16 Mgo Benefits In Manuka Honey

1. Wound Healing

There are various causes of wounds, and most are at risk of infection. If the wounds get infected and do not heal properly or on time, the infection spreads to other parts of the body and, in the worst case, the bloodstream. It causes organ failure, which can be fatal.

One of the main manuka benefits is that it helps in wound healing. Manuka honey can help heal wounds because it provides a moist condition and protects the wound against infection-causing bacteria.  

Applying manuka honey to wounded areas supports the growth of new tissue. It may even decrease pain in patients recovering from burns. However, one needs to use high-quality manuka honey to receive the maximum benefits of manuka honey. 

2. Antibacterial Properties

Speaking of infection-causing bacteria, manuka honey has potent antibacterial properties, which give rise to a host of health benefits. It is so powerful that it is 100 times more antibacterial than regular honey, all because of the MGO in the honey. 

The MGO in the honey inhibits the growth of problematic bacteria, including ones resistant to powerful medicines. This means we can rely on natural healing, like consuming manuka honey. These types of treatments may not have as many side effects as medications. It may also help eliminate the root causes of illnesses.

3. Oral Health

Our oral health is linked to our overall health. Studies suggest periodontal diseases can cause cardiovascular diseases by causing bacteria to enter our bloodstream and accumulate on the inner walls of arteries, leading to decreased blood flow and increased risk of heart attack or stroke.

Manuka honey may inhibit the growth of harmful oral bacteria that can cause plaque formation, gum inflammation, and tooth decay, all of which lead to periodontal diseases. One could use manuka honey toothpaste or oral rinse regularly.

While manuka honey does contain natural sugar, it does not attach to our teeth like refined sugar, so you can indulge in sweetness without worrying about your teeth.

4. Boost Immunity

Another one of the many manuka health benefits is boosting our immune system. Our immune system consists of various organs, cells, and proteins that keep us healthy and prevent disease and infection. 

Despite the importance of our immune system, our lifestyle affects our immune health. Smoking, alcohol, poor diet, lack of sleep, stress, pollution, and lack of exercise can weaken our immune system.

Therefore, we need to boost our immune system through our diet. We can include manuka honey in our breakfast by consuming it with pancakes and toast. We can drink lukewarm honey water or include them in our salad dressings. We can also consume it straight with a spoon.

5. Soothes Sore Throat

One of the most common manuka uses is soothing sore throat. As mentioned before, the MGO in manuka honey has antibacterial properties, which relieve sore throats, coughs, and other cold symptoms.

Sore throats and colds are caused by bacteria and infection. It can cause symptoms like runny nose, sneezing, fatigue, and fever. Manuka honey aids in releasing a protein that kills off these bacteria. 

Honey has such medicinal properties for sore throats that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and Public Health England (PHE) recommend using honey before medications. Simply, mix two tablespoons of honey with a warm glass of water or tea and drink as needed.

6. Improve Gut Health

Our gut consists of probiotics, a class of beneficial bacteria and yeasts that keep our stomach and gut healthy. These probiotics thrived when we consumed foods with prebiotics, like manuka honey.

Prebiotics are a type of fiber that stimulates the activity and growth of probiotics. These probiotics aid digestion and inhibit the growth of bad bacteria. If there is too much harmful bacteria in the gut, it can cause inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This can lead to symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. 

Manuka honey is a good source of prebiotics and has strong anti-bacterial properties. Regular consumption of honey can help treat inflammatory bowel disease and ulcerative colitis. 

7. Skin Health

Many skin care specialists recommend products with manuka honey for skin benefits. Apart from MGO, manuka honey contains nutrients like B vitamins, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus that nourish and heal the skin.

It is effective in treating acne. Acne is a skin condition caused by clogged pores that plague many. Clogged pores cause acne-causing bacteria to thrive. 

Manuka honey can kill these acne-causing bacteria. It also retains moisture on the skin, and water helps remove toxins and bacteria on the skin, reducing the risk of clogged pores. If you want to use manuka honey for acne treatment, do not rub it on your face. Use serums and creams with manuka honey instead.

8. Treat Ulcers

Ulcers are open sores, mostly on the stomach lining or small intestine. They can lead to stomach pain, heartburn, nausea, and bloating and are caused by bacterial infection in the stomach.

