Manuka honey

Manuka honey is a honey produced from the nectar of the flowers of manuka, scientific name Leptospermum scoparum, a tree growing in New Zealand. This type of honey has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, according to the article published in 2008 on the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food research by a team of researchers of the University of Dresden. The researchers have found that the responsible for the antibacterial activity of this type of honey is the substance called Methylglyoxal (MGO), in particular the MGOs of manuka honey would also be ten times higher than those found in other types of honey. Other studies have shown that unpasteurized manuka honey kills up to 9 different species of bacteria, including Helicobacter pylori, that causes ulcers and gastritis, while the results about pasteurized honey are less clear, the study in question has been published in 1994 on the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine by a group of researchers from the Department of Biosciences at Waikato University, Hamilton, New Zealand. Generally, manuka honey has beneficial effects in case of gastrointestinal problems, reflux, heartburn, irritable bowel but also other issues such as colds and sore throats. You can take a teaspoon of manuka honey before meals, the advice is not to exceed the three teaspoons per day. Then, limit the intake of manuka honey if you are suffering from diabetes or if you are undergoing chemotherapy because some substances present in the honey may interfere with the treatments. This type of honey is also helpful for external applications to treat skin problems such as acne, pimples, eczema, wounds, dermatitis because it is able to accelerate healing processes. You can apply locally for half an hour or prepare masks and wraps with aloe vera gel, characterized by a healing and soothing effect, or jojoba oil with emollient properties.