In the quest to feel healthy and add years to our lives, many of us try to incorporate plenty of superfoods into our diet. A superfood is generally recognised as a nutrient-rich food that’s especially benefical for health and wellbeing.
While superfoods are mostly plants, there are a few exceptions – most notably manuka honey, which is actually referred to by some as the ‘ultimate superfood’.
But why exactly is manuka honey so good for us? And what are some of the different ways that we can use it? Here’s everything you need to know about manuka honey.
What is manuka honey?
Manuka honey is a dark honey that’s native to New Zealand. It’s made by bees who pollinate the leptospermum scoparium flower – otherwise known as the manuka bush – and it’s been used by the Maori communities for hundreds of years.
Though honey has been used around the world for its health and beauty benefits, manuka honey contains active compounds that give it antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. This is what sets it apart from other types of honey.
According to experts, however, not all manuka honey is created equal, and if you want to buy good quality manuka honey, you should look for the UMF trademark. UMF stands for Unique Manuka Factor, a quality trademark that shows you’re buying genuine manuka honey from registered and licensed beekeepers and producers. UMF ratings are often 10+ or 25+, and this relates to the level of unique signature compounds that are found in that honey.
Another rating you might see on manuka products is MGO, which refers to methylglyoxal – the magic antibacterial and antimicrobial ingredient in manuka honey. The higher the MGO or UMF, the more pure and potent the product is – and the more expensive.
When buying manuka honey, it’s important to be mindful that to be classified as ‘real’ manuka honey, a product must contain at least 5+ UMF, or 83+ MGO. Some brands deliberately use vague labelling to confuse customers, so do look into this before you buy. Studies show that manuka honey provides health benefits when it has ratings of 10+ UMF and above, which is 263 MGO.
What are the benefits of manuka honey?
Manuka honey is thought to offer a variety of health and beauty benefits.
For example, its antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties mean that it can be used for healing wounds, soothing sore throats, and preventing tooth decay.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the scientifically proven health benefits of manuka honey.
1. Manuka honey can aid wound healing
Honey has been used to treat wounds, burns, and sores for millennia – but only manuka honey has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as an option for wound treatment.
Multiple studies have revealed that manuka honey can improve wound healing, boost tissue renewal, and even decrease pain in patients suffering from burns. One study found that when manuka honey was applied to people with non-healing wounds, 88% of the wounds decreased in size.
Other evidence suggests that manuka honey can help heal diabetic ulcers. For example, this study found that manuka honey dressings reduced healing time in patients sufffering from diabetic ulcers; while another study found that manuka honey dressings cured the ulcers more effectively than conventional treatment.
2. Manuka honey can soothe a sore throat
Honey and lemon is an age-old remedy for a sore throat, and manuka honey’s antiviral and antibacterial properties make it particularly beneficial.
This is because manuka honey is effective for reducing inflammation, killing bacteria responsible for pain and discomfort, all while protecting and soothing the inner lining of the throat.
In this study, manuka honey was found to decrease levels of streptococcus mutans (a type of bacteria responsible for causing sore throats) in people undergoing chemotherapy; and another study revealed that manuka honey decreased the harmful strain of bacteria responsible for inflammation and ulcerations in the oesophagus and digestive tract. Manuka honey has also been shown to help suppress general coughs.
3. Manuka honey can support digestive health
Research shows that regularly consuming manuka honey may help to alleviate some of the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) – one of the most common digestive disorders.
For example, this study found that intake of manuka honey was linked with a decrease in symptoms like constipation, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and irregular bowel movements.
There’s also evidence that manuka honey can help treat gut infections such as clostridium difficile, which causes severe diarrhoea and bowel inflammation and is linked to conditions like colitis.
4. Manuka honey can promote oral health
To keep our teeth, mouth, and gums healthy, it’s important to limit bad oral bacteria that can cause plaque to form in the mouth. That being said, it’s also important not to kill good bacteria that help to promote oral health.
Science shows that manuka honey kills some of the harmful bacteria linked with plaque formation, gum inflammation, and tooth decay, including porphyromonas gingivalis and aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans.
While the idea of sucking sweets to improve oral health may seem counterintuitive, studies show that consuming honey sweets made from manuka honey may help to reduce plaque and gingivitis. This is because honey doesn’t contain refined sugar, has powerful antibacterial effects, and is unlikely to cause tooth decay.
As a result, research suggests that sucking manuka honey sweets may be more effective than chewing sugar-free gum in reducing plaque and gingival bleeding.
5. Manuka honey can improve skin
While manuka honey offers a variety of benefits for our internal health, it may also provide powerful benefits for the skin.
