Sugar has many forms and a favorite of many is Manuka honey. Whether consumed on its own or in combination with other ingredients to create a wonderful desert this form of sweetness is a nectar of the gods. Manuka honey as we know is from the Manuka tree of New Zealand and it contains the chemical methylglyoxal which gives it, it’s healing properties. Although it’s used and studied as a medicinal product we cannot forget that consuming it for its flavor profile is one of the most satisfying ways to consume it. Spreading it on toast or stirring it into tea or yogurt is a great way to get your dose of Manuka honey. One tablespoon is only 63kcals and you never need anywhere near that much to satisfy a craving for it’s unique taste and provide your body with the flavonoids (antioxidants) to stay in form.
Honey in general has a lower GI than regular table sugar, meaning that it does not necessarily raise blood sugar levels as quickly as refined sugar might, but it should still be used cautiously by anyone who is diabetic.
If you want to try a recipe with Manuka honey check out our pintrest page or simply try substituting ½ cup for every one cup of sugar and reduce another liquid by ¼ cup for every one cup of Manuka honey used in your recipes at home. Recommendations also include lowering your cooking temperatures by about 25 degrees to prevent over browning and adding ¼ tsp baking powder for every one cup of honey used to keep your treats from being too dense.
Sources
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/sugar-substitutes-honey-explained
http://wholenewmom.com/whole-new-budget/baking-with-honey-sugar-for-baking/
Breakfast is probably the most important meal of the day. It gives you the energy you need and helps you to be more focused throughout the day. Breakfast provides the body and brain with fuel after an overnight fast.
Aside from giving us energy, breakfast foods are also good sources of essential vitamins and minerals. It brings back glucose levels that are needed for brain function and improve memory and boost concentration levels. Having a good breakfast gives us joy and helps us improve our mood and lower our stress levels.
Start your day right by including a portion of fruits, vegetables and Manuka Honey to your breakfast. Manuka honey is known to be a good source of nutrients. It is also rich in antioxidants and lowers cholesterol.
Here are 5 ways to power up your day with Manuka Honey.
Sources:
http://www.shakeupyourwakeup.com/why-is-breakfast-important
https://www.farmflavor.com/recipe/type/breads/honey-french-toast/
https://siouxhoney.com/14-breakfast-recipes-honey/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-benefits-of-honey
https://www.honey.com/recipes/category/recipes/breakfast
Biofilms, biofilms can be found in any area of the body however recently there has been an important trend in microbial dental research towards ways to get rid of the biofilms that cause dental plaque. Biofilm dental plaque is complex and contains an estimated 700 bacterial species. These groups of microorganisms stick to each other, adhere to the surfaces of teeth and are 1000x more resistant than general bacteria to antimicrobial therapies. In view of the ineffectiveness of conventional oral biofilm eradication new treatments inspired by nature have gained interest. Recent studies have found that the bioactivity of manuka works effectively against the formation of oral biofilms in specific concentrations. In a study comparing New Zealand’s manuka’s activity against other floral honeys it was found that a 10% concentration or 50-500μg.ml of manuka honey was able to affect the formation of the biofilm S. mutans in experimental conditions. This is believed to be due to the non-peroxide activity caused by the presence of phytochemicals and methylglyoxal. This novel information gives manuka honey another star in excellence as future studies are set up with clinical trials to bring it into mainstream.
Check out Pacific Resources International for access to New Zealand’s pure Manuka honey and products.
Sources
Badet, C., Quero, F., (2011). The in vitro effect of manuka honeys on growth and adherence of oral bacteria. Anerobe. Vol. 17 pages 19-22
| Karygianni, L., Al-Ahmad, A., Argyropoulou, A., Hellwig, E., Anderson, A. C., & Skaltsounis, A. L. (2015). Natural Antimicrobials and Oral Microorganisms: A Systematic Review on Herbal Interventions for the Eradication of Multispecies Oral Biofilms. Frontiers in Microbiology, 6, 1529. http://doi.org.ezproxy.massey.ac.nz/10.3389/fmicb.2015.01529 |
Diverticulitis is a disease caused by an infection in the gut and although it has been thoroughly studied medical professionals still do not completely understand its cause. It is believed however to be due to a low fiber diet. When one consumes a low fiber diet the intestines have to work harder (push harder) to move digested food through the bowel. It is believed that this increased pressure is what causes the small pockets in the intestines to form. However, many people can have these pockets and never feel any pain from it while other suffer with fever, chills, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and belly pain. (1) These symptoms are caused when food gets trapped in the pockets and the area becomes infected. One of the bacteria’s seen to increase in people is the bacteria C. difficile which is a bacteria that naturally exists in the gut. However, in the presence of inflammation and infection the good gut bacteria are reduced and can no longer keep this C. difficile in check. This however, is not the only bacteria that can flourish in the presence of infection caused my diverticulitis.
