Australian Manuka honey offers benefits like powerful antibacterial action (due to MGO), anti-inflammatory effects, and antioxidant properties, making it great for wound healing, soothing sore throats, improving digestive health (gut support for IBS, ulcers), boosting immunity, and promoting skin health (acne, hydration). Its unique compounds help fight infections, support gut balance, and provide natural energy, though research is ongoing for some uses.
You can eat Manuka honey every day in small amounts. It's safe for most healthy adults, and it may give you benefits such as soothing a sore throat or supporting digestion. But it's still sugar, so too much can raise your blood sugar or add extra calories.
Thanks to its antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, manuka honey can be used to help treat wounds, improve your oral health, soothe a sore throat and treat ulcers and acne.
Does manuka honey need to be refrigerated? No, you should avoid refrigerating your manuka honey. It is best stored in a cool, dark place like a cupboard or pantry. Refrigeration of any honey — not just the special manuka variety — can cause crystallisation.
Since manuka honey contains high levels of MG, we speculate that patients with diabetes may be at risk due to either the direct negative effect of MG on cells and components in the wound or the indirect formation of AGEs, which could impair the wound-healing process.
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.
Although you can add it to smoothies, oatmeal or yoghurt, the best way to take Manuka Honey is straight from the jar. It is recommended to take it once in the morning and once at night. It is safe to have 2 to 4 teaspoons (10 to 20 mL) of Manuka Honey daily, but always remember to moderate how much you consume.
A honey well known for its antibacterial properties is manuka honey, which is obtained from manuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium) and contains substantial amounts of methylglyoxal (MGO). Methylglyoxal harbors selective toxicity to bacterial cells, causing bacterial cell death and inhibition of bacterial replication.
Honey doesn't spoil in the way most foods do. Instead of “going bad,” it simply evolves, becoming thicker, darker, or developing crystals over time. These natural changes don't affect safety as long as the honey has been kept sealed and protected from added moisture.
Renowned for its potent anti-inflammatory properties, studies show Manuka honey can help with supporting joint pain and inflammation, and improving mobility.
The "best" Manuka honey in Australia depends on your needs (daily health vs. potent remedy), but top brands known for quality and high potency include Biosota Organics (offering very high MGOs like 2000+), AB's Manuka, Australia's Manuka, and Manuka Health, with potency measured by MGO (Methylglyoxal) or UMF ratings, where higher numbers mean stronger antibacterial activity. Look for independent testing and higher MGO/UMF for therapeutic use, while lower MGOs (like 100+) are great for everyday wellness.
Is UMF or MGO Better? UMF is a more comprehensive grading system, while MGO is simpler and more direct to test. Because they measure different aspects of mānuka honey, neither system is inherently more reliable than the other.
Try taking manuka honey with beverages and desserts, such as herbal teas, smoothies, or homemade granola bars, for a natural sweetener packed with nutrients.
Manuka honey doesn't expire in the way perishable foods do. Thanks to its low moisture content, natural acidity, and powerful compounds, it can last for years if stored properly. While the “best before” date on your jar reflects peak quality—typically set at three years—it's not a sign of spoilage.
How to identify authentic Manuka honey from New Zealand
Side effects of Manuka honey are rare but not impossible. Most people tolerate Manuka honey very well, but allergies, gastrointestinal complaints, or effects on blood sugar can occur in rare cases. You should be especially careful with babies under one year and with allergies.
Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with Honey. Honey might slow blood clotting. Taking honey along with medications that also slow blood clotting might increase the risk of bruising and bleeding.
It was observed that honey was more effective than ciprofloxacin, sulbactam/ampicillin, ceftriaxone, methicillin, and vancomycin but less effective than amoxicillin/clavulinic acid. On the addition of honey to the antibiotic discs, there was a synergistic effect with all antibiotics.
Yes, taking Manuka honey in the morning is a common and recommended ritual. Many people enjoy it first thing in the morning. In fact, a heaping spoonful on an empty stomach may allow your body to absorb its nutrients more directly, making it a natural and mindful start to the day.
Medical-grade manuka honey offers unique properties that set it apart from regular honey. Its non-peroxide activity, broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, and enhanced wound-healing properties make it a promising alternative therapeutic option, especially in treating antibiotic-resistant infections.
Manuka honey has long been used as an addition to warm drinks – particularly to help with soothing. But be careful: don't add it to boiling water, as high heat can destroy some of its natural compounds. “Let your tea cool slightly before stirring in the honey – around 40 °C is ideal,” advises Holly.
Taken together, it is suggested that the inflammatory signs of rheumatoid arthritis could be relieved by two weeks intake and/or external applying of honey solutions on joints of rheumatoid arthritis patients, as honey could act as an anti-inflammatory reagent and enhance the immune system.
The investigators used the findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Pathology, to suggest flushing diluted manuka honey through the catheter may help prevent urinary tract infections. Urinary tract infections can be life-threatening.
The Manuka honey, abounding in beneficial flavonoids and phenolic acids, has been stated in the literature archive to exhibit potent antidiabetic effects. It has been indicated to lower blood glucose levels in diabetic patients and mitigate hyperglycemic conditions in both types of diabetes [23,24].