health and wellness · 7 min read
Manuka Honey for Cold & Flu Season 2026/27: Guide
As the 2026/27 cold and flu season approaches, learn how UMF™ Manuka honey can support daily wellness, ease symptoms, and fit alongside medical care at every stage of a cold.
By Clare
Updated 22 Sep 2026
health and wellness · 7 min read
Manuka Honey for Cold & Flu Season 2026/27: Guide
As the 2026/27 cold and flu season approaches, learn how UMF™ Manuka honey can support daily wellness, ease symptoms, and fit alongside medical care at every stage of a cold.
By Clare
Updated 22 Sep 2026
health and wellness · 7 min read
Manuka Honey for Cold & Flu Season 2026/27: Guide
As the 2026/27 cold and flu season approaches, learn how UMF™ Manuka honey can support daily wellness, ease symptoms, and fit alongside medical care at every stage of a cold.
By Clare
Updated 22 Sep 2026
Cold and flu season has a way of sneaking up. One week the mornings are just a little crisper, the next half the office is reaching for tissues. As households start thinking ahead to the 2026/27 season, many are looking for natural additions to their wellness routine that sit comfortably alongside good hygiene, rest, and medical advice. Manuka honey is one of the most talked-about options, but it is worth understanding exactly where it fits and where it does not.
Where Manuka Honey Fits Into Cold and Flu Season
Manuka Honey is not a substitute for vaccines, antivirals, or a visit to the doctor when symptoms are severe. What it offers is something more modest and, for many people, genuinely useful: a natural, traditionally used option for soothing a scratchy throat, supporting a settled routine during illness, and adding a wellness habit during the months when immune systems are under more pressure.
The honey's reputation comes from its unique composition. Unlike regular honey, Manuka Honey contains high levels of methylglyoxal (MGO), a compound that develops naturally from the nectar of the Manuka bush [1][2]. This is what gives UMF™ certified Manuka Honey its distinctive, independently verified potency rating, and it is a large part of why people reach for it specifically during the colder months.
These throat drops are amazing! I recently had a bad cough due to Covid, and these drops quieted my cough and soothed my throat almost immediately after taking. I highly recommend these!
— Anonymous, Verified customer
Manuka Soothing Drops with Lemon | MGO 250+
Our Manuka Soothing Drops with a squeeze of lemon are delicious throat lozenges, supercharged with the benefits of pure New Zealand Manuka honey. Designed to bring lasting rel…
Shop NowWhat the Research Around Manuka Honey Actually Shows
Could honey play a role during flu season? Laboratory research suggests that honey and Manuka honey in particular, exhibits antiviral activity in cell cultures by helping to block the flu virus from multiplying. In lab tests, researchers observed that combining low concentrations of Manuka honey with antiviral medications enhanced the drugs' performance in cell models, reducing the amount of medication needed to achieve the same antiviral effect.
While these in vitro results are preliminary and further human clinical studies are needed to confirm any real-world benefits, the findings highlight an intriguing area of research into natural compounds as potential supportive options against viral infections.
The Manuka cough drops taste great and soothe that relentless tickle in the back of your throat, highly recommended.
— Ricky A., Verified customer
What the Evidence Shows
- Manuka Honey's MGO content gives it antimicrobial properties studied in clinical settings, primarily for oral and wound care rather than cold/flu treatment specifically.
- UMF™ certification independently verifies the potency and authenticity of each batch, so buyers know exactly what they are getting.
- Clinical research on medicated honey (including Manuka) has shown good tolerability, with no allergic reactions reported in a pediatric wound care trial.
- There is no clinical evidence that Manuka Honey prevents or cures influenza. Its traditional use for sore throats and general wellness is separate from treating the flu virus itself.
Using Manuka Honey Through Each Stage of a Cold
Rather than treating Manuka Honey as a one-size-fits-all remedy, it helps to think about the different stages of a cold, from the weeks before symptoms appear through to recovery.
A Season-by-Season Approach
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Prevention (autumn wellness prep)
During the lead-up to peak flu season, a daily teaspoon of Manuka Honey stirred into warm water or taken straight is an easy addition to a morning routine — we recommend using a higher UMF™, such as 24+, during this time. This is about supporting everyged wellness, not building immunity overnight.
-
Onset (the first scratchy throat)
At the first sign of a sore or scratchy throat, many people find a spoonful of UMF™ 24+ Manuka Honey, taken slowly and undiluted, soothing. Letting it coat the throat rather than washing it down quickly with water tends to work best.
