Estimated reading time
5 minutes, 30 seconds.
Essential Takeaways
We recommend one generous spoonful of manuka honey per day.
But did you know that you can do more with it than just eat it from the spoon? You can add your skincare and wellness dosage on top of the daily spoonful.
Manuka honey is safe for most people to consume. However, it shouldn’t be given to infants, and diabetics should check with their doctor first.
Is there such a thing as too much honey?
While Winnie the Pooh might vigorously shake his head, it’s not particularly good for anyone to eat barrels of it in one sitting.
There’s a loosely recommended guideline of 1-2 teaspoons of honey per day.
We’re going to dig into this a bit more and answer all the questions you might have about honey dosage - and particularly how much manuka honey is good for you.
In this guide on manuka honey dosage:
- What’s the recommended dose of manuka honey?
- Is too much honey bad for you?
- Is raw honey safe to eat daily?
- Why should I choose manuka honey?
- What happens if you eat manuka honey everyday?
- 176 ways to use manuka honey
- What strength of manuka honey is best?
- Is manuka honey safe for everyone?
- Make sure you get the real deal
Let’s get into it.
What’s The Recommended Dose Of Manuka Honey?
When it comes to manuka honey, there are numerous benefits.
After finding out about its superior antibacterial properties, it’s natural that you might want to eat it straight from the jar.
But hold on, the whole jar might have adverse effects. What’s a healthy dosage of manuka honey?
We recommend enjoying one generous spoonful a day.
This allows you to boost your immunity without overloading on sugar.
But eating it from the spoon is not the only way to reap the benefits of manuka honey.
After you’ve had your morning spoonful, there are plenty of other ways you can use manuka honey for the rest of the day… But more on that later.
Did you know some of our jars come with the perfect, complimentary spoon?
Is Too Much Honey Bad For You?
Eating too much honey isn’t good for you, just like eating five family size chocolate bars a day isn’t recommended.
Honey should be consumed as part of a balanced diet, and not in excess.
How much honey should you eat a day, then?
Manuka honey boasts many natural, beneficial properties that make it healthy too.
Eating it regularly in small amounts (a spoonful a day) is recommended. If you’re using it as an alternative to sugar and natural sweeteners, manuka honey is absolutely the best option.
Let’s draw some inspiration from Oscar Wilde here.
“Everything in moderation, including moderation.”
If you’re eating manuka honey to alleviate discomfort from a sore throat, or an aching stomach, then an extra spoonful of honey during that period might be helpful.
Is Raw Honey Safe To Eat Daily?
Yes, and with the same considerations.
The difference between raw and regular honey is as follows:
“Raw honey is only strained before it’s bottled, which means it retains most of the beneficial nutrients and antioxidants that it naturally contains.
Conversely, regular honey may undergo a variety of processing, which may remove beneficial nutrients like pollen and reduce its level of antioxidants.”
So, what’s recommended? How much raw honey per day is it okay to eat?
The recommended dosage is one generous teaspoon a day.
You can safely (and happily!) have one teaspoon of raw honey a day and enjoy more health benefits than pasteurized honey.
Our entire manuka honey range is raw, because we believe in nothing but honey. It is sourced from almost untouched landscapes and handled as little as possible. Why give you anything other than nature’s greatest?
Why Should I Choose Manuka Honey?
If you want to consume honey daily for health benefits, there’s only one honey for you:
Raw Manuka Honey from New Zealand.
Here are just a few of the benefits of manuka honey:
- Powers up your immunity and helps you recover from coughs and colds
- Balances your digestion system, and inhibits the growth of h.pylori
- Keeps your teeth and gums healthy
- Boosts energy before and after exercise
Manuka honey is rich in antibacterial properties, which is the source of many of these benefits.
While other honey can be soothing too, when the unique properties in manuka honey get to work, you’re more likely to see results.
Tennis player Novak Djokovic revealed in his book ‘Serve to Win’ that he eats manuka honey every morning after a tall glass of water.
“I try to get manuka honey, which comes from New Zealand… I know what you're thinking: Honey is sugar. Well, yes, it is. But your body needs sugar. In particular, it needs fructose, the sugar found in fruits, some vegetables, and especially honey. What it doesn't need is processed sucrose, the stuff in chocolate, soda, or most energy drinks that gives you an instant sugar shot in the body, where you feel like "Wow!" I don't like "wow." "Wow" is no good. If you have "wow" now, that means in thirty minutes you're going to have "woe."”
Read more: Why is Manuka Honey expensive?
What Happens If You Eat Manuka Honey Every Day?
Eating a spoonful of manuka honey every day will boost your immunity.
Your body will likely be better protected against bacterial infections, and able to fight them quicker when they arise.
You might feel like you have more energy for the day, after taking a spoonful in the morning.
It also means you’ll have a jar on hand to use on your skin and small cuts too…
Do More Than Just Eat It: 176 Ways To Use Manuka Honey
That’s right, manuka honey is not only for eating from the spoon.
We’ve created a comprehensive list of all the ways you can use manuka honey. From illness remedies to wound care, skin care, scar care, and dog health, they’re all here.
