EDUCATION
February 07, 25

Manuka Honey Brain Benefits: The Story So Far

EDUCATION

14 minutes, 30 seconds

Essential Takeaways

Studies investigating honey brain benefits suggest that honey may have neuroprotective, memory-boosting, anti-stress, and sleep-inducing properties. It has also shown promise in preventing and managing neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease.

At the time of writing, the most common thread across studies into using honey for the brain is its antioxidant properties. Since brains are particularly susceptible to oxidative stress, this has huge potential in preventing and alleviating many different brain-related problems.

There is currently no science-backed conclusion as to which honey is the best for the brain. But Manuka honey is particularly high in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, so it may give you the best chance at brain-boosting benefits compared to other honey types.

Disclaimer: We do not recommend the use of Manuka honey as a replacement for seeking professional medical help. Always consult medical professionals in an emergency.

As our most precious organ alongside the heart, our brains are fundamental to how we see, experience, and interpret the world.

Which is ironic, considering that the brain itself has never actually seen, heard, or felt anything.

Since this jelly-like organ is responsible for all the richness of human experience, it’s not surprising that we still don’t fully understand how or why it works¹.

So, when it comes to neurological disease and degeneration, the treatments mainly focus on management, slowing progression, and symptoms.

Honey has been used as a functional food with diverse health benefits for millennia. In recent years, researchers have been investigating the potential benefits of honey for the brain.

The findings are, quite literally, mind-boggling. And that’s what we’ll be exploring here.

In this guide to Manuka honey brain benefits:

What we know about honey and the brain
5 Manuka honey brain benefits
The best honey for the brain
Brain food honey recipes
Where to buy your brain-boosting Manuka honey

Key Research Highlights

2014 Study

Honey has been used for brain health throughout history and the world. Raw honey has nootropic effects which can enhance memory².

2015 Study

Honey reduces oxidative stress, boosts the proteins our brains need to grow, and protects its neurotransmitters³.

2019 Study

Honey promotes neurogenesis (the creation of neurons), which is linked to recognition, memory, and learning⁴.

2020 Study

Honey improved the short-term memory of schizophrenia patients over an 8-week period⁵.

2020 Study

Honey may help to reduce the hormone production related to stress and alleviate the damage caused by anxiety⁶.

2021 Study

Honey may help to bring back the memory loss associated with depressive episodes and protect the hippocampus from damage caused by stress⁷.

2022 Study

Honey has powerful antioxidant properties, which may help it to manage or treat conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and multiple sclerosis⁸.

2023 Study

The phenolic content of honey gives it antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which enhances cognition and improves memory⁹.

2023 Study

The melatonin that bees produce during their lifecycle may be passed onto people who eat honey and help boost their sleep¹⁰.

What We Know About Honey and the Brain

Is honey good for the brain?

To answer this question, let’s delve into what a healthy brain needs to function, and what scientists know so far about how honey might help.

A healthy brain needs a well-balanced diet low in cholesterol and saturated (animal) fat, with plenty of antioxidants, protein, and glucose. It’s dosed with healthy levels of oxygen through exercise, and it gets plenty of sleep to rest and recuperate¹¹.

All these things provide our fattiest organ (the brain) with the vital compounds that it needs to keep developing, store immense amounts of information, fire electrical signals at around 350 miles per hour, and generate a similar amount of power to your bedside lamp¹².

Whether we want to feel our best or treat an illness, our brain is mission control. Depending on the resources we provide, like nutrition, rest, movement, and, in some cases, drugs, the brain makes the call¹³.

Pharmaceuticals are designed to make adjustments to the way our bodies feel or function by affecting the brain in the appropriate way. Unfortunately, this can come with side effects which aren’t always beneficial or short-term¹⁴.

Natural remedies and supplements to boost brain health are attractive because they usually come with fewer side effects. Unfortunately, though, they’re not always the most effective¹⁵.

Honey has been used as a functional food by many different cultures throughout the world for thousands of years¹⁶.

In the last few decades, scientific studies have delved more deeply into the effects it actually has on the body, and which honey offers the most benefits.

“According to modern scientific literature, honey may be useful and [have] protective effects for the treatment of various disease conditions such as diabetes mellitus, respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and nervous systems, [it is even] useful in cancer treatment because many types of antioxidants are present in honey.”

- Honey and health, a 2017 review¹⁶.

Excitingly, there is evidence that honey may have nootropic effects, meaning it could help boost cognitive functions thanks to its antioxidant phenol properties⁹.

