MANUKA HONEY, the healthiest honey in the world. It helps where the standard medications can not help.

Manuka honey, a honey produced in New Zealand, has many health benefits—including antibacterial qualities that help heal wounds and treat infections, experts say. Honey in general has long been praised for its antibacterial properties. But manuka honey is thought to be an even stronger infection fighter, and some studies suggest that manuka honey's benefits extend to treating skin problems and complications from diabetes. What is manuka honey? In typical honey, it is hydrogen peroxide that provides this benefit, whereas in manuka honey, it’s UMF that is antibiotic. UMF stands for Unique Manuka Factor, a grading system that uses a scale of 5 to 20 to gauge each batch of honey's antibacterial strength. The UMF is determined by levels of three compounds found naturally in manuka honey. (The UMF Honey Association oversees the grading.) Leptisperin is a nectar from the manuka bush, DHA is a type of omega-3 fatty acid, and methylglyoxal is an antibacterial component. The higher the UMF number, the stronger manuka honey’s antibacterial properties—meaning it can be used to treat wounds, cuts, burns, and even bed sores, says Largeman-Roth, frances nutritionist and author of Eating in Color. Types of manuka honey that possess a UMF content of 12 or higher are actually considered medical grade, and can be added to bandages to treat wounds, she says. Manuka honey benefits Why does manuka honey have such a good reputation for healing wounds and staving off infection? “Honey is very low in moisture content,” says Largeman-Roth. “When you put it on a wound, all the liquid in the wound gets drawn into the honey because it has the ability to absorb the moisture. By sucking up all the impurities, the honey protects the body against infection.” Medical grade manuka can also restore the natural pH of the skin and remove dead tissue when used topically, she adds. Robert Graham, MD, a physician specializing in integrative medicine and the founder of Fresh Med NYC, also says that manuka honey can be used in medical settings. "There is evidence for the use of manuka honey for acute burns, diabetic ulcers, and arterial ulcers," he says . Though most studies that support the use of manuka honey have been done in animals rather than humans, the research has demonstrated its safety and efficacy when compared to a placebo. "The greatest risk is simply verifying the source of [manuka honey]," adds Dr. Graham. "Quality and purity really matter when we're talking about food-based therapies." Anyone who is allergic to bees should use manuka honey with caution. "Otherwise, it's a win-win with little side effects," says Dr. Graham. How to eat manuka honey Manuka honey and regular honey have about the same sugar content, though some reports suggest manuka honey could have a slightly lower glycemic index. Yet overall, manuka can be consumed just like regular honey: added to sweeten tea, spread on toast, drizzled on top of desserts, and more. One difference, however, is in its texture. Unlike standard honey found on supermarket shelves, manuka honey isn’t a liquid at room temperature.