Ten ways to use Mānuka honey and other benefits

Unlike regular honey, Mānuka honey is a quintessential New Zealand product sourced from the Mānuka bush (leptospermum scoparium), revered and enjoyed all over the world (high profile celebrities included).

We know it for the sweet, rich flavour we love to slather onto our toast and mix into our tea more than other types of honey.

But it’s so, so much more than that.

Mānuka has anti inflammatory and antibacterial properties, it supports the gut and the immune system, and it can also remedy oral diseases.

It’s Incredibly Versatile

As we’ve just learnt, Mānuka honey is an extremely impressive substance…not to mention delicious.

Before you keep your raw honey tucked into the back of the pantry to be used for the occasional toast or tea, remember how versatile it is.

Think of it as a multi-purpose product which belongs in the kitchen, the bathroom and the medicine cabinet.

You could keep one in the pantry for edible purposes (low UMF), another in your bathroom to use for skincare and another in the first-aid kit to use for infections, treat wounds and scrapes (high UMF).

There’s so many reasons why Mānuka honey has been a tried-and-true remedy for many ailments for centuries! We would be very unwise not to follow the ways of those before us and use Mānuka honey as far more than a tasty toast topper.

Read on to find out about 10 ways you can use Mānuka honey and its health benefits…

#1. Use it to Support Healthy Teeth and Gums

It seems a little weird to think of something so sweet as being healthy for your teeth. But studies have shown that the antimicrobial properties of Mānuka honey can fight against oral conditions such as gingivitis.

Mānuka honey can even help to reduce the amount of plaque build-up on the teeth, which helps to reduce tooth decay.

Keeping the gums and teeth healthy can actually help you to enjoy a healthy heart, as strange as it may sound at first!

While keeping a healthy mouth won’t directly prevent heart disease, prolonged oral disease can increase your chances of developing heart disease. If you are suffering from gum disease such as gingivitis, talk to your dentist or doctor about using Mānuka honey as a natural remedy.

Studies have shown that by rubbing Mānuka honey on damaged gum tissue, the nasty bugs are killed and the cells are stimulated to begin healing and repairing.

Pretty impressive, right?

#2. Use it to Support Healthy Digestion

Digestive issues are shockingly common in our busy, stressful modern society. Many people experience ongoing tummy woes and are constantly trying to find medical advice and solutions to ease the pain preferably with a side effect or two.

Well, it turns out that Mānuka honey can help.

Mānuka honey has been shown to contain special enzymes which enter the gut and help to break down and digest food efficiently. What’s more, honey is a prebiotic which means it provides food for those healthy, helpful bacteria we have living in our gut.

Because Mānuka honey contains methylglyoxal (a powerful anti-microbial) it can help to kill harmful bugs in the gut and prevent gastro illnesses.

Add Mānuka honey to smoothies, tea, spread on rice crackers or simply make a habit of taking a teaspoon each morning before breakfast. You might just find that your stomach issues begin to improve, (with proper medical advice and procedure of course).

#3. Use it to Soothe Cuts and Scrapes

If you have boisterous kids who are always running through the door complaining of scraped knees, Mānuka honey can help.

The antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and healing properties of Mānuka honey penetrate the wound and help to accelerate healing. It has been proven that Mānuka honey actually encourages cells to start the healing process quickly and effectively, while providing gentleness and very little possible side effects.

By killing bugs and preventing them from spreading, honey stops wounds from becoming infected. It’s also known that the moisturizing properties of Mānuka honey helps wounds to heal more quickly and without scarring.

Instead of using a sting-inducing, alcohol-based solution to treat your kids’ cuts, scrapes and burns, use a high-quality Mānuka honey first.

#4. Use it to Boost Your Immunity

There’s a reason why people suck on lemon and honey lozenges during colds and flus.

One reason is that the antibacterial properties of Mānuka honey kills bugs in the throat and in the gut, accelerating the recovery process.

It’s also been proven to be pretty powerful at fighting sinus infections, music to the ears of anyone who suffers from regular sinus issues.

This is because Mānuka honey is fantastic at killing the specific bacteria which causes sinus infections.

Mānuka honey contains a special compound which increases the production of a chemical messenger called cytokine which sparks the production of cell which support the immune system.

#5. Make a Homemade Lip Scrub

For many people, lips are very prone to cracking, drying and peeling.