“The presence of the phenolic content (gallic, syringic, benzoic, trans-cinnamic, p-coumaric, and caffeic acids) and flavonoids contents (catechin, kaempferol, naringenin, luteolin, and apigenin) in honey work as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent to enhance cognition and improve memory and eventually work as brain booster.”

- Honey on brain health, a 2023 study⁹.

So, what we know about honey and the brain is limited but growing. Evidence is emerging that it may offer a variety of benefits, which we’ll explore in more detail next.

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5 Potential Manuka Honey Brain Benefits

Studies suggest that different honey types may help the brain in five key ways: for general health and function, memory and learning, easing stress and anxiety disorders, sleep, and preventing or improving neurological disorders⁹.

Let’s dive into the specifics and then we’ll explore why Manuka honey might be the best honey for your brain.

1. Honey for brain function and health

Despite comprising just 2% of the body, the brain requires 20% of our oxygen supply¹⁷. As a result, it is highly susceptible to oxidative stress, which can cause tissue damage and neurological disorders as we age.

Honey has been called a “brain booster⁹” thanks to its phenolic compounds.

These natural compounds have antioxidant properties which prevent and alleviate oxidative stress, and may help the body and brain to heal itself, regulate immune responses, and repair damaged cells¹⁸.

And scientists are beginning to link the antioxidant properties of honey with real-world brain benefits:

“The improvement of morphology-related brain structures, the enhancement of the cholinergic system, and inhibition of neuroinflammatory and microglial activation are due to honey supplementation.”

- Honey on brain health, a 2023 study⁹.

For those of us who aren’t neuroscientists, this study explains that honey was observed to:

Improve the ability of the brain to change and adapt as it ages (morphology).
Boost the efficacy of the cholinergic system, which is linked to immunity.
Prevent inflammation in the brain, particularly when this is triggered by neurological damage through things like disease or illness¹⁹.

These benefits suggest that honey may help our brains to age gracefully, respond well to danger, and keep us feeling our best.

A great all-rounder, you might say.

And brain health doesn’t happen in isolation. In Steve’s case, he saw incredible results using Manuka honey for chronic irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) which in turn improved his mental health and cognitive function:

“I didn’t want to get out of bed. I was depressed, riddled with anxiety and stress, and it was snowballing.

While searching online, I came across an article that talked about Manuka honey and its amazing health benefits. I decided I had nothing to lose, and I started taking it twice daily to see if it would help alleviate my digestive issues, and improve my overall health.

I don’t know if it was the first few days or the first week, but I felt like the darkness had disappeared. I felt lighter, and my mood had shifted. I wasn’t feeling irritable, stressed, or worried. I felt good. I had a new sense of optimism, focus, and productivity, and my sleep improved too. But mostly, I felt relief.

I knew that Manuka honey had not only healed my IBS, but it had saved my life. And all it took was two teaspoons of Manuka honey a day. That's it.”

- Steve, New Jersey, United States, verified buyer | UMF™ 26+ | MGO 1282+

2. Honey for memory and learning

The idea that we only use 10% of our brains is a myth²⁰. We just have access to different parts at varied times, depending on what we’re doing.

The “tip of the tongue” phenomenon is a great illustration of how this works²¹. You strain to remember something that you definitely know, and it doesn’t come to you until you’ve stopped thinking about it so hard.

Your subconscious filing cabinet is working on it.

In fact, we have the ability to learn and store 2.5 million gigabytes of information²² which equates to watching about 300 million hours of TV over three centuries²³.

It’s a lot. And honey might be able to help with that.

“The belief that honey is a memory-boosting food supplement is actually ethnotraditional as well as ancient in nature.

Raw honey possesses nootropic effects, such as memory-enhancing effects… Honey polyphenols are useful in improving memory deficits and can act at the molecular level.”

- Neurological effects of honey, a 2014 study².

Most of the honey for memory studies have so far been conducted on non-human animals like rats. These have found that:

Honey may prevent memory impairment in prenatal rats⁹.
Honey promotes neurogenesis (the creation of neurons), which is linked to learning and recognition of memory⁴.
Honey reduces oxidative stress, boosts beneficial brain growth proteins, and protects neurotransmitters³.

A few human studies have been conducted, with findings like:

Honey enhanced overall learning and short-term memory in schizophrenia patients after 8 weeks of intake⁵.
Honey may increase antioxidant activity, which helps with memory formation²⁴.
Short-term memory and oxidative stress level improvements in postmenopausal women that were equal to those undergoing pharmaceutical treatment⁹.

When it comes to honey for memory and learning, evidence is limited but promising. It’s possible that using Manuka honey could help you to learn new things, form new memories, and protect your brain from the natural effects of ageing.

