It is no secret that honey has some pretty amazing medicinal properties. In fact, it has been used for its healing value at least as far back as the time of the ancient Egyptians and that tradition has lasted right up to modern times, where it is used in advanced medical fields like wound care.

Not all honey is created equal, however, and some types of honey have shown to be more powerfully medicinal than others. One kind of honey which has a lot of people excited in the natural health community is manuka honey, which appears to have some incredible medicinal benefits, discussed in the sections below.

Good question! Manuka honey is collected from bees that gather pollen from the manuka bushes which grow on the islands of New Zealand. It is almost the only place in the world where these bushes will grow.

The honey made from the pollen of the manuka bushes has properties that make it antimicrobial (it can fight off bacteria, viruses and fungi alike), antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. It remains an important part of the natural healing system practiced by the native Maoris, who have long known about the unique benefits to be had from this honey. This knowledge of this plant’s value was passed on to European explorers when Captain James Cook first visited the island and noted the medicinal property of tea made from the manuka leaves.

One of the most exciting aspects of manuka honey use its potential application for wound healing. Honey in general has long been used to treat more difficult wounds (such as diabetic foot ulcers), but manuka seems to be particularly effective at this. The high sugar content draws liquid out from the wound, creating a dry environment that is more hostile to any potential invasion by bacteria. It also contains a compound called glucose oxidase, which causes an acid wound environment that naturally inhibits cell growth.

Manuka honey is also good for wound care because it has been found to contain many active compounds which work on and stimulate the immune system to help speed up the healing process.

Apart from wound healing, manuka honey also has other health benefits, including the ability to treat the following conditions:

Digestive complaints like diarrhea, upset stomach, ulcers and gastritisViruses like the cold or flu

In short, honey in general is a great treatment for a variety of illness. But honey from the manuka plant seems to be able to treat a wide number of ailments as well as being excellent for the healing of difficult wounds. Even in comparison with regular honey, this manuka honey really stands out in regard to its healing properties!