Everything You Need to Know About Manuka Honey

Everything You Need to Know About Manuka Honey - theHoneyman

Why Manuka Honey?

Manuka honey is a miracle in a jar, and is different to other types of honey. It's been hailed as an incredible bacteria fighter in an age of resistance to conventional antibiotics, and it has been claimed to treat a whole host of conditions from acne to sinus issues.

Manuka honey has been used since the early 19th century as a traditional remedy. It's the product of the New Zealand scrub plant that gives it its name. When bees pollinate from this plant, their honey is more potent than regular honey, due to the higher concentration of methylglyoxal (MGO) present.

Manuka honey is labelled with a rating to represent the MGO content present inside each jar of Manuka Honey. 
The range for MGO ratings is as follows:

  • 0 to 56: an undetectable amount is present
  • 83 to 222: low levels are present
  • 263 to 514: useful levels are present
  • 572 and above: superior, high-grade levels are present

The higher the MGO number, the stronger the honey. To get the most benefit, use a Manuka honey with a high MGO rating, such as our Manuka Honey MGO514+ or Manuka Honey MGO829+ 

What are the Benefits and Uses of Manuka Honey?

Praised for its health benefits since ancient times, the ancient Greeks believed that eating honey could help you live longer, and the ancient Egyptians used it in their cosmetics and medicines. Even today, many cultures around the world consider honey to be a powerful superfood.

In addition to being antibacterial and bacterial resistant—meaning bacteria shouldn't be able to build up a tolerance to its antibacterial effects—Manuka is also free of pesticides and herbicides.
Some of the claimed benefits are:

  • Soothing sore throats 
  • Improving the digestive system
  • Promoting oral health
  • Helping to prevent gastric ulcers 
  • Aiding in wound healing

Manuka Honey contains a unique range of oligosaccharides and prebiotics, amino acids, polyphenolic and other plant-derived compounds. It works great with your morning wellness routines, as a natural energy source, sweetener for your tea or coffee, as well as a fantastic DIY facemask. theHoneyman Manuka Honey is smooth, velvety and creamy, discover it's delicious taste for yourself! 

 

What does the research say about Manuka Honey?

Compared to most alternative treatments, Manuka Honey has scientific evidence to support some of its benefits. Including: 

Aiding in Wound Healing

Manuka honey isn't just delicious - it's also a powerful wound healer!
Honey is acidic and has a pH between 3.2 and 4.5, which promotes healing by blocking enzymes that break down the proteins and peptides our bodies need to repair themselves.
The high concentration of sugar in honey also helps protect wounds from infection while drawing moisture out of them, hastening the healing process. It also draws water out of invading bacteria, causing them to die off.

Antiviral Properties

Honey has been used as a natural antibiotic for centuries, but there’s one kind that takes this power to the next level.

Manuka honey, named for the Manuka tree from which it comes, is infused with an active ingredient called MGO. This helps the honey heal minor and chronic wounds, but what makes it even more special is that it attacks germs with an even more potent antimicrobial effect than regular honey does.

The U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved bandages infused with Manuka honey for both over-the-counter and prescription sales because of this ability to kill bacteria and heal wounds quickly. The higher the MGO count in a jar of Manuka honey, the more powerful its antibacterial properties will be—so if you want something extra effective at fighting off infections in your home or on your body, look for high MGO content!

Antibacterial Properties

Multiple species of bacteria are susceptible to Manuka honey, including Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus. Manuka also appears to be effective against Clostridium difficile.

Researchers are paying keen interest in that Manuka honey appears to attack infections that form a biofilm (a thin, slippery layer of bacteria). This is due to once an infection has formed a biofilm, it is considered to be untreatable.

So far, there are no reports of microbial resistance to honey - suggesting it might be successful in treating antibacterial resistant organisms, as well as long-lasting wound infections that do not heal with regular antibiotic treatments. Due to this, honey is considered a last-resort to fight against infection.  
 

Manuka Honey and Skin Care

Applying Manuka Honey directly to the skin may be able to assist in reducing inflammation and irritation associated with acne. 

Cover the affected area with a thin layer of Manuka Honey for a minimum of 15 minutes before washing off with warm water - you may leave it on for up to an hour or more if desired.

Manuka Honey works equally as well as a general purpose face mask.

Digestion and Immune Support

Eating 1 to 3 tablespoons per day will help in receiving the benefits of Manuka Honey. Either straight from the jar, adding it to your favourite culinary delights, or used inside your tea/ coffee.
Consuming Manuka Honey regularly may help in boosting your immune system.

What Manuka Honey is best?

When trying to decide what Manuka Honey to get, it’s important to understand what you’re getting as not all Manuka honey is created equal.

Some Manuka Honey is labeled as “active Manuka honey,” which can be misleading. “Active” refers to the antibacterial effects produced by hydrogen peroxide, which are found in all types of honey.

To guarantee the unique healing properties of Manuka honey, look for a reference to “non-peroxide antibacterial activity (NPA),” or a UMF/ MGO rating. The UMF rating measures the amount of NPA present in the honey, while MGO represents the unique antibacterial factor in Manuka honey. The higher the MGO number, the better.

Offering you the best in luxury Manuka Honey - Manuka Honey from theHoneyman is 100% genuine and independently laboratory certified. Our range of Manuka Honey products are tested to ensure the highest quality and MGO levels, so you can trust you are purchasing safe and authentic products.

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