Frequently Asked Questions - Manuka HoneyPlease be familiar with number 10, below. 1. How long does the Manuka honey last for? When does it expire? Honey doesn't really 'expire' any time soon. As long as it is stored properly, and not exposed to too much heat, then our actual honey will be good for several years. Some products that are mixed manuka honey and something else may well expire earlier. 2. How much / what dosage of manuka honey do I take? How to take it?
For internal purposes, it is generally recommended to take 1-2 teaspoons half an hour before meals. It is down to your circumstances how often you take it. More often for an immediate issue, less often if it is not so severe. It often comes down to some self judgment on how much to take.
For external purposes, it is best to use a specialist sterilised product (eg the ManukaCare ) - apply the honey directly to the wound area, and if using a dressing over top (to prevent sticky contact with clothing etc - use as non-absorbent a dressing as possible) add a little to the inside of the dressing before applying. About 10-15% or people report some level of 'stinging' when the honey is first applied on a wound, as you may get from other creams but this then usually subsides.
3. Can it be given to children?  For all honey, it is generally accepted that it should not be given to children under 1 years old. This as their digestive systems are still developing. Seek advice of your medical professional if you are concerned. 4. I'm diabetic - can I still take Manuka honey? You should seek advice from your doctor for your case. Honey does contain natural sugars. The manuka honey is still just a natural honey, so depends what your doctor has advised you for your situation with regard to any honey. For external use on wounds, many diabetics can still use it, but this is an area to check with your doctor if you are concerned. The general suggestion is to monitor your blood sugar levels. 5. How do I use the Apinate dressings? The Apinate dressings with manuka honey come ready to use out of the pack. As each one is 10cm x 10cm in size, you can simply use scissors or a knife to trim it to size needed - make an effort to keep the rest of it as clean as possible to use next. They are not an adhesive dressing, so just use either a standard adhesive dressing or some bandaging over top to hold it in place. 6. Does Manuka Honey help for Cancer? This is always a sensitive subject. It is important to state that NO, manuka honey will not help fight cancer. There is currently no supporting evidence that it does, and this should be made clear. Where some people appear to have got confused is with some media reports about it being used by cancer patients, for example at the Christie Hospital in Manchester. However these cases are where the honey may help people with some of the effects of having cancer. In the Christie Hospital case they have been using manuka honey to aid the healing of surgery of throat cancer patients. In other cases, if people have a poor digestive system, then any boost to their digestive system will in turn aid their body to help itself, and deal with the effects of their situation better. This is separate from fighting the actual cancer, which there is no current evidence showing manuka honey being useful for. 7. Can you take Manuka Honey when pregnant?  Jars of UMF® Manuka honey are also checked for their 'naturalness' (may sound a little strange, but it is relevant). Thus it provides a natural, healthy honey, which unless you are allergic to any honey (very rare), you can take while pregnant and while breastfeeding.
Many mothers and mothers to be find UMF® Manuka honey useful at a time when they have to be careful over taking other products. Whether during pregnancy or post-pregnancy you can utilise the unique benefits of this honey without the side effect worries of other products.
8. How do you pronounce Manuka? The emphasis is put on the first syllable - so that you say Ma-nu-ka.
9. What is special about the New Zealand Bees for Manuka honey? It is not to do with the bees, rather the flowers they visit. Manuka is a native tree / bush to New Zealand. If beehives are put into areas with many Manuka trees at the right time when they are flowering, Manuka honey is produced. The beneficial properties are provided by the flowers, with mother nature giving many variables as to how good any particular plants flowers are, hence the importance of quality controls and testing processed after the bees have done their part.
10. What is the difference between brands of Manuka honey? What is the difference between 'Active' and 'UMF'? It is important to be comparing like to like. As not all manuka is the same, and not all actually contains the additional unique antibacterial component its reputation is based on, the UMF® quality standard acts for your guarantee and confidence that you are getting the genuine product. The brands that measure 'total activity' and include hydrogen peroxide activity are misleading when compared to the UMF® rating. How can you know that brand X may be ok but that brands Y and Z are not an equivalent product? This is why The New Zealand Honey Shop makes the effort to only supply UMF® quality standard jars. UK done test results prove that a jar of UMF5+ from us is better and higher potency of the special properties than jars labelled 'active 15+' and 'active 18+' from some other brands. Only the UMF® quality standard has been prepared to form testing partnerships with independent laboratories around the world for verification (in the UK with the Food and Environmental Research Agency - FERA).
Got Another Question? You may have other questions not answered here. Feel free to contact us (using the 'contact us' page), phone, or take a look in our forums - where you can also add your own questions.
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