What Is Manuka Honey ?
Manuka honey is produced by honeybees which gather nectar from a Manuka bush (Leptospermum Scoparium). It has unique antibacterial, anti-viral, anti- inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-microbial and immune boosting properties.
Manuka honey is a monofloral honey, produced from the nectar of a Leptospermum Scoparium tree. Other common names for these trees are Manuka Bush, Manuka Myrtle, Broom Tea Tree or Jelly Bush. What makes the honey from these trees so special is the non-peroxide and the anti-bacterial factor which the bees produce whilst refining the nectar into honey.
In addition to the above mentioned properties, Manuka honey also contains the same benefits of natural honey. This makes it more popular as it has stronger antimicrobial properties than its counter part and is now used in numerous products from skincare to medicine and various other products across the world.
Benefits Of Manuka Honey
Manuka honey has many different applications. Traditionally it is used in day to day consumption for the purpose of wellbeing and health. Other benefits of using Manuka Honey are:
• More potent than normal honey due to its higher methylgloyal (MGO) concentration.
• Natural ointment for wounds due to its antibacterial properties against species of bacteria.
• Contains antiviral properties with the higher MGO levels in the honey.
• Due to the high MGO levels in Manuka honey it can help remove moisture from wounds which in turn draws water out of the bacteria cells which is what they need to grow.
• Can assist to reduce skin inflammation and irritation from acne.
• Known for its anti inflammatory qualities which can assist with coughs and sore throats
• Can improve gut and digestive health.
• Its antibiotic qualities assists in wound care and health.
• Anti-microbial and immune boosting properties
• Assist in clearing infections.
• Soothes inflamed mucous membranes.
Manuka Honey Grading Systems
There are varying Manuka grading systems being used to qualify the quality of Manuka honey. More commonly, the grading systems are used to convey the medicinal quality of Manuka honey.
The key thing to understand is the difference between normal honey versus Manuka honey. All honey has a level of antibacterial activity due to naturally occurring hydrogen peroxide. In addition, Manuka honey also has non peroxide activity (NPA) properties, which sets Manuka honey apart from regular honey.
This particular property gives Manuka honey medicinal properties which means the higher the NPA rating the longer the antibacterial effect will last in our system. This makes Manuka honey good for healing, medicinal applications and improving gut health.
Common grading systems for Manuka honey are:
NPA (Non Peroxide Activity)
UMF (Unique Manuka Factor)
MGO (Methylglyoxal Levels)
KFactor (Measure of purity)
Bio Active (Peroxide and Non Peroxide Activity)
Out of the above mentioned systems, high NPA / UMF / MGO ratings are good indicators of its medicinal quality and strength. Hence the most commonly used systems to convey medicinal quality and strength in Australia are NPA and MGO. The potency level of Manuka honey that you require will largely depend on your intended use and NPA 10+ and above rated Manuka honey is considered to have sufficient potency to have medicinal properties.
Harvesting Manuka Honey
Here at Kalti, our process of harvesting Manuka honey is based on the philosophy of ensuring that our products are raw and natural for consumption. For that reason, Kalti Manuka honey is extracted from the honeycomb by the method of cold press as honey is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture from the environment).
The most common commercial method of extracting honey is by spinning the honeycombs in a centrifuge. This method of harvesting requires the honeycombs to be warmed and spun at high speeds creating centrifugal force which flings the honey droplets increasing the surface area exposure to the environment, which may cause the Manuka honey to lose some of its medical potency and aromatics. Our Manuka honey is extracted by a cold press method, whereby the honeycombs are pressed through a filter and / or mesh causing a steady continuous flow of honey; minimising the surface area in contact with the environment. This process preserves the integrity and benefits of our Manuka honey. In an article published in Food Chemistry Journal in 2017, the authors research found that the 'Nutritional contents and minerals were higher using the cold press extraction method rather than a centrifugal method.’Disclaimer : The information on this website is not intended as medical advice or to be used for treatment of any disease or condition. It is for your information only and any decisions you make regarding your health should be made in partnership with a qualified health care professional.