Health benefits of Manuka honey

Manuka honey (pronounced as Mah-Nooka) is a variant of honey that is produced in New Zealand and is named after the Manuka bush, where bees gather pollen and nectar. It is popular all over the world for the numerous health benefits it imparts. The antibacterial quality of this honey helps to heal wounds and treat various infections.

Honey has been used for the medicinal purpose since time immemorial. In the recent past Manuka honey has gained popularity, as it has been reported to significantly heal infections and its health benefit includes treating skin related problems and preventing diabetes related complications.

The UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) of Manuka honey is pretty high as it contains Leptisperin (nectar from Manuka bush), DHA (a type of omega 3 fatty acid) and Methylglyoxal (antibacterial component). The higher the UMF number, the better antibacterial properties Manuka honey possesses.

Honey itself is very low in moisture and when it is put over a wound, the liquid of the wound gets absorbed by the honey because of its moisture absorbing properties. Honey protects our body against infections by sucking up the impurities. This is why medicinal grade Manuka may restore the pH balance of the skin and remove dead tissues when applied topically.

There is a concrete scientific evidence that promotes the use of Manuka honey to treat arterial ulcers, diabetic ulcers, and acute burns. This honey speeds up the healing process by preventing infections and decreasing the risk of development of community acquired MRSA (a staph infection), particularly for wounds.

Even though Manuka honey provides so many health benefits, a majority of the studies done on Manuka have been conducted on animals instead of humans. The biggest challenge for scientists is to verify the source of Manuka honey as the quality and purity of it is extremely crucial to come to a conducive conclusion.

It is very important to familiarize yourself with the brands that sell authentic Manuka honey as you will find many cheap quality imitations of this extremely healthy honey. It is certainly a challenge for even the end user to find a genuine Manuka produce online or in stores.

Manuka honey has sugar content similar to the regular honey that we eat, though there have been reports which mention that Manuka honey could be slightly lower in glycemic index than the regular honey. You may enjoy health benefits of Manuka honey by consuming it exactly the way you enjoy regular honey that is add to your cup of tea, drizzle over desserts, stir in to your breakfast cereal, or spread over the toast. However, you may find some difference in the texture of Manuka and regular honey as it is thick and spreadable at room temperature comprising of very fine crystals!