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10 useful ways to use Manuka honey
Since the introduction of antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals in the early 1900s we have moved away from the use of honey as a medicine. Prior to that honey had been used in many cultures for wound care and medicinal purposes. In many countries it is still used, as it is natural, low cost and readily available. More recently, there has been numerous scientific studies on the health benefits of honey for many conditions. Research over the last 30 years has shown that Manuka honey offers something a bit more than other raw honey types. The special compound in Manuka honey is Methylglyoxal or MGO. MGO is a stable naturally occurring antibacterial and anti-inflammatory compound. The stability of MGO means it does not get easily damaged or deactivated by light, moisture or low heat (below 45 degrees). This makes it ideal for use with many illnesses and ailments. You can read more on MGO here.
Raw Manuka honey is a whole super food packed full of bioactive goodness such as antioxidants, bioflavonoids, phenolic compounds and MGO. Manuka honey acts as a prebiotic feeding the good bacteria in your gut. Supporting the good gut bacteria in naturally boosts your overall health and immunity. When ingested Manuka honey provides anti-inflammatory benefits to your body, cleans and soothes your airways and can assist with digestive conditions.
Manuka honey’s anti-inflammatory properties promote the growth of healthy skin cells when applied onto the skin of both humans and animals. Manuka honey is anti-bacterial and can kill the two most common bacteria that cause infections in wounds. Manuka honey is also an analgesic which means it also has the ability to relieve pain if used correctly. More benefits of Manuka honey can be found in other blog posts, such as our wound care blog here.
Here are our top tips on how to use Manuka honey
1. Straight off the spoon
Manuka honey can be eaten straight off the spoon as a daily health booster or a natural medicine. The higher the MGO number, the stronger the antibacterial concentration of Manuka honey and so the faster it will work. The bioactive compounds in Manuka honey promote our health and wellbeing. For a daily health boost, you can choose a lower MGO such as 30+MGO or 100+MGO. If you are treating a sore throat or ulcer in your mouth or gut it is better to choose at least 250+MGO but an 850+MGO would be ideal for more severe conditions.
2. Stirred into a warm tea or coffee 30+MGO
Manuka honey can be used in a warm drink. It is important to not heat raw honey too much as the heat destroys the beneficial bioactive compounds in the honey. Prepare your drink and wait for it too cool before adding delicious Manuka honey to sweeten. For warm drinks the 30+MGO is a great honey. Manuka honey is great for sweetening herbal teas, black tea, chai tea and coffee.
3. On your next breakfast 100+MGO
Manuka honey is a great way to start your day. Drizzle Manuka honey on toast, French toast, pancakes or muesli. Manuka honey is great alternative to sugar or other processed syrups as it has a mid-range GI (Glycaemic Index) which provides a more sustain release of energy. Perfect for breakfast for health conscious, busy people and children. If your using daily 100+MGO is a perfect breakfast honey.
4. Part of a healthy smoothie 250+MGO
Manuka honey is great way to sweeten a smoothie offering bioactive compounds which support your health and wellbeing. For a superfood smoothie use 250+MGO as this level of MGO offers a good natural antibacterial strength. If you are making a smoothie daily a lower MGO could also be suitable. Simply prepare your smoothie and add 1-2 teaspoons of Manuka honey.
Strawberry Smoothie Recipe
- 1 frozen banana
1/2 cup of strawberries (fresh or frozen)
-
2 tablespoons of natural yoghurt or coconut yoghurt
- 2-3 tablespoons of hemp seeds, protein powder or collagen
- Splash of preferred milk (you’ll need more if the fruit is all frozen)
- 2 teaspoons of Manuka honey
5. DIY face mask 400+MGO
Face masks are great way to nourish our skin. You can create a face mask with straight Manuka honey or you can add it to a homemade face mask recipe. As a minimum 400+MGO is good for face masks but higher MGO Manuka can be used as well.
You can use Manuka honey as a daily part of your skin regime or as a special treat on weekends, hens parties or baby showers. If you are using an exfoliating facemask recipe once a week should be enough.
Manuka honey straight up mask
To use on its own simply clean and moisten the skin, spread 1-2 teaspoons of honey on the face and leave for 10 minutes. Wash off with warm water, don’t forget to tie back your hair as it gets sticky.
Bentonite clay and Manuka honey Mask
Mix the following ingredients in a small bowl and apply to a clean face.
- 1 teaspoon of Bentonite Clay
- 1 teaspoon of Manuka honey
- Quarter teaspoon of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 drops of your fave Essential Oil (optional)
6. Soothe dry throat and cough 550+MGO
Coughs, colds and common flu can really knock you about. Manuka honey has been scientifically proven to assist with healing sore throats. The MGO in Manuka honey is antibacterial and kills the bacteria in your airways causing the infection. We recommend taking smaller amounts of honey, regularly and move the honey onto the back of your throat where is it sore. Use a quarter of a teaspoon six times a day to treat a sore throat. We recommend 550+MGO or higher for coughs, colds and sore throats.