Winter time can really wreak on the lips, especially if you like to wear matte or liquid lip products.

One way to protect your lips and keep them soft and smooth is to give yourself a regular lip scrub treatment.

Also note that protecting your lips from the sun is also paramount to proper lip care. But back to the scrub!

Mānuka honey is a perfect ingredient for treating the lips, why?

Read on…

Your lips lose moisture far more easily than the rest of your skin which is why they’re so delicate during dry, cold months.

Mānuka honey is a humectant which means it draws moisture to the skin and holds it there. It’s also got a sticky, emollient texture which helps lift dry skin away when removed from the affected area.

This magic bee elixir also has amazing healing properties which is fantastic news for chapped, raw lips.

By rubbing Mānuka honey into lips which have lost their moisture barrier you’re helping the lips to repair, heal and renew.

#6. Use it as a Gentle In-Shower Body Exfoliator

Keeping the skin on your body soft, moisturized and protected against dryness is important for overall comfort and a healthy lustre.

However, we don’t always have time to slather a body cream over the whole body on a regular basis.

One easy way to maintain soft, fresh skin is to exfoliate and hydrate in the shower…i.e killing two birds with one stone!

Next time you’re in need of a whole-body exfoliating and moisturizing treatment, make it at home.

Use Mānuka honey and a few other select kitchen ingredients to create an in-shower moisture scrub.

Slough dead skin off the body and add a high dose of moisture and healing nourishment to the skin without using a single skincare product.

#7. Make a Chemical-Free Eye Treatment

Eye creams are expensive and often super over-hyped.

They are designed to lure us into spending our cash with the promise of young, taught and elastic skin around the eyes.

Pretty tempting, right?

Well, you can still achieve those youthful results by using less expensive, less chemical-laden treatments such as Mānuka honey.

As if Mānuka honey wasn’t impressive enough already, there’s another incredible property to behold.

Mānuka honey is a great antioxidant, thanks to the phenolic extracts it contains.

Antioxidants fight the free radicals which break down our cells, causing lines, wrinkles and slack skin.

The coveted moisturising property of Mānuka honey also makes it a fabulous ingredient for treating the delicate skin around the eyes.

We need to draw as much moisture as we can to the skin under and around the eyes in order to achieve plump, elastic and glowy skin.

We’re never going to completely erase lines and wrinkles, (nor should we, they show our character!) but we can fill them out and nourish the skin as best we can.

Moisturized, healthy skin looks just as young as taught, lineless skin, in my opinion!

NOTE: You can either use Mānuka honey alone or mix with an eye-friendly oil such as rosehip.

#8. Use it as a Sugar Substitute in Cooking

Honey is widely regarded as a great substitute for refined sugar, and it also a great way to sweeten up any drink or meal!

Many people prefer to add Mānuka honey to their favorite hot drink or as a substitute in their favorite baking. Take this delicious banana bread by Simone Ruthe from At Home With Simone for example:

#9. Have it in Your Cup of Tea

Just as you can use Mānuka honey as a sugar substitute in your baking, or add it to flavour your favourite dish, it is also great to add to a cup of hot tea, as a sweetener and a great way to take honey.

The great thing about the properties of Mānuka honey is that it can be heated to high temperatures without damaging, or lessening the unique chemical markers in the honey.

That means you can safely add it to cooking and hot drinks while still enjoying the benefits that Mānuka honey has become famous for!

#10. Take it Straight from the Jar

If you’re anything like our expert honey-taster, Grace, you’ll know that the only real way to enjoy your Mānuka honey is to take it straight from the jar!

There’s a Quality Rating (so choose carefully)

Not all Mānuka honey is created equal!

There are some pretty stringent and scientific testing processes which indicate the potency of Mānuka honey and helps determine if it is actually the real deal.

The most common rating system is the UMF system, which stands for Unique Mānuka Factor. It all relates back to the amount of antibacterial components in the honey (methylglyoxal mgo and leptosperin).

There has to be a certain amount of these two components in order for Mānuka honey to be classified and marketed as Mānuka honey. The higher the UMF, the more powerful the effectiveness of Mānuka honey.

For treating wounds and skin issues, look for the highest UMF you can find, (15-24+ is very high!).

For general everyday edible use for simply enjoying the flavour, you can use a Mānuka honey with a lower UMF rating (the lowest is 0-5+).