-
Peak symptoms
During the height of a cold, Manuka Honey can be stirred into warm (not boiling) water with lemon as a comforting drink. Warmth and hydration support the body's own recovery processes, and the honey adds a soothing texture for coughing or throat irritation.
-
Recovery
As symptoms ease, returning to a smaller daily amount supports the transition back to a normal routine. This is also a good time to reassess sleep, hydration, and diet alongside the honey, since recovery is rarely about one single habit.
Manuka Honey UMF™ 24+ | MGO 1122+
For those times in life when quality comes first. This pure UMF™ 24+ Manuka Honey is powerfully active, sourced from wild and rugged locations around Aotearoa New Zealand.
Shop NowWho Gets the Most Out of Manuka Honey This Flu Season
Manuka Honey tends to suit people who already lean toward natural, food-based additions to their wellness routine rather than those seeking a fast fix. Adults managing frequent seasonal throat irritation, parents looking for a gentler option to offer children over the age of one (honey should never be given to infants under 12 months), and anyone who simply prefers a warm honey drink to over-the-counter lozenges are all well suited to this approach.
People with demanding schedules through the colder months, such as shift workers, teachers, or parents of school-aged children, often find that a consistent daily habit, rather than reaching for honey only when symptoms strike, fits more naturally into a busy household. Choosing a higher UMF™ grade, such as UMF™ 20+ or UMF™ 24+, is generally reserved for more targeted, short-term use during a flare-up rather than daily maintenance, given the higher MGO concentration.
I happened to catch a cold around the arrival time of the spray. It turned out to be a lifesaver with my sore throat. It gave me 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 relief. 😅
— Anonymous, Verified customer
What UMF™ or MGO level is best for cold and flu season?
For everyday immune support during the lead-up to flu season, we recommend using a higher UMF™, such as 24+. For soothing a sore throat during an active cold, UMF™ 24+ is also a great choice. Explore the full UMF™ Manuka Honey range to compare grades and MGO levels.
Can Manuka Honey actually prevent the flu?
No. There is no clinical evidence that Manuka Honey prevents influenza infection. Its traditional use is for soothing throat discomfort and supporting general daily wellness, not for blocking or curing viral illness. Flu vaccination remains the primary recommended prevention method.
How should Manuka Honey be taken when sick?
A teaspoon taken directly, allowed to slowly coat the throat, is a traditional approach for soreness. It can also be stirred into warm water or herbal tea. Avoid adding it to boiling liquid, as excessive heat may affect some of the honey's natural properties.
Health Disclaimer
- This article is for general educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice. Manuka Honey is a natural food product intended to support general wellness, not to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent influenza or any illness. Anyone experiencing severe or persistent cold or flu symptoms, or with underlying health conditions, should consult a qualified healthcare professional. Honey should never be given to children under 12 months of age.
Get Ready for Flu Season with Traceable, UMF™ Certified Manuka Honey
Every jar of New Zealand Honey Co. Manuka Honey is independently tested and certified, traceable to the source via QR code, and sourced from remote New Zealand landscapes during the short 2-8 week flowering window. Build a wellness routine you can trust ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Shop UMF™ Manuka HoneyReferences
- [1] Elvira Mavric, Silvia Wittmann, Gerold Barth, et al. "Identification and quantification of methylglyoxal as the dominant antibacterial constituent of Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) honeys from New Zealand". Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. 2008. DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.200700282
- [6] Ken Watanabe, Ratika Rahmasari, Ayaka Matsunaga, et al. "Anti-influenza viral effects of honey in vitro: potent high activity of manuka honey". Archives of Medical Research. 2014. DOI: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2014.05.006
- [2] Adams C, Manley-Harris M, Molan P. "The origin of methylglyoxal in New Zealand manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) honey". Carbohydrate research. 2009. DOI: 10.1016/j.carres.2009.03.020
- [3] Carter D, Blair S, Cokcetin N, et al. "Therapeutic Manuka Honey: No Longer So Alternative". Frontiers in microbiology. 2016. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00569
- [4] Matthew Johnston, Michael McBride, Divakar Dahiya, et al. "Antibacterial activity of Manuka honey and its components: An overview". AIMS Microbiology. 2018. DOI: 10.3934/microbiol.2018.4.655
- [5] Dalia Ghalwash, Ayman El‐Gawish, Asmaa Abou‐Bakr. "Efficacy of Manuka honey oral rinse in treatment of xerostomia among elderly patients: a randomized controlled trial". BMC Oral Health. 2025. DOI: 10.1186/s12903-025-06125-9
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