Manuka Honey Benefits

Manuka honey is a special type of honey produced only in New Zealand. This honey is made when the bees pollinate the flowers of the manuka trees that grow in the East Cape region of the country. This type of honey was found by a New Zealand based researcher and biochemist, professor Peter Molan, in 1981. He found that this honey was different from the other types of honey since its healing properties were much more superior than the normal honey.

This is because of the presence of some other ingredient, apart from hydrogen peroxide, which is found in all forms of honey. As he could not discover what was the thing that gave manuka honey its healing properties, he named it the 'Unique Manuka Factor' (UMF). The major difference between this honey and natural honey is that the latter is used in the form of home remedies only, whereas the former is used and recommended by medical practitioners too.

Following are the health benefits of this honey, and the reasons why it is better than antibiotics which had taken over the organic and natural honey, a long time ago:

• Due to its anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, it helps eliminate the infections that appear on wounds, and thus heals the wound faster.

• Research has found that this honey is good for treating several skin problems including acne, cracked skin, abscesses, bed sores, skin ulcer, etc. Applying the honey on leg or foot ulcers that affect the diabetics is also said to be good way of curing it. If you facing any such skin problems, using manuka honey 2-3 times a day will ensure a speedy recovery.

• Apart from these external health benefits, it can be used for curing internal health problems too. Its consumption is said to benefit the immune system, thereby helping our body to fight infections and diseases affecting it. Conditions like acid reflux, heart burn, gastritis, etc., can be cured with the help of this honey.

• If you are affected by stomach or intestinal problems like indigestion, stomach inflammation, irritable bowel syndrome, or peptic ulcer, one teaspoon of manuka honey can provide you relief from this problem. It is also said to be a natural alternative to pain killers as it helps alleviate the pain.

• People who experience dehydration due to excessive vomiting or diarrhea are also said to benefit with the intake of this honey. This is because its healing properties help rehydrate the body. It is also used to treat individuals affected by cold, fever, sore throat, etc.

• It is said to be a good remedy to cure the morning sickness that pregnant women experience. To cure morning sickness, one has to make a mixture taking one teaspoon of manuka honey and mix it with ½ teaspoon of ginger juice, 1 teaspoon of mint juice as well as lime juice, and consume this solution at least 3-4 times in a day.

• In cancer patients, this honey is applied to heal the wounds that sometimes develop after undergoing radiation therapy. Moreover, the fungal wounds that develop when the cancer breaks through the skin are also cured by using this honey.

• One of the most important reason for this honey to become so popular is that it is a natural remedy, and hence, does not have any side effects. Moreover, it is also less expensive than the antibiotics and other medicines.

There are a variety of manuka honey products like antifungal creams, anti-wrinkle serums, liquid-hand soaps, acne creams, antiseptic creams, etc., available in the market. These can be bought easily as you do not need a medical prescription to buy them.

However, if you want to try manuka honey for any other health problem, it is important that you consult your doctor who can clearly advise you about the dosage and other instructions that you have to keep in mind while using it.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.