Although there are no direct studies on Manuka and diverticulitis if we look at the research that exists on manuka honey and digestive disorders I think we can draw the conclusion that it would be helpful to those who suffer from this condition. Manuka has been reported to have an inhibitory effect on 60 species of bacteria, some species of fungi and viruses. (4)Therefore, it has the ability to limit bacteria growth and reduce the chances of an infection when food gets trapped in these pouches.
Manuka honey’s antibacterial agent Methylglyoxal has been proven to work against a wide variety of pathogenic bacteria. In a study done in Wales, using Manuka 18+, provided evidence that manuka honey does exhibit bactericidal action against bacterial infection from C. difficile. (2) One of the most common bacterial infections to hospitalize people with gastrointestinal infections.
Oral administration of honey has also been found to protect against gastrointestinal infection through blocking the attachment of pathogenic microorganisms to the intestinal epithelium. This represents a potential strategy for disease prevention in the area of gastrointestinal infections according to a study done in 2013. Manuka honey has also been found to increases and support the growth of Bifidobacterium via the presence of a variety of oligosaccharides. (3) Bifidobacterium is one of the good gut bacteria that works to keep the gut healthy. Recent studies also suggest that honey is able to inhibit inflammatory parameters caused by bacterial infections.(4)
But how do we know what or how much to take. This is an important key to know when using Manuka honey as an alternative treatment. The first step is to know is where the manuka honey is from. Most studies have confirmed that manuka from New Zealand or Australia have higher antibacterial properties than honeys from other countries. The two activity ratings that are accepted in the health food industry are UMF, which is your high grade activity, and biologically active, which is your lower grade of activity. For use as an alternative treatment for intestinal infection and inflammation 1 teaspoon twice a day of UMF 10-15+ should be used during flare ups. This can be taken straight off the spoon or diluted in warm water. For day to day maintenance however a biologically active honey of 10-15 should suffice in the most case of diverticulitis. This can be used freely as it is the lower activity. However, as UMF is the only regulated certification one should be wary of biologically active claims and make sure that your supplier is getting third party testing on the honeys activity and not just claiming its activity. Pacific Resources was the first to introduce Active Manuka Honey in 1989, has the largest selection and has all of their biologically active honeys tested and will happily supply a certification on the rated level for their products from a reliable third party lab.
(1) http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/tc/diverticulitis-topic-overview#1
(2) Prakash, A., Medhi, B., Avti, P. K., Saikia, U. N., Pandhi, P., & Khanduja, K. L. (2008, August 07). Effect of different doses of Manuka honey in experimentally induced inflammatory bowel disease in rats. Retrieved March 20, 2017, from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ptr.2523/abstract
(3) Eteraf-Oskouei, T., & Najafi, M. (2013, June). Traditional and Modern Uses of Natural Honey in Human Diseases: A Review. Retrieved March 20, 2017, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3758027/
(4) Hammond, E. N., & Donkor, E. S. (2013, May 07). Antibacterial effect of Manuka honey on Clostridium difficile. Retrieved March 20, 2017, from http://bmcresnotes.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1756-0500-6-188
This blog article is intended to give clarity to consumers that they are buying certified Manuka Honey that contains antibacterial properties. Mark Twain once penned, “There are lies, damn lies, and statistics!” Too often slick marketers confuse consumers through misdirection – and that includes manipulating the grading systems of Manuka Honey.
But First, Why Manuka Honey Is So Unique
Manuka Honey is sought after because it contains antibacterial activity. All honey starts out with these properties but when it is heated for pasteurization, the heat severely degrades the hydrogen peroxide inherent in honey and therefore degrades the antibacterial honey – but Manuka Honey still displays antibacterial properties even after pasteurization!
However, NOT all “marketed” Manuka Honey has these antibacterial properties, hence the creation of a grading system that measures the active ingredient methylglyoxal (MGO) responsible for these properties. Numbers can be misleading – it’s not always the higher the number the better the honey – it’s about the medicinal properties the honey contains and what grading system is used. For example, a UMF 10+ factor is much better than a KFactor 22 as explained below.
The Four Most Common Grading Systems and Which Are Best
Pacific Resources International (PRI) uses the UMF grading system for its UMF product range of Manuka Honey. The PRI Manuka range is tested for the combined peroxide (PA) and non-peroxide (NPA) activity. This range generally has a lower UMF rating so is not rated as UMF but still very effective. Independent lab tests are available for every jar of honey.
