Manuka honey: Liquid gold for gut health

Words JOEL GRACE

One of my favourite gut health products at the moment is Manuka honey. This isn’t just any regular honey. Manuka honey is shown to have antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can be particularly useful in a variety of gut-related issues. A long-used staple for sore throats and skin ailments, we’re now seeing impressive results in the fight for better gut health.

How is Manuka honey different from normal honey? Native to New Zealand, Manuka honey is produced by bees that exclusively pollinate flowers on the Manuka bush, making it distinct from traditional honey. The honey contains an active ingredient called methylglyoxal (MGO), which has specific antimicrobial properties. All Manuka honey is both raw and unpasteurised to preserve the active compounds.

You might notice that Manuka honey jars display ratings that indicate the antibacterial strength of the honey inside. The rating system used can range from MGO, UMF (unique Manuka factor), NPA (non-peroxide activity) and TA (total activity). Regardless of the scale used, generally the higher the number, the higher the antimicrobial activity, and the more potent in addressing digestive complaints.

Manuka honey has been shown to assist in balancing the bad bacteria levels in your gut, which can aid digestion, prevent infections and help build immunity. It’s a gentle but effective prebiotic that feeds the friendly bacteria in your gut, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.

While the science supporting this is still in its early stages, there are encouraging reports suggesting Manuka honey may be effective in treating one of the most notoriously difficult human parasites to treat, Blastocystis hominis. Patients report a dramatic reduction in symptoms such as bloating and diarrhoea that often go hand-in-hand with Blasto infections.

It’s also effective against Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria responsible for stomach ulcers. It works in a kind of two-pronged approach; acting not only as an antibacterial agent against H pylori bacteria itself, but also through its prebiotic properties boosting levels of a specific strain of Lactobacillus that can protect against stomach ulcers naturally.

Clostridium difficile is one of the main bugs that causes the most severe cases of food poisoning, and generally triggers unpleasant and painful diarrhoea in infected patients. Manuka honey has been shown to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria, which can alleviate symptoms more quickly.

Importantly, while many people swear by the miraculous benefits of Manuka honey, there is still a lack of clinical trial evidence to support its efficacy. But when medicine tastes this good, what have you got to lose by adding a teaspoon or two to your diet?

www.sunshinecolonics.com.au