Honey has uncountable benefits and has been used as a traditional medicine for so many years. Recently, there has been an increase in the varieties of honey, and Manuka honey is one of the best among them. Even though the nutritional information might be the same but the benefits of Manuka honey varies as compared to other honey.
Manuka honey is extracted from the Manuka bush and is well known for its antibacterial , antioxidant and wound-healing properties. Manuka honey has a lower pH than most honey, which can help promote optimal wound healing. “What makes it special is the properties that enhance its benefits, making it better than regular honey.”
Let us do a more in-depth analysis of Manuka honey, its properties, and what makes it better and more effective than regular honey.
What is Manuka Honey?
Manuka honey is honey native to New Zealand. It is made by the bees that pollinate the flower Leptospermum Scoparium also commonly known as Manuka bush.
The production process of Manuka honey is somewhat the same compared to the other honey types. The honey so harvested from beehives and then pasteurized or filtered to remove the unwanted bacteria.
How is Manuka Honey Different from the Regular Honey?
First of all, Manuka honey comes with exceptional medicinal properties that other regular types do not possess, and if they do, it is not as better as Manuka. Manuka honey consists of high levels of Methylglyoxal. It is a compound also found in other types of honey but not in enough quantities.
Let us discuss some other differences between Manuka honey and regular honey.
Appearance
The first thing you will notice as a difference between Manuka honey and regular honey is its appearance. Manuka honey has a creamier and opaque look, while regular honey is viscous and dark.
Taste
Manuka honey is less sweet with a thicker and creamier consistency than regular honey. Regular honey has more of a plain or smooth taste as it is processed. The flavor of Manuka honey is robust and has a distinct aroma compared to its regular counterpart.
Use
Manuka honey is the most useful when bought in its pure state. As the reduction of Manuka honey is scarce, it is rather costly and is specifically used for traditional and medicinal purposes like: -
- Treating burns
- Soothing sore throat
- As an ingredient in various health supplements
- Providing relief from eczema, psoriasis
- Used in several beauty products and treatments
- An FDA-approved treatment to treat wounds
Regular honey is not as powerful as Manuka honey when it comes to treating medicinal issues. Therefore, it is more preferably used as a part of a diet like: -
- Sweetener for beverages
- Spreads for pancakes, toasts,
- Sweetener in oatmeal
- Sweeteners in being recipes
- Dips for fresh fruits
- As a natural ingredient in face packs or scrubs
In conclusion, you must know that Manuka honey is supremely beneficial for medicinal purposes. It is of better quality, and the anti-microbial properties add up to its benefits. The quantity of NPA in it makes it even better. NPA is Non-Peroxide Activity. In simple words, it is the antiseptic property of the honey that prevents the effect of light and heat. This property helps in preserving the beneficial properties of Manuka honey without getting affected by heat and light.
Let us now discuss some more benefits of Manuka Honey.
Benefits of Manuka Honey
1. Helps With Wound Healing
While regular honey offers antibacterial and anti-skeptic properties helping in wound healing and preventing microbial infections, studies suggest the usage of Manuka honey enhances wound healing and amplifies the press of regeneration of tissues in a wound.
It also has the potential to treat diabetic ulcers. Manuka honey offers less healing time and is also great for treating scarring compared to Vaseline.
2. Great For Oral Health
Most people all around the world suffer from periodontal issues. Therefore, it is important to take care of your oral health as much as you can to prevent the formation of bacteria.
According to certain studies, Manuka honey is beneficial in attacking the harmful bacteria that can form plaque and cause gum inflammation or tooth decay. Also, the antibacterial properties of Manuka honey do not contribute to cavities or dental issues, unlike sugar or candy.
3. Improves Digestive Symptoms
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is pretty common. It comes with constipation, irregular bowel movements, diarrhea, etc. And research says that regard consumption of Manuka honey in the right amount can be effective in treating IBS.
