For the longest time, people have used honey as a natural remedy. It is only now that the scientific community has started to accept its efficacy, that being said, not all types of honey are equal. Only one honey known as Manuka honey has created the most buzz in the past three decades due to its unique antibacterial and anti-microbial properties.
Native to New Zealand, Manuka honey is a less sweet and firmer variant of honey derived from only one type of flower – Leptospermum Scoparium. Due to its unique, monofloral nature, researchers are slowly chipping away at the various healthy properties of this honey. And from what we have seen so far, we are getting close to isolating them. So, what is Manuka honey, and why has it only now grabbed the attention of the medical crowd? Know this and more in this blog.
What is Manuka Honey?
Manuka honey, as we already mentioned, is native to New Zealand. However, one can now also find it in many parts of Australia. The Australian variety of Leptospermum is polygalifolium. Australian honey does taste different and has a different texture. Only New Zealand honey is from the Leptospermum Scoparium, Manuka Bush.
The two main properties of Manuka Honey
While Manuka honey is used for various reasons in the medical sector – all its attributes come down to three benefits.
- Antibacterial Properties: While all types of honey are known for their antibacterial properties, Manuka is different. And the main reason behind it is the abundance of natural Methylgloxal (MGO). And the reason that there are a lot of these elements present in Manuka honey is the high viscosity that stops them from breaking down. Due to this, Manuka honey is good for dealing with a sore throat and even healing.
- Anti-Inflammatory properties: In addition to being antibacterial, Manuka honey is also anti-inflammatory, making it suitable for dealing with irritable skin. Manuka honey is known to suppress bacterial and fungal infections causing skin irritation with its antibacterial properties. Furthermore, it has also been found that Manuka honey is good for dealing with auto-immune diseases such as psoriasis.
However, in addition to the above properties, Manuka honey differs from traditional honey due to the macro content present.
For instance, in one tablespoon of regular honey, you get”
- 329 Energy/ 64 Calories
- 5 grams of carbohydrate
- 06 grams of protein
- 8 grams of sugar
In comparison, Manuka honey contains
- 136 Energy/ 33 Cal
- 8 grams of carbohydrates
- 81 grams of sugars
While the calorie/energy amount is marginally high, Manuka honey makes up for it with lower sugar. That is why it is widely used in New Zealand households as a sugar replacement and in protein shakes as well.
What are some of the benefits of Manuka Honey?
Listed below are some of the health benefits of Manuka Honey.
- Aid in healing wounds: Manuka honey is extremely beneficial in amplifying the healing process of the soft tissue.
- It promotes oral health: Manuka honey can help you preserve tooth health. It kills the harmful oral bacteria that cause plaque to build up or inflame the gums.
- It helps prevent Gastric ulcers: Manuka honey has been shown to kill H. pylori, the bacteria that causes gastric ulcers in lab conditions.
- Improving digestion: Manuka honey is a good aid in dealing with digestive issues.
Choosing the Right Manuka Honey
You can only access these benefits if you get the right Manuka honey. In 2019, New Zealand persecuted the first fake Manuka honey case. However, it has not deterred counterfeiters from creating counterfeit products for sale. Therefore, you must take into account several parameters when choosing honey.
Following are some brief points to keep in mind to identify authentic Manuka honey:
Check MGO rating
The higher the MGO rating, the higher the presence of bioactive compounds in the product – which indicates the product's efficacy regarding health properties. Therefore, be mindful of checking the label whenever you buy Manuka Honey, whether online or from a retail store.
Manuka Honey must be harvested from New Zealand
While Manuka honey can now also be harvested from Australia, if you're going for purity, you must seek a New Zealand-harvested product. It is a primary requirement for any Manuka Honey exported out of the country, per New Zealand's Ministry of Primary industries.
Only the nectar of the Manuka bush must be there in honey
The MGO rating signifies that the honey is multi or monofloral. That is, the honey must only be sourced from one flower – the Manuka bush. Any discrepancy in that can be seen in the MGO rating of the product.
Manuka blooms during mid-December in New Zealand, which, believe it or not, is the start of their summer. Individual flowers open for only five days, which makes it critical for the companies collecting to stay vigilant. Furthermore, the stored honey must be kept in a controlled environment because its efficacy can reduce by certain factors.
It must not be runny.
Manuka honey has more viscosity than ordinary honey. That is, whenever you open its Jar, you're not going to meet a runny syrup. The runniness indicates the high-sugar quantity and less presence of other biochemicals such as MGO and hydrogen peroxide.
Research your source before buying honey
Always do thorough research before buying your Manuka honey. Ensure that the company you buy it from is trusted and doesn't have a malicious history. It is also important to know if the honey is harvested ethically. Also, if you're scientifically inclined – find out the type of test the honey has gone through to prove its authenticity. Aqua Gram is one of the foolproof procedures to differentiate between Manuka honey and common sugar syrup.
Conclusion
Manuka honey has many benefits that come from its antibacterial nature. However, to draw those benefits, you must know whether it is authentic. This article has given you that answer and more about Manuka honey. For further details, you can contact Manuka Lab.