Take it from one of our customers, Kathy:

“I’ve been using Manuka honey for two months. It tastes great in my coffee, which I miss, but more importantly my memory issues are back! I was on the fence tho, if it was making a difference with my memory. Well, I haven’t used it for 2 weeks and I can honestly say the honey was helping me!”

- Kathy S., verified buyer | UMF™ 15+ | MGO 514+

3. Honey for stress, anxiety, and depression

“Pathological anxiety and chronic stress lead to structural degeneration and impaired functioning of the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex, which may account for the increased risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression and dementia.”

- Can anxiety damage the brain? A 2016 study²⁵.

Most people have experienced stress or anxiety at some point in their lives.

The unpleasant symptoms can include a racing heart, sweaty palms, restless limbs and difficulty sleeping²⁶. Hormones are released that prepare our bodies to fight or take flight, which aren’t as helpful these days as they might have been a few thousand years ago.

But honey might be able to ease some of these negative effects on the brain, according to this 2020 study on rats:

“Honey has the ability to normalise blood glucose and reduce serum triglyceride and LDL levels [cholesterol] in MetS rats, while behavior studies complement its effect on anxiety and memory.

This shows a promising role… in attenuating neurodegenerative diseases through the antioxidant activity of its polyphenolic content.”

- Stingless bee honey reduces anxiety and improves memory of the metabolic disease-induced rats, a 2020 study⁶.

Studies looking at using honey for stress and anxiety are limited at the time of writing. However, there’s more evidence for using honey as an antidepressant. Around 30% of patients seeking treatment for depression show resistance to pharmaceutical therapies, as well as poor quality of life and suicidal ideation, so new solutions are urgently needed²⁷.

Here’s what researchers have found so far:

Honey could regulate the damage caused by depressive episodes thanks to its amino acids, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties²⁷.
Honey may protect the brain against cell damage and oxidative stress, which is linked to depression and depressive behaviour²⁸.
Honey may help to bring back the memory loss associated with depression, and protect the hippocampus from the damage that depression and stress conditions cause²⁹.

Research into using honey as an antidepressant is promising but still ongoing. It could be a great addition to your healthy, balanced diet in the meantime by boosting energy levels and immune responses, and potentially easing digestive symptoms.

Learn more about using Manuka honey for anxiety, stress, and depression.

4. Honey for sleep

“Sleep is important to a number of brain functions, including how nerve cells (neurons) communicate with each other. In fact, your brain and body stay remarkably active while you sleep.

Recent findings suggest that sleep plays a housekeeping role that removes toxins in your brain that build up while you are awake.”

- Brain basics: understanding sleep, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke²⁹.

A good snooze is vital for our brains. And it turns out that honey might just help to promote it.

Studies have found that:

Bees produce melatonin (the sleep hormone) during their life cycle, which can be passed onto humans when they digest honey¹⁰.
Honey can increase insulin levels, which are linked to tryptophan, an amino acid that produces melatonin and serotonin³⁰.
Honey has the potential to reduce stress-related hormones³¹ that can keep us awake.
Honey can help to curb the appetite and keep us feeling full, potentially avoiding unnecessary wake-ups during the night³².

And the best thing about using honey for sleep? You get to enjoy a lovely warm cuppa before you head to bed. The best time to eat honey varies based on what you want to use it for. So, if in doubt, we recommend saving it for bedtime.

And so do our customers, it seems.

"Not having introduced anything else new into my diet, I’ve noticed clear changes since starting my Manuka honey routine. My energy levels have increased, I’m sleeping much better, and I haven’t caught any of the seasonal illnesses many around me have."

- Virginia, Palmerston North, New Zealand, verified buyer | UMF™ 28+ | MGO 1450+

“I love the taste, but what I mostly enjoy is the heaviness the honey gives my tea, which helps me sleep so very soundly without the need for supplements or OTC tablets.”

- Brenda W., verified buyer | UMF™ 10+ | MGO 263+

“We have been using Manuka Honey UMF 28+ for over 1 month and we are clearly feeling its effects. Not having introduced anything else new in our diet, we’ve noticed improved levels of energy and a much improved sleeping pattern.”

- Anonymous, verified buyer | UMF™ 28+ | MGO 1450+

5. Honey for neurological disorders

One in five Americans lives with some form of neurological damage, including dementia, which is the sixth leading cause of death in the US³³.

Treatment for these kinds of issues usually consists of managing the symptoms and slowing the overall progression³⁴, so scientists are still searching for neutraceuticals to prevent and cure them.

