Honey is often noted for its health benefits, but have you heard of the superfood, manuka honey? It sounds too good to be true that something so sweet and enjoyable can be so good for us, but the research is clear: Manuka honey has a lot to offer in terms of wellness and can be a powerful additional to a healthy lifestyle.
Keep reading to learn more about manuka honey and why it’s considered by many as “liquid gold.”
What Is Manuka Honey?
Manuka honey is a unique, single-origin honey from New Zealand with scientifically proven health benefits. It’s made by bees foraging on the nectar of the flowering manuka tree, which is native to New Zealand.
Due to its high concentration of methylglyoxal (MGO), manuka honey packs a lot of power with its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and wound-healing properties and immune system support. It’s used topically to effectively heal wounds and acne. As a food, it’s a deliciously nutritious alternative to other sweeteners, beloved for its unique taste, creamy texture and versatility.
To ensure you’re getting quality manuka honey, look for a UMF™ (Unique Manuka Factor) rating, which indicates its MGO content and effectiveness.
Health Benefits of Manuka Honey
Many studies demonstrate the wide range of health benefits of manuka honey, including for gut health, immune support, skin care and wounds, oral health, cancer and more. For everyday uses, manuka honey is great to soothe a sore throat or soothe your sinuses.
Manuka Honey and Gut Health
Manuka honey’s anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties may be a powerful aid for balancing our gut health, promoting healing and soothing digestive tract issues.
Manuka Honey and Oral Health
Manuka honey can protect against dental plaque buildup. This may prevent gingivitis, a gum disease that causes bleeding and swollen gums.
Manuka Honey and Immune System Support
The anti-microbial properties in manuka honey can strengthen your body’s natural immune defense by fighting off disease and free radicals.
Manuka Honey, Skin Care and Wound Healing
Because of the highly concentrated anti-bacterial properties in manuka honey, it can balance your skin’s pH levels, which may lead to a healthier and clearer complexion.
It’s noteworthy that medical professionals and ERs worldwide use manuka honey as an effective topical treatment to aid in healing infections and wounds.
Manuka Honey and Potential Cancer-Fighting Abilities
Preliminary lab and animal studies show that manuka honey has anti-cancer properties. Scientists have yet to conclusively determine if the same applies to humans, but a study of manuka honey’s effect on enhancing the effectiveness of chemotherapy when combined, and helping to reverse therapeutic resistance in human colon cancer cells shows much promise in reducing side effects of cancer treatments and increasing their effectiveness. These studies are promising but shouldn’t be interpreted as a replacement for traditional cancer treatment.
Be sure to talk to your doctor about using manuka honey as a complement to your normal health care routine. Also note that because manuka honey has a naturally high sugar content, it should be used with discretion or under a doctor’s supervision by those who have diabetes.
How to Incorporate Manuka Honey Into Your Diet
There are endless ways to get creative on how you reap the benefits of manuka honey, from including it in scrumptious recipes, drizzling it as a topping on yogurt or granola or stirring it into your tea. Here’s a handy list for how you can incorporate manuka honey into your day and favorite dishes or healthy drinks:
- Eat it straight off the spoon.
- Mix it into a smoothie.
- Drizzle it on top of your yogurt or granola.
- Use it as a topping for muffins or breads.
- Sweeten your oatmeal or any hot cereal with it.
- Trickle it over fresh fruit.
- Roast vegetables in manuka honey.
- Blend it into a homemade salad dressing.
- Make a comforting hot tea with manuka honey.
- Try manuka honey as a pancake or waffle topping.
How Sweet It Is
Consider manuka honey as an enjoyable, sweet treat that happens to be good for you — as long as you don’t have a blood sugar condition you’re monitoring. Read more about how naturopathic medicine alternatives like manuka honey can complement your regular wellness routine and benefit your whole health — body, mind and spirit.