Manuka honey is an antitussive, which means it soothes a cough and our respiratory tract. To treat a cough, you can simply eat the honey straight of the spoon. For treating a cough at night, you can use 1-2 teaspoons at night before bed. If you wake up coughing, you can take another 1-2 teaspoons. Manuka honey has been found to support sleep, so you don’t need to be concerned about eating it before bed. A good sleep is also important for recovery. More information here on treating coughs with Manuka honey.
7. For skin conditions 850+MGO
Due to its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and skin cell boosting qualities Manuka honey is great for many skin conditions. Spot treating or using regular facemasks is a great way to treat acne or skin inflammation. For eczema you can mix Manuka honey with your favourite natural oil or aloe vera. We like cold pressed coconut oil. To make it into a soothing balm use one part honey and two-three parts oil or aloe vera. We recommend using 850+MGO for skin conditions. For more on how to use Manuka honey for your skin see here.
8. Wounds, burn and sunburn care 850+MGO
Due to overuse, some bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics. This is concerning for the future of health care where we are starting to see infections that cannot be treated by traditional antibiotics. It has been found by scientists that the same bacteria are not resistant to Manuka honey. Manuka honey uses different methods to kill bacteria than antibiotics which might explain why Manuka honey is continuing to work where many antibiotics are losing their ability to treat resistant bacteria.
While 250+MGO is the minimum level of MGO needed for wound and oral care we recommend using 850+MGO honey as it is faster working and often more effective. Manuka honey is great to use with band aids and dressings on cuts and abrasions. Our wound care Tube is perfect for the first aid kit. Manuka honey is also great for minor burns as it keeps the burn moist during the healing process. Manuka honey for minor wound care has been found to reduce healing and hospitalisation time. When using on injuries expect the wound or burn to sting slightly when first applied.
Manuka honey is great for sunburn relief, using a mix of 3 parts aloe vera to one part honey to make a soothing cream. Store in the fridge for a cool application 2-5 times per day. The mixture can ferment so prepare in small batches. Any leftover can be used as a face mask. More information on the types of wounds and how to use it here.
9. Oral Care 850+MGO
Manuka honey is great for Oral Care. Manuka honey supports oral mucous membrane health, supports gum and dental health, reduces dental plaque build-up, relieves mouth ulcers and reduces the bacteria which causes bad breath. For some people Manuka honey has been effective for use in cold sores. We recommend using 850+MGO or higher for oral care, placing the honey on the problem area as required. You will still need to brush your teeth as normal.
10. Stubborn or Acute Conditions 1200+MGO and 850+Tubes
If you have a stubborn or acute infection such as sore throat or wound, we recommend using a higher MGO honey or one of our tube products. MGO is the antibacterial compound in Manuka honey. The higher MGO the faster the honey will work to kill the bacteria. The antibacterial honey, tube products are Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) Listed for Oral Care and Skin Care. The skin care tube is Medical Grade Manuka honey as it has been sterilised to remove the potential of botulism spores or other possible microbes making this honey appropriate for use in deep wounds. Additionally refreshing bandages daily using this honey would assist treatment for both acute and chronic conditions.
How much Manuka honey should I take?
For the average person, it is safe to eat or regularly dose with Manuka honey. In fact, it is a good replacement for processed sugars and syrups as it offers many health benefits and lower GI (Glycaemic Index). Having 2-3 teaspoons on your breakfast is a great way to start the day.
When choosing honey, you should choose a raw cold extracted honey. Most raw honeys should have a floral flavour from the flower the nectar is gathered from. Pasteurised or cooked honey is basically a honey that is more like flavoured syrup as the bioactive compounds have been cooked out of the honey. If you are a diabetic or have an allergy to pollen, then you should speak to your doctor before using honey.
If you have a sore throat, cough or cold we recommend taking it regularly for 3-5 days or until symptoms are relieved. If you have a burn or wound we recommend reapplying the honey daily for the first 2-3 days, if you see an improvement you can redress and apply every 2 days until it is ready to have the dressing removed.
How long does Manuka honey take to work?
Manuka honey should start working straight away. For wound and burn care the area should be soothed and show noticeable changes overnight. For skin conditions it should soothes the skin quickly and then might take a few applications to get a good result.
For coughs it should work straight way, sore throats can take a day or two to see a good improvement. For gut conditions it could take 4-6 days to see an improvement. Regular use is key in many conditions.
If symptoms persist, we recommend seeking medical advice. If you have a serious condition, we recommend you seek medical advice from a medical professional.
Shop our latest Manuka honey products today!
If you want to use Manuka honey daily, we have a great range of 1kg value packs in 30+MGO, 100+MGO, 250+MGO and 400+MGO. These are great value for money and you can choose from four different MGOs. If you have oral or digestive issues, skin concerns, burns, wounds or get sick regularly a high MGO would be more beneficial such as 550+ and 850+. For acute conditions 1200+ is a suitable level of MGO.
We have a range of Manuka honey MGO’s and sizes to suit everyone. Manuka honey is a beautiful and useful gift for anyone! For birthdays, Christmas, secret santa, anniversaries or new baby. Our 2000+MGO luxury boxed range is the gift to give someone who already has everything.
