Manuka Honey Question

[Nik2WIN]

OK, so we're loving Cindi's breakfast smoothie (frankly I could eat it morning, noon and night) and I had to go out today for more flax seed oil.  The health food store was full, as usual, with manuka honey.  I've always been put off buying it as its so expensive and I take its claims with a pinch of salt.

So what's the deal?  Should I be eating manuka honey, what does it do for you if you eat it?  I'm generally fit and healthy with the constitution of an ox so would I be wasting my money?  Will it fill me with energy despite the fact that the children woke me up three times last night??   

Opinions please - good, bad and ugly 

Nik

[Nay-nay]

Personal opinion only but I think any honey you get straight from the bee hive is the best in everyway. No heating no process just honey at it's very best. Any honey made from any flower has beautiful healing properties and is antibacterial.

[zebraa]

I just make sure I get cold filtered honey. Still has all the good properties - it is just the supermarket heat treated stuff that has been ruined.

[Cuilidh]

I'm not sure that this is an answer to your question, but I have heard for a long time and read that certain Manuka honeys (which you will generally find in health food stores - I think they display a number to indicate their strength) are purported to have extra healing and beneficial properties over other honeys.  I believe that that is empirical knowledge (however it is known that the ancient Romans used honey to heal wounds), but I recently heard that there have been medical trials of honey impregnated dressings being used on non-healing wounds with great success.  I am sure if you Google Manuka honey you will get further information.

[earth mumma]

We love raw honey in our house - no heat treating and it has a slightly grainy texture - the flavour is yommo though.  Have never tried manuka and feel that the raw has excellent healing properties (works a treat on sore throats)

[baf65]

can you even buy manuka honey in australia? i thought it was a banned import?
the other night i checked in a japanese guy (airport) and he was importing raw untreated honey back to japan as he was starting up a new company and the honey is renowned over there for its health properties

[CreamPuff63]

I saw this topic yesterday and as our family consumes alot of honey, I was able to purchase from the supermarket. It was with all the other honey, and the brand is "Capilano" which produces normal honey as well. It doesn't say it has been cold filtered, but it does say that it is pure and natural, just like the other stuff they sell. It cost $4.40 for a 340g squeezable container.

[cookie1]

I love leatherwood honey. Thank goodness you can buy it here as you can't bring it in yourself.

[judydawn]

I've bought Manuka honey in a health shop in the past for DH.  Read somewhere it was good for you so gave him a spoonful each morning but it is very expensive and what with all the other medication he is on, something had to go.

[Sonan]

I love Manuka!
To get the health benefits you do have to get one with the highest number on it you can. I find it excellent for sore throats and colds because of the antibacterial properties. We don't have it every day - just as a 'medicine'.

[jeninwa]

I love leatherwood honey. Thank goodness you can buy it here as you can't bring it in yourself.

Are you in Perth Cookie1? I love leatherwood honey,  if you are in Perth where can you buy it here.

[CreamPuff63]

so...there is "manuka honey" and there is a proper Manuka Honey???

[Cuilidh]

Yes, definitely, CP63, there is manuka honey ... then there is MANUKA HONEY.  The kind that has useful healing properties is (surprise, surprise!) the more expensive option.

[CreamPuff63]

My eyes are continually popping at how much our food is being processed without us even being aware of it honey - who'd have thought that  now I am off to look at the carton of eggs...

[cookie1]

Jeninwa I buy my leatherwood honey at Woolies. Health food shops often stock it too. In fact you used to be able to buy it only at health food shops. Let me know if you can't find any.