Honey has been used as a natural health booster for thousands of years. Chances are, you’ve got some of this delicious goodness in your pantry right now. But have you heard of manuka honey? This unique kind of honey has been around for a long time, but health enthusiasts are just now coming around to how it can benefit the body.
Here’s some information on what manuka honey is, and five of its most remarkable health benefits.
What is Manuka Honey?
This special type of honey comes from New Zealand. Bees produce it when they pollinate the manuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium). This, of course, is how manuka honey gets its name.1
The Health Benefits of Manuka Honey
Manuka honey has been associated with many different health benefits. Here are just a few.
1. It Helps with Digestive Issues
Manuka honey’s antibacterial properties could help reduce the growth of a harmful bacterium known as Clostridium difficile (or “C. diff”), which has been linked to many different digestive and stomach problems.2
2. It Supports Healthy-Looking Skin
Manuka honey is becoming a popular ingredient in many anti-aging skin care products. That’s because it is thought to help fight the signs of aging by inhibiting cathepsins. These are enzymes that destroy collagen and elastin. You need both of these substances in order to help keep skin degradation at bay.3
Manuka honey is in many products containing hydrolyzed collagen. Hydrolyzed collagen, which is quickly absorbed by the body, offers several benefits for the skin.4 But this incredible form of honey may also help reduce lesions associated with certain types of skin conditions. In one study, volunteers with lesions due to a skin issue applied the honey each night for a week. According to the results, the participants’ skin substantially improved.5
3. It Helps Your Body Attack Germs
Manuka honey contains a substance known as methylglyoxal, or MGO. MGO attacks germs and helps with infections.6
4. It Helps Your Body Defend Itself Against Harmful Bacteria
Research indicates that honey from the manuka bush may help your body fight off harmful bacteria. According to one study, topical use of the honey could keep antibiotic-resistant bacteria from spreading in a medical setting, such as a nursing home or a hospital.8
5. It Boosts your Immune System
Manuka honey can help keep your immune system strong and healthy, so you can keep the sniffles at bay.9
The Takeaway
Whether you spread it on toast, mix some into your favorite tea, or buy it as a skincare product, active manuka honey offers a wide range of potent health benefits. Its antibacterial properties make it a huge bacteria fighter. Is there anything this powerful honey can’t do? With so many beneficial properties, you’re sure to return to it often!
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Sources
1.http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/09/28/is-manuka-honey-really-better-than-normal-honey_a_23225467
2.https://bmcresnotes.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1756-0500-6-188
3.https://jcp.bmj.com/content/jclinpath/s3-12/1/49.full.pdf
4.http://www.jmnn.org/article.asp?issn=2278-1870;year=2015;volume=4;issue=1;spage=47;epage=53;aulast=Borumand
5.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5418133/
6.https://www.healthline.com/health/manuka-honey
8.https://repository.cardiffmet.ac.uk/handle/10369/841
9.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3609166