Manuka honey is one of the most valuable natural products. It is produced by bees collecting nectar from the flowers of a shrub growing in New Zealand. Manuka honey is a mixture of carbohydrates, fatty acids, proteins, vitamins and minerals, and a high content of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Its most important ingredient is methylglyoxal. The price of this product depends mainly on its quantity.
Methylglyoxal is also found in other products, such as coffee, cheese, wine and yoghurt, but in much lower amounts.
Most of the texts on the Manuka honey on the internet are press releases or articles that are clearly based on them. Let’s check how it really is. There is an abundance of studies on the effects of Manuka honey on health and well-being:
- Nand flu virus. Research published this year in the Archives of Medical Research proved that manuka honey has the greatest ability to fight the influenza virus among all honeys. What’s more, it turned out that it also works synergistically with the most commonly used anti-influenza drugs.
- Hit loves the growth of numerous bacteriaas confirmed by a 2011 study published in the European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases. Compounds in manuka honey contribute to its bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity. It has also been found likely to be effective against many antibiotic resistant microorganisms such as Salmonella typhimurium DT104. Previous studies on the mechanisms of antimicrobial action have identified several potential active ingredients, including phenolic compounds that act as anionic scavengers.
- Recent reports emphasize the role of honey in enhancing immune responsesj, including induction of inflammatory cytokine production by macrophages, stimulation of neutrophil migration, and increased antibody production. It boils down to one thing: consuming manuka honey will improve our immunity.
- Manuka honey can be used successfully in accelerating wound healing and the treatment of gastric ulcers and bacterial gastroenteritis and even caries.
- Recently, several reports showed that Manuka honey, due to the presence of polyphenols and flavonoids, has anti-cancer effect. However, this mechanism has not yet been fully elucidated. Research is currently underway on the effect of honey on the growth of cancer cells.
- Manuka honey has proven anti-acne effect, it is also used for impetigo and eczema.
- It is safe. In 2010, it was checked safety of regular admission honey from New Zealand. It turned out that it does not cause increased allergenic properties and does not disturb the beneficial intestinal microflora in healthy people. The obvious contraindication, however, is an allergy to bee honey.
Is the press release on manuka honey just advertising? In this case, no. Everyone would like to advertise such a product. The research speaks for itself. There is one downside – the price of Manuka honey can be astonishing. A small jar with a high content of methylglyoxal can cost up to several hundred zlotys. Not everyone can afford it. Fortunately, our Polish honeys also have great properties for our health, which, combined with adherence to the principles of healthy eating, can also work wonders.
The title photo is from: Photo credit: thedabblist / Foter / CC BY
The photo in the text comes from: Photo credit: mmoscosa / Foter / CC BY