This bacterial infection is common and does not cause many problems until the bacteria multiplies and eats into your stomach lining. Manuka honey may help treat ulcers caused by this bacteria by inhibiting their growth. It is also believed that manuka honey is a faster and safer healing agent compared to other medications. 

9. Reduce Inflammation

Inflammation is our body’s defense mechanism against harmful bacteria. Our body recognizes invaders and sends out inflammatory cells to heal the body from the damage caused by these invaders and kill them off. 

Problems arise when our body continues to send out inflammatory cells even when there is no threat. These cells start to attack healthy cells, known as chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation causes depression, gastrointestinal (GI) issues, weight gain/loss, frequent infections, and many more.

Manuka honey is believed to have inhibitory effects on chronic inflammation by limiting the production of inflammation-causing molecules and increasing the production of inflammation mediators. 

10. Alleviate Allergy Symptoms

Seasonal allergies, more commonly known as hay fever, flare up in spring and summer when tree and grass pollen levels are highest. Some common symptoms include sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, watery and itchy eyes, itchy sinuses/throat/ear canals, ear congestion, and postnasal drainage.

These symptoms are not life-threatening but can affect your daily life and tire you out. Some medications can help control your allergies but can lead to side effects like drowsiness and dizziness.

In such cases, natural remedies like manuka honey might be more effective than medicines. It can alleviate symptoms without the side effects.

11. Hydrate the Skin

If your skin is dry and irritated, consider using manuka honey. In recent years, skincare with this Australian honey has been all the rage. It acts as a natural humectant, meaning it can retain moisture on the skin by drawing water from the air.

This property helps replace lost moisture and improve the skin's water content, which is especially useful for dry skin. 

Through this mechanism, manuka honey creates a protective barrier to prevent dryness. It also exfoliates the skin and removes dead skin cells to provide much-needed relief and promote a smoother, softer appearance.

12. Improve Sleep

In South-Asian cultures, it is common to drink milk with honey because it improves sleep quality. This is because honey contains a hormone that helps our body and brain relax and induce sleep. Our body cannot produce this hormone. We can only get it from food like manuka honey. 

Additionally, honey contains sugar, which provides us with the energy to carry out different functions. Even when sleeping, our brain is working. Therefore, it needs energy from food like honey before bed.

Sometimes, our sleep is affected by hunger pangs. A decrease in sugar levels signals our body it is time to eat and might cause sleep problems. A spoonful of honey before bed stabilizes blood sugar and leads to a good night's sleep.

13. Boost Energy

Our body needs energy throughout the day to carry out various activities. However, as the day progresses, we might feel a little sluggish, especially in the afternoon. When this happens, a quick pick-me-up like manuka honey could help.

Manuka honey contains natural sugar like glucose, the body’s main energy source. It travels throughout the bloodstream and fuels all the biological processes in our body. 

The sugars in manuka honey are absorbed more slowly, meaning it does not cause a sudden burst of energy. Energy release is slow and sustained, keeping us going for longer. This is better than consuming food high in added sugars that provide an instant burst of energy followed by a crash. 

14. Improve Cognition

Cognition refers to all the activities that our brains carry out, like memory, learning, Problem-solving, attention, and language. These activities help us live normal lives, and we use them every day in our daily lives.

As we age, our brain health declines, and so does our cognition. We cannot prevent our brain aging, but we can slow it down by consuming healthy food like manuka honey.

The MGO in the honey helps fight brain cell damage, which can cloud thinking and memory. It may also improve blood flow to the brain and improve cognition. 

15. Antioxidant Properties

Manuka honey is considered a superfood because it contains antioxidants. Antioxidants are compounds that fight free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that damage healthy cells and wreak havoc on our health.

The antioxidants in manuka honey stabilize free radicals and prevent them from causing harm. By incorporating antioxidants into our diet, we can help our body fight off free radical damage and potentially reduce the risk of chronic diseases, like cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and arthritis.

16. Natural Sweetener

Honey is a natural sweetener and has been used as a replacement for refined sugars for centuries. It is healthier to use as a sweetener than sugar because it contains a trace amount of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants are beneficial to our health. 
 
Additionally, excessive consumption of refined sugar has been linked to various health concerns like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Therefore, it is advisable to use manuka honey instead of sugar as a sweetener.

However, even if manuka honey contains natural sugar, it should still be consumed within reasonable limits.