methylglyoxal.

• What is Manuka honey?
• Where does Manuka honey come from?
• What are the Manuka honey bees?

Manuka honey is prepared from a scrub plant native to New Zealand, from which it gets its name. When bees pollinate using the native Manuka bush in New Zealand and Australia, the honey created is more powerful and beneficial than the usual honey produced by honey bees, as it has a higher level of methylglyoxal or MGO.

Dr Manuka or Manuka Doctor is one of the most famous exporters of genuine Manuka honey based in Auckland, New Zealand.

Health Benefits and Uses of Manuka Honey

Strong Antibiotic Effect

As for health benefits, though all types of honey is a kind of superfood and has been used down the ages for treating several health conditions, Manuka honey is a specialized variety having additional health benefits.

• The antibacterial quality of this healing honey depends on the kind of honey as well as the way of harvesting.
• It is hydrogen peroxide that offers honey the antibiotic property, but Manuka honey contains some other antibacterial qualities as well.
• The additional ingredient in Manuka honey is MG or Methylglyoxal, which is also present in some other types of honey, but in a smaller quantity.
• MG is formed in Manuka honey due to the conversion of dihydroxyacetone, which is seen in high concentration in the Manuka flowers. This makes the antibiotic effect stronger.

Tip: While selecting Manuka honey, check out the rating known as the UMF or Unique Manuka Factor, which shows the concentration of MG in it on a scale of 5 to 20.

It should be a minimum of 10 UMF to be therapeutically potent, as these are the medical grade Manuka honey as compared to the regular table honeys. Such medihoney is usually marked as Active Manuka Honey or UMF Manuka Honey.

What is Manuka Honey Good for? Sore Throat/Cold/Flu

Manuka honey could help out with a sore throat, acute pharyngitis, cold and a cough!

• The healing properties of honey are well known. Manuka honey, in particular, has anti inflammatory and antiseptic properties, which can reduce the swelling in the throat, kill bacteria and reduce pain.
• Sore throat is caused by streptococcus pyogenes bacteria and Manuka honey is known to inhibit this particular bacteria.
• Pure Manuka honey for cough: Take a spoonful of it directly or blend it in warm water.
• It is also useful in reducing esophagitis, which is the inflammation of the esophagus, which cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy are susceptible to.
• It has an antiviral effect due to the MG present in it.
• Manuka honey can kill biofilms of Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas, which are the common bacteria causing sinus infections, more effectively than antibiotics.

Read: Honey Bee Farming – How to Start Honey Processing Business

Tip: How to use Manuka honey? You can have Manuka honey just like regular honey, for instance, Manuka honey in tea; spread it on toast; drizzle it on desserts.

Remember: Manuka is different from regular honey as it is not a liquid at room temperature. Instead, it has a thick consistency and is easily spreadable.

Cosmetic Benefits of Manuka Honey

Another of the Manuka honey benefits is that it can improve the appearance of your skin!

• Manuka honey for skin: It balances the pH levels of the skin, sloughs away dead cell remains and keeps the skin clean.
• One of the benefits of Manuka raw honey is that it also reduces inflammation caused by acne due to the anti inflammatory properties.
• It reduces bacteria, as it is antibacterial, so there are fewer of them to infect the pores.
• Manuka honey for acne: It heals pimples by healing acne due to the low pH levels.
• It is a good emollient, so it softens the skin.
• It is a solution for skin problems like psoriasis, dandruff etc.

Warning: If you are allergic to bees, use it with caution, as there could be some Manuka honey side effects.

Uses for Manuka Honey in Burns/Wounds/Cuts/Bruises

• One of the Manuka honey health benefits is that you can use Manuka honey for burns and wounds, as it has a high concentration of sugar, which keeps the burn/wound area moist and accelerates healing.
• Can be added to bandages for treating wounds.
• Manuka honey is low in moisture content. So when you put it on the wound, the liquid present in the wound is drawn up by the honey, as it has the ability to absorb it. In the process, the honey also draws up all the impurities and speeds up the healing process.
• It also reduces the risk of MRSA, which is a serious staph infection.
• Once on the wound site, Manuka honey releases a compound known as TNF-Alpha, which initiates the healing process and regulates the immune cell functioning.

Manuka can be used to treat skin rashes; boils and scalded skin. Do not just squirt it. Rub it on the wound dressing and wrap it around the infected area. You also get pre packaged dressings with the Manuka honey inside them.

Do not use regular raw honey on wounds, as the corn syrup (which is high fructose and abundantly present in regular raw honey) could spread the infection rather than curb it. Opt for pure or organic Manuka honey.

The most important factor is to verify the source of Manuka honey. The quality and purity of the honey are important when using for such treatment. Do not use any regular store bought honey on wounds and infections! Manuka honey has been approved by the US FDA as a recommended treatment for wounds.

Diabetes and Manuka Honey

One of the medicinal benefits of Manuka honey is that it contains properties that can help with diabetes.

• The benefits of Manuka honey arises from the fact that it contains flavonoids and sugars and can be substituted for processed sugar. People have a higher tolerance for honey sugars as against normal glucose. Blood glucose levels have been noted to decline rapidly after half an hour of consumption of Manuka honey.
• A Manuka honey diet can reduce weight gain and blood sugar levels, as compared to regular sugar.
• It has a beneficial effect on the metabolic changes taking place during diabetes. It reduces cholesterol and blood sugar as well as inflammatory parameters observed in diabetics.
• It regulates the immune system and can, therefore, help with type 1 diabetes, which is generally caused due to the irregular functioning of the immune system.
• It can also cure foot ulcers seen in diabetics, which could lead to severe wounds and even amputation of the limbs. Dressings with Manuka honey in them can treat wounds much faster than regular dressing.
• Diabetic ulcer can be cured with Manuka honey combined with silver, being anti inflammatory and antimicrobial in nature.

Tip: One or two teaspoons a day between meals straight from the spoon or by dissolving in warm or cold water.

The most important factor is to verify the source of Manuka honey. The quality and purity of the honey are important when using for such treatment. Do not use any regular store bought honey on wounds and infections! Manuka honey has been approved by the US FDA as a recommended treatment for wounds.

Boosting Immunity with Manuka Honey

Prevention is better than cure! The benefits of Manuka honey includes a boost in immunity.

• Arabinogalactan proteins and the Apisimin present in Manuka honey can boost your immune system.
• Its antimicrobial, anti inflammatory and antioxidant can improve your immunity to cold and flu.

Head over to the UMF Honey Association site to find out about the different brands. You can buy many of the products listed there, such as Manuka lozenges; Manuka adhesive pads etc.from online stores.

Manuka Honey Helps Fight Gum Disease

This is due to its anti inflammatory properties.

• Plaque and tartar result from bacteria left on the teeth. It can cause inflammation, gum disease and tooth infections.
• Manuka honey can work as an effective antiseptic mouthwash to inhibit plaque and gingivitis.

Wrap Up – Manuka Honey Benefits and Uses

Health enthusiasts have fallen head over heels in love with this magical Manuka honey, pronounced as MAH-nooka.

As can be seen from above, Manuka honey has both health and beauty benefits and even celebrities like Scarlett Johannson are said to use Manuka as a face mask post showering.