When it comes to natural remedies that actually work, antioxidant-rich honey tops the list. But while regular, clover-sourced honey has its own health-related properties, such as helping with allergies and nagging coughs, manuka honey may just be a most magical elixir for fighting those ailments and so much more. Manuka honey is produced by bees that feed on the tea tree nectar (a plant with its own impressive list of healthy qualities) in New Zealand and Australia, and it has long been the best-kept secret in natural households everywhere. Here's why.
If the news about manuka honey's healing powers have you running for the aisles, be sure to look for high-quality, reputable brands, since many manuka honey products may not have the potency you need for them to be effective — or may not be authentic manuka honey at all. The Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) Honey Association has a rating system to help ensure that consumers know what they're buying; according to the association, you should look for any product with a certified UMF rating of 10 or over, since those will have the highest concentrations of methylglyoxal.
Rather eat your honey than slather it on? This recipe for an immunity-boosting ginger tonic harnesses the power of manuka honey as a superfood.