4. Treats Ulcers
Manuka honey may help with gastric ulcers. Gastric Ulcers. Ulcers are a sore that develops on the lining of the oesophagus, stomach or small intestine and occur when stomach acid damages the lining of the digestive tract. It can cause stomach pain, nausea and bloating.
Research shows that manuka honey can increase gastric levels of certain enzymes that prevent against or protect against oxidative damage. So it can reduce inflammation and help prevent gastric ulcers.
5. Treats Sore Throat
It is a popular remedy to put a little honey in your tea or have a spoonful of honey if your throat feels sour or scratchy. That is because of the antibacterial properties of honey that reduce inflammation and attack harmful bacteria and also coats the inner lining of the throat, thus soothing it.
Manuka honey is considered just as effective as regular honey in this case. It is beneficial, especially for patients going through chemotherapy or radiation who commonly have sore throats because of the treatment.
You can also try a Manuka honey-based throat relief supplement like Melts Throat Relief. Let us discuss this in brief.
Melts Throat Relief
Natural Manuka honey and Curcumin-based Melts Throat Relief provide quick relief from sore throat without making you feel drowsy. It is 100% plant based, sugarfree and instant acting solution for cold, cough amd throat issues. Each melts strip comprises of clinically proven ingredients like Mint to alleviate soreness, ginger to boost immunity, curcumin to clear respiratory infections, manuka honey with antibacterial and anti-microbial properties to cough naturally, and other ingredients great for relieving respiratory infections.
You can place a strip on your tongue when you experience the initial signs of sore throat. And relieve yourself from the woes of cold and cough.
Wrapping up
Manuka honey and regular honey are both beneficial and come with some distinct sets of properties. Manuka has more enhanced benefits and better remedial properties. Therefore, it is the clear winner here. But you must not consume it in excess quantities considering it is all beneficial. Because an excess of anything is bad, use it in a controlled amount to reap the overall health benefits.
References
Mandal MD, Mandal S. Honey: its medicinal property and antibacterial activity. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2011 Apr;1(2):154-60. doi: 10.1016/S2221-1691(11)60016-6. PMID: 23569748; PMCID: PMC3609166. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3609166/
Meister A, Gutierrez-Gines MJ, Maxfield A, Gaw S, Dickinson N, Horswell J, Robinson B. Chemical Elements and the Quality of Mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium) Honey. Foods. 2021 Jul 20;10(7):1670. doi: 10.3390/foods10071670. PMID: 34359540; PMCID: PMC8303644. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8303644/
Johnston M, McBride M, Dahiya D, Owusu-Apenten R, Nigam PS. Antibacterial activity of Manuka honey and its components: An overview. AIMS Microbiol. 2018 Nov 27;4(4):655-664. doi: 10.3934/microbiol.2018.4.655. PMID: 31294240; PMCID: PMC6613335. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6613335/
Mandal MD, Mandal S. Honey: its medicinal property and antibacterial activity. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2011 Apr;1(2):154-60. doi: 10.1016/S2221-1691(11)60016-6. PMID: 23569748; PMCID: PMC3609166. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3609166/
Zhang S, Jiao T, Chen Y, Gao N, Zhang L, Jiang M. Methylglyoxal induces systemic symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. PLoS One. 2014 Aug 26;9(8):e105307. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105307. PMID: 25157984; PMCID: PMC4144894. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4144894/
Carter DA, Blair SE, Cokcetin NN, Bouzo D, Brooks P, Schothauer R, Harry EJ. Therapeutic Manuka Honey: No Longer So Alternative. Front Microbiol. 2016 Apr 20;7:569. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00569. PMID: 27148246; PMCID: PMC4837971. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4837971/
Nayak PA, Nayak UA, Mythili R. Effect of Manuka honey, chlorhexidine gluconate and xylitol on the clinical levels of dental plaque. Contemp Clin Dent. 2010 Oct;1(4):214-7. doi: 10.4103/0976-237X.76386. PMID: 22114423; PMCID: PMC3220139. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3220139/
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