What you need to know about medical grade manuka honey

Hamilton-based SummerGlow Apiaries - what you need to know about medical grade manuka honey

TE KOWHAI’S SummerGlow Apiaries believe a recent UK television show has done a great job in showing consumers the difference between medical grade manuka honey and the honeys you eat.

Food Unwrapped presenter Jimmy Doherty recently investigated whether manuka honey has any medicinal properties.

He found that while all honey – even that which you buy in the supermarket – could have benefits, only medical grade manuka honey should be used to treat wounds, cuts, scratches, burns and skin ulcers as it has a naturally present activity not found in other honeys.

SummerGlow Apiaries owners Bill and Margaret Bennett say Food Unwrapped’s story would be helpful to consumers given the widespread confusion about manuka honey.

Medical grade manuka honey is different as it contains a unique, naturally present antibacterial activity which is not found in other honeys.

This unique activity is very stable, over and above the usual less stable active properties of honey and sets manuka honey apart as one of nature’s true wonders.

This activity is unique to manuka honey but it is not in all manuka honey.

The consumer needs to be very careful with what they select.

The other thing which differentiates medical grade manuka honey from other honeys is that it goes through stringent handling processes from the hive to end product to ensure safety.

Food Unwrapped explored how effective medical grade manuka honey can be, showing a veterinarian using it to treat a wounded horse.

Margaret and Bill Bennett from SummerGlow Apiaries in Hamilton have known for years how powerful medical grade manuka honey is.

“We regularly hear from people who have successfully used medical grade manuka honey,” says Margaret.

MediHoney Antibacterial Honey (see left) is a medical grade manuka honey and available direct from SummerGlow Apiaries

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