OverviewManuka honey is a honey produced in New Zealand and Australia and contains antibacterial properties
Manuka honey is made by bees that feed on the flowers of the Manuka bush, also known as the tea tree, in New Zealand. In Australia, the tree used to make Manuka honey is called jellybush. The honey has a distinct flavor, which is darker and richer than other types of honey.
The healing properties of honey have been known to indigenous cultures for thousands of years, and dressing wounds with honey was common before the advent of antibiotics. Maori in New Zealand were the first to recognize the healing properties of Manuka honey and some of the remedies and tonics are still used today.
Better quality Manuka honey, with stronger antimicrobial properties, is produced from beehives in wild, uncultivated areas. Since 2004, the National Health Service in Britain has licensed the use of Manuka honey for wound healing and medical sterilization with Manuka honey creams.