The Bottom Line – Bee Informed
Look for a product with the label designation of UMF Manuka Honey and MGS. Third party independent testing and verification ensure the quality of the honey that’s in the bottle will match or exceed what’s on the label.
You deserve the best and have confidence that you are buying the highest quality of Manuka Honey from New Zealand.
Manuka honey has been popularly known for its health benefits, with its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, many people have gained its goodness. But are you wondering what is so special in Manuka honey and why it should be an essential in your kitchen and your natural remedy cabinet?
Let us first talk about what is Manuka honey. It is a honey made by bees that pollinate the flowers of a native tree in New Zealand called the manuka bush.It’s been used for centuries for its medicinal effects such as for treating wounds, burns, soothes inflammation and improves digestive symptoms. Manuka honey is a great vitamins and mineral source.
What’s so special about Manuka honey is that it has a Unique Manuka Factor or UMF. It is a classification that determines the potency of Manuka honey. The numbers in the UMF Manuka Honey jars refer to the antibacterial property in the honey at the time of its packaging. A UMF Manuka honey 10+ and above is considered to be “medicinal grade”.
Choosing the right Manuka honey depends on your plans on how to use it. Here are several ways on how to make use of Manuka honey and experience its health benefits.
Surely, Manuka honey has proven its versatility with its different uses. It is up to you on how you maximize the health goodness Manuka honey gives.
Manuka honey has been popular since the earliest times. Apart from being generally used as food, it has literally been used during ancient years to treat multiple conditions. Due to the rise and the discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century, it has lost its reputation. Today, health care practitioners are looking for effective and natural products that combat infection and limit resistance to antibiotics, that’s why they are taking another look at this “wonder food”.
Manuka honey is the most commonly used honey today. It is produced by the bees that pollinate Manuka trees from Australia and New Zealand. It is known to have the highest level of antibacterial activity of all honey.
MGO and UMF Manuka Honey
Most honey has hydrogen peroxide which gives its antibiotic nature. Aside from hydrogen peroxide, Manuka honey has other ingredients that have antibiotic qualities.
One major antibacterial component of Manuka honey is Methylglyxal (MG). It comes from the conversion of another compound, dihydorxyacetone, which is found in high concentration in the nectar of manuka flowers. The antibiotic effect of Manuka honey is stronger if the MG concentration is higher. [1]
Unique Manuka Factor is a scale used to rate the potency of manuka honey. It reflects the concentration of MG. To be considered potent enough to be therapeutic, manuka honey needs a minimum rating of 10 UMF. Honey at or above that level is marketed as "UMF Manuka Honey" or "Active Manuka Honey.
Medical Grade Honey
A medical- grade honey has undergone different processes to ensure it is free from contaminants. Gamma irradiation, filtration and lab controlled conditions are a few of those processes that secure its efficacy.
Manuka honey has antibacterial properties that help fight infections and contribute to wound healing. It eliminates Gram- positive and Gramo negative pathogens as well as fungi and yeasts. It is also useful against various organisms such as drug resistant organisms like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resitant enterococcus. The acidic properties of honey keep the pH relatively low (3.5-6), that inhibits growth and promotes healing of wounds. [2] It has also anti- inflammatory capabilities that speed up healing of wounds.
Pacific Resources International, Inc. offers various natural products for your needs from high MG and UMF Manuka honey jars, Manuka honey candies, body care and health care products. You may also check our website: www.shoppri.com for your convenience.
Manuka Honey is a great source for many healthy benefits. Here are 6 great reasons why you should be eating more honey!
1. Honey can help reduce the symptoms of seasonal allergies. Natural raw honey contains small amounts of pollen and after repeated exposure the body becomes accustomed to their presence resulting in a lesser allergic reaction.
2. An excellent source of all-natural energy. Studies have found that Manuka Honey can maintain glycogen levels and improve recovery time after a workout. At just 17 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon, this natural unprocessed sugar can directly enter the bloodstream and can deliver a quick boost of energy. The rise in blood sugar acts as a short-term energy source for your workout, especially in long endurance exercises.
3. Honey can help you sleep. Sleeping problems are a common but thankfully honey can be used as a health aid for sleepless nights. Similar to sugar, honey can cause a rise in insulin and release serotonin which is a neurotransmitter that is known to improve mood. Try the famous milk and honey tip. Before going to bed, take glass of warm milk and mix it with a spoon of pure honey.
4. Assist in fighting infections. studies have found that Manuka Honey may be effective for the treatment of infection. Dr. Rowena Jenkins and colleagues, from the University of Wales Institute, reported that Manuka Honey kills bacteria by destroying key bacterial proteins.
5. Honey can be used to treat dandruff due to its antibacterial and anti fungal properties, as dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis are often caused by an overgrowth of fungus on the scalp. “Honey also has anti-inflammatory properties, which address the redness and itching on the scalp,” Dr Matthew Brennecke says.
