Manuka Honey

What can be said about honey that hasn't already been said (or sung!) by the poets of yore?  Read on to learn more about this truly miraculous substance, the stuff of numerous historical tales and legends!

 Do you think of honey as medicinal?  Think about this:  have you ever had a cold, with a runny nose and aching joints?  Perhaps you had some chicken soup to make you feel better, followed by some tea with lemon and honey.  This common remedy of soup, tea, lemon and honey came to us from folklore, and modern science has had to admit this fact: it works like a charm!  As the chicken soup aids digestion, the tea calms the agitated nerves, soothes the bronchial tubes, lowers fever, and loosens mucus.  Meanwhile, the honey in your tea is going to work as a mild antibiotic!

 Ancient peoples quickly learned to treasure honey form its ability to prevent or cure infections in wounds.  Now, in our own era, researchers at Waikato University of New Zealand, led by biochemist Professor Peter Molan, have successfully shown that Manuka Honey, derived from the manuka bush and prized by local Maori tribespeople as a wound cleanser, is the most effective antibiotic honey available.  Red Leaf obtains its Manuka honey from New Zealand suppliers.  Our beekeepers ensure that their hives are exclusively expose to the manuka bush, Leptospermum scoparium, during the flowering season.  Professor Molan has found that by measuring the presence of an agent that he calls Unique Manuka Factor, or UMF, it can be shown that Mauka Honey can be effective against bacteria, fungi and protozoa!  Manuka Honey has even proven effective against antibiotic resistant strains of staphylococcus.

 Manuka Honey has been successful in the following medical treatments:

 •           General wound care

 •           As a stimulant on immune systems

 •           Treating skin damaged by cancerous fungation

 •           Wounds or ulcers resulting from radiation therapy

 •           Treatment of surgical scars in diabetics

 •           Bedsores and other pressure sores

 Professor Molan and his colleagues have proven that when Manuka Honey is employed in wound treatment, inflammation, swelling and pain are healed more rapidly.  Scarring is also reduced.  While most topical antiseptics will cause some tissue damage, Manuka Honey leaves healthy skin unharmed. 

 Our Manuka Honey is regularly tested by its producers for its effectiveness.  Only when it is shown to possess the "Unique Manuka Factor" (UMF) is it sold as Manuka Honey.  Professor Molan’s work has shown that Manuka Honey also aids in the rehydration of the body, causing faster recovery from diarrhea.  A small body of research indicates that some find relief from stomach ulcers by putting a teaspoon of Manuka Honey on bread one hour before meals, without fluids, and again at bedtime. The slice of bread ensures that the honey remains in the stomach for a while. 

For the very best in medicinal honeys, always order the New Zealand Manuka Honey from Red Leaf Teas.