For example, manuka honey is used to treat a variety of skin conditions including acne. Acne is generally caused by hormonal changes, but it can also be caused by bacteria growing in blocked pores, which manuka honey’s antimicrobial properties can target..
Plus, manuka honey is anti-inflammatory properties may also help to alleviate inflammation caused by acne. One study revealed that manuka honey was just as effective as antibacterial soap at improving acne.
Skincare professionals also believe that manuka honey is a natural moisturiser – largely because it absorbs moisture directly from the air and draws it into the skin. It may also be effective at treating skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, dry skin, and rosacea, though more research is needed to confirm this. Manuka honey’s moisturising properties are also said to work just as well on hair as on skin, too.
To find out more about the health benefits of manuka honey, have a watch of the video below.
How much manuka honey should you consume?
Experts agree that consuming between one to two tablespoons of manuka honey a day, or a maximum of 15g, to reap its benefits.
While manuka honey contains plenty of health-boosting properties, it’s still a sugar, so should be consumed in moderation. Anyone who needs to be careful of their blood sugar, like people with diabetes, should be especially mindful of how much honey they consuming.
Manuka honey should be avoided if you’re allergic to bees, and the NHS also advises that children under the age of one shouldn’t be given any form of honey. This is because there’s a chance that it may contain a bacteria that can cause serious illness in babies. You can buy manuka honey from health food shops and most supermarkets.
The easiest way to consume manuka honey is to simply eat a spoonful of it, but this can be quite intense – so let’s look at some other ways we can consume or use manuka honey.
6 ways to use manuka honey
1. Incorporate manuka honey into your breakfast
If you don’t fancy eating a pure spoonful of rich honey, the easiest way to make sure you’re regularly consuming manuka honey is to include it in your breakfast each day.
You could try spreading it on toast or drizzling it over porridge, yoghurt, or cereal. If you enjoy making smoothies, adding a spoonful of manuka honey can act as a healthy sweetener.
For more inspiration, check out this list of breakfast recipes that use manuka honey from Foodies 100’s.
2. Swirl manuka honey into a hot drink
If you like to add sugar to your tea, why not try swapping it for manuka honey? Not only will this make your tea just as sweet, it’ll be much better for your teeth too.
Alternatively, you could mix it with herbal teas, or make a hot lemon and honey drink. While these are good to drink when you have a sore throat, they can also be enjoyed everyday too.
For more ideas on healthy hot drinks that you can add manuka honey to, you might want to check out this section of our article on warm winter nutrition.
3. Make a manuka honey face mask
While it’s possible to make a manuka honey facial mask simply by applying the product to your face, mixing manuka honey with other ingredients such as coconut oil or avocado can act as an even more intensive moisturiser.
Alternatively, you could mix manuka honey with olive oil and brown sugar and make your own exfoliating face mask: the olive oil softens your skin, the sugar exfoliates, and the honey soothes.
Check out this article by Marie Claire to find out more about making manuka honey face masks.
4. Apply manuka honey to your hair
Because manuka honey is so good at attracting and retaining moisture, it can also make an effective hair mask to nourish dull and brittle hair.
Simply mix manuka honey with coconut oil, leave on for 20-30 minutes, and then wash off.
For further guidance on how to make a manuka honey hair mask (as well as a honey hand soak), check out this guide by Kore New Zealand.
5. Cook with manuka honey
Aside from adding manuka honey to your tea, toast, or cereal, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy this superfood.
For example, if you enjoy baking, you could consider swapping sugar for honey in your recipes. The general rule of thumb is to switch sugar for half the amount of honey. Because cooking honey at high temperatures may destroy the natural enzymes, you should also reduce the oven temperature by 15C.
Check out these manuka honey recipes for some inspiration. Or, if you don’t have a sweet tooth, why not try making this manuka honey and sriracha stir fry sauce?
6. Suck manuka honey sweets
If you have a sweet tooth and enjoy eating boiled sweets, you might like to buy some manuka honey lozenges to suck on.
These are particularly great if you have a sore throat, but they’re also just delicious if you fancy a sweet treat.
Amazon sells a wide range of manuka honey sweets, drops, and lozenges.
Final thoughts...
Thanks to its antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties, manuka honey is totally unique.
It has powerful and proven benefits for healing wounds and can also be effective at treating conditions like sore throats and IBS. It’s also beneficial for skin and hair health. And, of course, there’s the added benefit that it’s absolutely delicious.
There are many ways to include more manuka honey in your diet and lifestyle, whether you decide to add it to tea, toast, or bake with it – or even create your own DIY beauty products. To get the most out of your manuka honey, just be sure to buy a good quality product with a UMF or MGO rating.
For more health content and advice, head over to the general health section of our website where you’ll find information on everything from longevity to important health checks.
