The benefits of honey are not hidden from anyone. It has been used since ancient times in the treatment of many diseases. It was not until the late 19th century that researchers discovered that honey has natural antibacterial properties.
But the types of honey are not the same, and they do not have the same benefits;
Manuka honey holds another honey secret. It is the most expensive in the world and has amazing therapeutic benefits.
Manuka honey is made in Australia and New Zealand by bees that pollinate a tree known as the tea tree (Leptospermum scoparium) or manuka flowers, and honey experts and users also claim that it treats wound infections and other conditions.
Healing wounds
Honey protects the body from damage caused by bacteria, and some types of honey also promote the production of special cells that can repair tissue damaged by infection.
The antibacterial quality of honey depends on the type, when and how it was harvested, and some types may be hundreds of times stronger than others.
Pay attention to the manuka levels
There are many different factors that affect the price of Manuka honey, and some of these factors include its rarity, its unique properties and how it is harvested and tested.
Hydrogen peroxide gives most types of honey their antibiotic properties, but some types, including manuka honey, have unique antibacterial properties.
One of the main antibacterial components in manuka honey is a compound called methylglyoxal (MGO), and the higher its concentration, the stronger the antibacterial effect.
Manuka honey experts rely on the UMF World Classification, which is a rating system licensed by the New Zealand government and a brand that gives you confidence to purchase the product, and the strength of manuka honey should not be less than 10 in the UMF rating, and the more it exceeds 20 Stronger and more resistant to bacteria, manuka higher than 24 is the rarest in the world, thus conferring unique health benefits.
If the manuka rating is less than 10, it is suitable for daily use in food and skin freshness.
Why is it the most expensive?
It's not just the way honey is collected, but the way it is extracted. There is a narrow window when the manuka flowers bloom, only between two and eight weeks a year, so the world's production of manuka depends on this very limited period annually.
Because the manuka tree is very temperamental, weather conditions can greatly influence and limit the time during which the manuka flower blooms, making the season and the overall harvest very limited in bad weather years;
This further reduces the yield yield, and makes it a very rare commodity.
The levels of hydrogen and minerals in the soil greatly affect the quality and health of the manuka tree, and ultimately affect the quality of the manuka nectar. The task of the honey breeder also becomes arduous in maintaining the health of honey bees, and the need not to stress them to extract high quality manuka honey.
The world produces approximately 2,800 tons of Manuka honey annually, compared to about 1.9 million tons of other honeys produced globally.
This very limited quantity must supply global demand, raising the price.
Manuka uses
The main use of manuka honey is to heal minor wounds and burns.
Research shows that manuka honey is effective in treating other conditions, including skin care, eczema, dermatitis, and soothing a cough or sore throat.
But doctors warn against using manuka honey to treat wounds and burns without medical supervision. The honey used in treating wounds is medical honey that is sterilized and specially prepared as a bandage;
So a jar of manuka honey should not be part of your first aid kit, and wounds and infections should be checked and treated by a doctor first.
What does science say about the benefits of manuka?
Several recent studies show that manuka honey can be beneficial when applied to wounds and leg ulcers, and studies also show that it may fight infection and promote healing.