February 2, 2024

Manuka honey and immune defenses, a natural ally

By Naturale Bio

Honey, and in particular that of Manuka, represents a natural ally to support our immune defenses. In fact, it has attracted the attention of the international scientific community for its biological properties, in particular its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.

Many studies highlight its effectiveness as a natural antimicrobial and antibacterial thanks to the presence of an active ingredient that differentiates it from any other honey in the world, Methylglyoxal (MGO).

This honey is obtained from the flowers of the Manuka tree (Leptospermum scoparium) of the Myrtaceae family, which grows like a shrub or small tree throughout New Zealand and eastern Australia and has been widely used in traditional medicine for many years.

Let's see in detail what makes Manuka honey so special and how it can help our immune defenses.

How does the immune system work?

The immune system is a set of highly specialized organs and cells, with the task of defending the organism from external pathogenic agents that can cause infections.

Our immune defenses are naturally able to intervene in the event of an "attack", with the necessary countermeasures to defend the organism. Therefore, an efficient immune system is perfectly capable of protecting us from external aggressions.

The natural defenses, however, can undergo a weakening, this occurs due to various factors such as: stress, cold-related ailments, changes of season or variations in temperature, lack of sleep, fatigue or due to aging.

When our immune defenses are lowered, we are more fragile and vulnerable to pathogens and can get sick more likely and more frequently.

What to do to strengthen immune defenses?

To make our body strong and face any type of attack, the best solution is to lead a healthy lifestyle. Here are some little tips:

Eat healthy and balanced.
Do light physical activity.
Avoid sources of stress, smoking and the use of alcohol.
Sleep well and enough.

Finally, to support the immune defenses it is also possible to use natural remedies which help the natural defenses to counteract the action of pathogens.

For natural remedies means supplements or foods, rich in nutrients, which support our system immune. One of the most used and well-known is certainly honey, and in particular that of Manuka.

In fact, taking Manuka honey represents a healthy and natural choice to increase our immune defenses, prevent or “cure” minor seasonal ailments.

Why use Manuka Honey to boost immune defenses?

Much research is focusing on alternative approaches to treating bacterial infections. Honey, for example, has been used as a “medicine” for more than 2000 years, mainly for healing wounds.

Honey contains compounds that have antimicrobial properties and would be able to inhibit bacterial growth, which has been demonstrated using many microorganisms, including S. aureus, S. pyogenes, P. aeruginosa and E. coli.

The beneficial role of Manuka honey is attributed to itsantibacterial properties thanks to its high osmolarity, acidity (low pH), and peroxide content of hydrogen (H₂ O₂) and non-peroxide components, i.e. the presence of phytochemical components such as methylglyoxal (MGO).

In addition to its antibacterial activity, manuka honey is also known for its antioxidant capacity, which acts to modulate the production of free radicals, thus protecting cellular components from their harmful action. In fact, Manuka honey contains a high quantity ofphenolic compoundswhich are capable of reducing free radicals, providing significant antioxidant capacity.

Grades of Manuka honey

There are different grades of Manuka honey, which is classified based on the amount of Methylglyoxal present inside. In order to establish the exact quantity of this component and therefore guarantee the authenticity of the product, a chemical analysis is necessary which must be carried out in laboratories accredited by theMinistry for Primary Industries (MPI) of New Zealand.

The Manuka honey NaturalePiù has 5 gradations: from the most powerful, MGO 800+ or 500+ which have a concentration of greater Methylglyoxal and therefore are more useful in case of mild ailments or disorders, up to MGO 100+ ideal for daily consumption for preventive purposes or for external use.

Choosing the right concentration of methylglyoxal is fundamental, the rule is that the more honey it will have to go in depth, the higher the concentration will have to be.

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