“Honey has been proclaimed as a potent complementary and alternative medicine for the management and treatment of several maladies including various neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and multiple sclerosis, etc.

In the literature archive, oxidative stress and the deprivation of antioxidants are believed to be the paramount cause of many of these neuropathies…

All these mechanistic interpretations of the nutritious components of honey explain and justify the potential recommendation of sweet nectar in ameliorating the burden of neurological disorders that have significantly increased across the world in the last few decades.”

- Potential therapeutic benefits of honey in neurological disorders, a 2022 study⁸.

A common theme is emerging. As with the other potential honey brain benefits we’ve covered, it’s the antioxidant compounds that scientists credit with honey’s neuroprotective properties³⁴.

And although studies are limited so far, scientists have looked at honey in great detail and can relate some of their evidence to brain health:

“Dissection of key components of the composition of honey has deciphered many compounds which are individually appreciated for their role in improvement of cognition and neurodegenerative disorders.”

- The gut-brain axis, cognition and honey, a 2020 study³⁵.

Whilst we can’t claim that honey alone prevents neurological disorders, it appears to offer some hope of alternative or complementary natural remedies to keep our brains healthy.

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Which Honey Is Best For The Brain

The studies that have been done on potential honey brain benefits use a variety of different types of honey.

But there’s a common theme around why honey may be good for the brain: its antioxidant properties.

Studies have shown that Manuka honey offers higher antioxidant capacity than other honey types³⁶ and substantially more antibacterial properties, too³⁷.

It’s also the world’s most regulated honey. And when honey is one of the most faked foods out there, this is pretty important.

The Unique Manuka Factor (UMF™) grading system was specifically designed as an independent test that verifies pure, raw, potent and authentic Manuka honey from New Zealand.

It was set up to protect the integrity of this wondrous nootropic, and to help consumers ensure that what they buy is the real deal.

The higher the UMF™ number, the more potent its beneficial compounds.

So, if you’re wondering which honey may be best for your brain, look no further.

Shop Manuka honey.

3 Brain Food Honey Recipes

Let’s get to the good part: eating your delicious Manuka honey.

With its decadent caramel-like consistency and flavour, the possibilities are (almost) endless. In fact, we listed over 170 ways to use Manuka honey here.

Below are some specific ideas for Manuka honey that your brain might love.

1. Manuka honey in your tea or coffee

Good news for coffee drinkers: this popular beverage is a genuine nootropic.

Associated with reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease thanks to its antioxidant compounds, it’s important to drink in moderation to avoid too much caffeine³⁸.

If you prefer tea, then green and black tea are believed to reduce the risk of dementia thanks to their flavonoid and L-theanine (amino acid) content³⁹.

Add Manuka honey to your warm coffee or green tea for an added bonus:

2. Manuka honey salmon salad

Our brains love fatty fish, leafy greens, nuts and seeds⁴⁰. So why not jazz up your usual salad with all of the above?

It’s best to use Manuka honey raw and not cook with it to retain all the beneficial compounds, so simply drizzle your honey over the salad bowl before serving - or mix it with olive oil, mustard, lemon juice and pepper for an irresistible dressing.

Simple, easy, and delicious.

3. Manuka honey and dark chocolate

Dark chocolate is a delicious and decadent antioxidant-rich treat that your brain loves.

Why not try one of our Manuka honey recipes with dark chocolate to really cheer up your week (and your head):

Give Your Brain A Boost With New Zealand Honey Co. Manuka Honey

By opting for New Zealand Honey Co. Manuka honey, you are giving your brain the very best.

Independently tested and UMF™ graded, our Manuka honey is pure, raw, non-GMO, glyphosate-free, and sustainably produced by only the most responsible beekeepers throughout New Zealand.

As pristine as the wild and rugged landscapes that produced it, here’s how our honey has helped customers across the world:

“A life-changer. It has been unbelievable. My cognition had been taking a big hit. I loved working with numbers but could no longer keep track of even the simplest things. And I could not concentrate. So I thought why not give Manuka honey a shot.

I started with a UMF of 5 and I felt better. Every 4 weeks I would order a higher one and I improved. My brain fog is gone now and I can concentrate again. Plus it has helped with my speech. I speak louder again. And I sound and feel intelligent again.”

- Anonymous, verified buyer | UMF™ 15+ | MGO 514+

“Not only did this honey fix my stomach issues in a matter of days, my mood, mental health, and overall energy has dramatically improved as well.

I tried other brands, don't bother. New Zealand is the way to go. You can just taste the purity, quality, and authenticity.”

- Anonymous, verified buyer | UMF™ 26+ | MGO 1282+

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