Wondering how to take manuka honey?
Check out our list of 176 ways to use manuka honey here!
One spoonful on the inside; one spoonful on the outside
If you’re looking to maximize the benefits of this natural phenomenon, you can increase your daily dosage by adding it to your beauty routines.
“I personally reach for it as a day and night cleanser, since it gently removes excess oil and buildup without stripping the skin of moisture… Manuka honey also makes a great face mask — no extra ingredients necessary. I swear by a thick coat of Manuka applied to clean, dry skin as the ultimate 20-minute, fix-anything mask. The Manuka glow is undeniable: As soon as you rinse it off, you notice calmer, clearer, dewier skin.”
Manuka honey is known to fight acne and reduce skin redness, keep your skin hydrated with a healthy glow, and also make your hair shiny.
In some cases, using more manuka honey for a short amount of time is recommended too. If you want to heal a first degree burn, small cuts and scrapes, or even more serious wounds, you can be more generous with the spoon.
What Strength Of Manuka Honey Is Best?
That’s a good question, and it depends on what you’re using it for.
But first of all, let’s clear up what ‘strength’ means in the honey world.
When we talk about the strength of manuka honey, we’re referring to the UMF™ rating.
The UMF™ rating system was developed by the Unique Mānuka Factor Honey Association (UMFHA) and is the most widely recognised honey testing standard in the world.
“UMFHA is an independent body found only in New Zealand that was founded in 1998 to identify and differentiate the unique properties of Manuka Honey. Its goal is to protect New Zealand’s Manuka Honey industry and its consumers… They also fund scientific research and continue to add to the knowledge around Manuka Honey.”
Manuka honey is tested for the five factors that make up UMF™ and then given a grade between UMF™ 5+ and UMF™ 26+.
Typically, the higher the UMF™ grade, the higher the presence of beneficial properties.
The lower UMF™ grades are great for adding to smoothies and daily consumption, while the higher UMF™ grades are better for skin care and wound care.
Is Manuka Honey Safe For Everyone?
Most people can safely consume manuka honey.
Here’s a general guideline for different groups:
- Adults: Healthy adults can consume 1+ teaspoons of manuka honey per day.
- Children: It is not recommended for children under 12 months to consume manuka honey. Children older than 12 months can consume it in small amounts.
- Diabetics: Manuka honey can be a good substitute for sugar.
- Pregnant women: Manuka honey is safe to consume during pregnancy.
- Pets: Yes, manuka honey is good for your pets too!
Of course, these are only guidelines. We recommend you check with your medical professional before introducing manuka honey into your diet should you have concerns.
Make Sure You Buy The Real Deal
When you’re investing in your health, you want to make sure that you’re getting the proper stuff.
There are a few things to check before you buy manuka honey.
As a baseline, make sure it’s UMF™ certified, packed and produced in New Zealand, and from a trusted supplier.
This reduces the risk of buying counterfeit manuka honey or jars that have been tampered with.
We believe in radical transparency so you know exactly what you’re getting when you buy manuka honey from us. Learn more about our accreditations.
Get your daily dosage with our spoon bundle
So, how much honey a day? One generous spoonful, plus a little more for your beauty routines or first aid.
Order your raw manuka honey from us, and grab a spoon on the side.
Then you’re all set to begin your day with our manuka honey so you can live life in full color!
Suggested further reading…
- How much UMF™ is enough?
- UMF™ vs MGO vs KFactor vs BioActive vs MGS vs NPA? Who’s confused about Manuka Honey?
- Natural Immunity Boosting Drink with Manuka Honey
Source list:
Manuka Honey Benefits [Guide], New Zealand Honey Co
Antibacterial activity of Manuka honey and its components: An overview, US National Library of Medicine
Is Manuka Honey Good For Stomach Problems?, New Zealand Honey Co
Raw Honey vs. Regular: Is There A Difference?, Healthline
Raw Honey vs. Regular Honey: Benefits, Risks, and Uses, Medical News Today
8 food secrets from Novak Djokovic, Eat this not that
176 Ways to Use Manuka Honey, New Zealand Honey Co
I use manuka honey to wash my face and my skin has never looked better, Insider review
What Is The Best Manuka Honey For Acne?, New Zealand Honey Co
Everything you need to know about Manuka Honey Face Masks, New Zealand Honey Co
Manuka Honey Hair Mask, New Zealand Honey Co
Can You Use Manuka Honey For Treating Burns?, New Zealand Honey Co
Manuka Honey Wound Care: Will It Help You To Recover?, New Zealand Honey Co
UMF™ Honey and the UMFHA, New Zealand Honey Co
UMF™, umf.org
Manuka Honey: Decoding UMF™, New Zealand Honey Co
How much UMF™ is enough?, New Zealand Honey Co
Manuka Honey and Diabetes: What you need to know, New Zealand Honey Co
Is it safe to eat honey during pregnancy?, Baby Center
Manuka Honey for Dogs, New Zealand Honey Co
Fake Honey: What you need to know about counterfeit manuka honey, New Zealand Honey Co
Our accreditations, New Zealand Honey Co