Manuka honey is produced by manuka bushes in New Zealand and
Australia. This honey has traditionally been used as alternative medicine and
has a variety of healing properties.
What Is Manuka Honey?
Manuka honey is derived from the Australian and New Zealand
tea tree Leptospermum scoparium. The tree, also known as a manuka bush,
produces nectar, which bees consume and excrete in their hive. In the 1800s,
settlers brought honeybee hives to Oceania; since then, Australian and New
Zealand manuka have grown in popularity due to the organic product's medicinal
properties.
Manuka honey contains a high concentration of the
antimicrobial compound methylglyoxal (MGO), which inhibits microbial growth.
Because of the Unique Manuka Factor (UMF), honey is a superfood with numerous skincare
and health benefits.
Manuka Honey vs. Honey: What’s the Difference?
Manuka honey is derived from the tea tree Leptospermum
scoparium, which grows in Australia and New Zealand. Honey can be obtained from
a variety of flowers all over the world. Because manuka flowers contain a high
concentration of the compound methylglyoxal, manuka honey has more
antibacterial properties than regular honey. Manuka honey appears to be more
opaque.
4 Manuka Honey Health Benefits
Food-grade manuka honey can be used as a natural sweetener
in beverages or applied topically to treat wounds and skincare issues. Consider
the following manuka honey applications and potential benefits:
1. Clearer skin: When used for skincare, applying manuka
honey to the face can reduce inflammation and kill acne-causing bacteria.
2. Oral hygiene: Manuka honey can aid in the treatment of
gingivitis and other oral health issues such as plaque. Honey can also be used
to kill bacteria and freshen your breath.
3. Immune system health: A spoonful of manuka honey with
warm tea can help the immune system. Its antibacterial properties can act as a
natural cough suppressant and kill bacteria that cause swelling when you have a
sore throat.
4. Faster wound healing: Manuka honey's antimicrobial
properties can help speed up wound healing. Manuka honey has been approved for
wound treatment by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Manuka honey may
also be used to treat gastric ulcers.
Manuka Honey Side Effects
Manuka honey is recognized by nutritionists as a medicinal
product, but if you have honey allergies, avoid using it. Before applying it
topically, test a patch on your skin to see if it causes an allergic reaction.
Manuka honey, like all honey, has a high sugar content, so use it sparingly.
Excessive consumption can result in weight gain, tooth decay, and other health
problems. Furthermore, giving manuka honey to children under the age of twelve
months can result in botulism.
The Manuka Honey Grading System
If you want to use manuka honey for antibacterial purposes, you must first identify medical-grade manuka honey. To validate the potency of this honey, the UMFHA in New Zealand and the Australian Manuka Honey Association test it for dihydroxyacetone (DHA) and leptosperin concentrations. The Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) assesses the antibacterial properties and activity of honey.
A 0-4 on the UMF scale indicates that the honey has little antibacterial activity. A 5-9 UMF rating indicates that the honey is food-grade, while 10-14 UMF ratings indicate a higher prevalence of methylglyoxal, dihydroxyacetone, and leptosperin. A rating of 15 or higher, which is common in manuka honey, indicates that the honey contains high levels of the three compounds, implying that it also has significant anti-inflammatory properties.