6. Great for treating wounds and burns. Many studies have confirmed these properties help wounds and helping the cut or burn heal faster.
Honey can be used for many different ways. Pacific Resources’ New Zealand Manuka Honey is the perfect honey for whole body care!
Visit our website for all your favorite New Zealand Manuka Honey.
Source:
Farah, F., Desi Blitz: “Why you should be eating honey,” http://www.desiblitz.com/content/why-honey-is-so-good-for-you
So what can you do if seasonal allergies are hitting you harder than ever? Due to climate change, seasonal allergies may be getting worse. Experts say climate change is causing more pollen to be released into the air, it also means sneezing, itching, runny nose and watery eyes symptoms.
One of the remedies touted is using an all-natural alternative like local honey. The belief is that when you consume and ingest small amounts of local pollen it builds up immunity. There are some hopeful studies showing that this natural sweetener could help, but the scientific evidence is limited.
A 2002 study at the University of Connecticut compared three groups, with the first receiving locally-produced, unfiltered honey, the second with nationally-produced, filtered honey and the third honey-flavored corn syrup. There was no difference between the three in reducing the symptoms.
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology wind blown pollen is what most are allergic to and bees don’t pollinate these sources, therefore the pollen from these sources doesn’t make it into the honey.
Additionally, very very little pollen makes it into honey at all. Even if you are allergic to a plant source the bees DO pollinate, there is no way of knowing if that particular pollen is in your local honey without testing and it’s unlikely to be consistent from batch to batch.
One study suggests that it might also be about the type of honey but the bottom line is no honey can actually cure your allergies. For the best natural allergy symptom relief, give Manuka honey a shot! Manuka has a number of health benefits that other honey does not have. It is the only honey that exhibits non-peroxide activity due to the MG or Methylglyoxal component that is present. It is the compound that makes Manuka Honey unique. It contains antioxidants, antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that have been shown to help alleviate the symptoms of allergies and recover faster. This is what we’re searching for!
For delicious allergy relief without all the toxic ingredients found in most OTC products & prescriptions incorporate other natural herbs into a honey infusion. Honey is hydrophilic, which means it draws water from plants. When honey is infused with fresh herbs, it creates a syrup-like infusion filled with flavor and benefits of the herbs used.
This sage & ginger infused honey is our favorite way to get relief! Take it straight, drizzle it on toast or put it in your tea, we recommend taking 1 tablespoon a day. For the recipe, it's two parts honey to one part ginger and sage then let it sit for 2 weeks. Gently shake the jar every couple of days.
You can also try using products on the go from PRI like lozenges, lollipops and oral spray. These are a great way to get allergy relief and can be kept in your car, purse, pocket or desk to have on hand if needed. Pacific Resources International offers a variety of Manuka Honey, independently tested and cool processed to extract and retain all the natural properties. We believe that natural and simple are the best for a healthy lifestyle!
Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6074882/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7870997/
Snacking has become a part of everyone’s daily routine. Adults and children need snacks. Snacks are essential for giving us energy, vitamins and nutrients throughout the day. It keeps us from being hungry and overeating at mealtime. For children, snacks give them energy they need to grow and play. The drawback is that excessive snacking can lead to health problems and sometimes obesity. That is why we need to know how to snack healthy.
Manuka Honey Nuggets are healthy natural treats for not just for children but to all ages as well. These are perfect for everyday snacks, great for your sweet cravings, suited for sporting events and you can just even add it as a sweetener in your hot beverage. These treats come in different flavors: Manuka Honey, Ginger and Lemon and contain Manuka Honey 5+.
Manuka Honey Nuggets are 100% natural, with no artificial colors, flavors and preservatives, certified by QAI, a leader in orgarnic certification services. These are gluten free and made in U.S.A.
Enjoy the taste of these guilt free Manuka Honey Nuggets anytime, anywhere.
Buy now at Pacific Resources International and grab the BUY ONE GET ONE FREE offer for the Ginger Nuggets for a limited time only!
Are you having a hard time looking for that perfect gift to give your mom, your sister or your friend? Finding that ideal gift can be very stressful. To reduce your stress and anxiety, Pacific Resources International offers you awesome gift boxes for different special people and for different occasions, from starter kits, stay well kits to beauty kits that they will surely love.
Manuka Honey Box is a delightful box full of Manuka honey goodies. A combination of Manuka honeys, manuka classics, manuka treats and skin essentials all in one box. There are 9 boxes to choose from, each with a different set of manuka favorites.
Here are 9 amazing Manuka Honey Boxes to choose from:
Visit www.shoppri.com and get that perfect gift now!
