EDUCATION
4 minutes.
Essential Takeaways
Manuka honey can make a great natural antihistamine.
Research suggests that honey can reduce inflammation, clear airways, and help regulate the immune system’s response to seasonal allergens.
Regular honeys can become contaminated by multiple types of pollen. So anyone with severe or specific allergies should check with their doctor before consuming honey.
Monofloral manuka honey is considered best for medical use and may give the best results for allergy symptoms.
Please note: Always consult your doctor before using anything as a treatment for medical conditions. This guide should not be used as medical advice in place of your physician.
Who doesn’t love spring?
Well, probably people with allergies.
All that extra, sweet-smelling pollen can be hugely problematic for a lot of people. And many of them will want to find natural solutions to their itchy eyes and runny noses.
With its reputation as a health and wellness hero, should you use manuka honey for allergies?
Some worry that honey may make the problem worse.
In this guide, we’ll be exploring the use of manuka honey for allergies, what you need to know before trying it, and how best to use it.
In this guide to manuka honey for allergies:
- Does honey help with allergies?
- How does honey help with allergies?
- How to use manuka honey for allergies
Does Honey Help With Allergies?
“...some studies showed remarkable improvements against certain types of allergic illnesses and support that honey is an effective anti-allergic agent.”
- The potential use of honey as a remedy for allergic diseases: a mini review, National Library of Medicine.
Honey has been used in medicine for thousands of years.
Its’ compelling health benefits have captivated scientists throughout the world. As a result, we now have a plethora of studies into the chemistry of honey and its true medical potential.
A number of studies have found positive results with allergy-style symptoms.
The technical term for the seasonal runny noses and itchy eyes that many of us experience is allergic rhinitis [AR].
Not only has honey shown to improve AR symptoms during research periods, but afterwards too:
“Only the group that ingested honey showed a significant improvement in individual AR [allergic rhinitis] symptoms. The improvement persisted for a month after the cessation of the treatment.”
- Ingestion of honey improves the symptoms of allergie rhinitis: evidence from a randomised placebo-controlled trial in the east coast peninsula of Malaysia, National Library of Medicine.
Let’s explore what’s actually happening when we use honey for allergies.
How Does Honey Help With Allergies?
Studies into using honey for allergies have taken a range of approaches.
Some have had patients ingest the honey.
Others have administered honey as a spray.
There are still gaps for scientists to explore, but evidence suggests that honey can:
- Reduce the inflammation of airways [source].
- Suppress the immune system’s response to allergens [source].
- Reduce nasal mucus [source].
All sounds pretty promising, doesn’t it?
Which type of honey is best for allergies?
High grade manuka honey is considered the best for medical use in general.
This is due to its higher levels of antibacterial and antioxidant activity than other honeys.
These two factors are important in reducing inflammation, regulating the immune system, and clearing sinuses of mucus - all the allergy symptoms you may want to avoid.
So if you’re after a more natural antihistamine, consider manuka honey for your allergies.
Can manuka honey give you allergies?
Honey shouldn’t give you allergy symptoms.
But if you are allergic to a certain type of pollen, and you eat honey made from it, you may experience an allergic reaction.
During processing, honeys can become contaminated with different pollens, particularly if they’re multifloral honeys (made with pollen sourced from more than one kind of plant).
Our manuka honeys are raw, less processed, and monofloral (made only from manuka).
They’re independently graded to ensure that only manuka honey is in your jar.
Don’t worry, eat happy!
How To Use Manuka Honey For Allergies
If you’re keen to try manuka honey for allergies, you have a few options:
- Add it to your tea or coffee. You want liquids to help loosen and move mucus, so sweetening your hot drink with manuka honey is a great option. Add a little ginger or cinnamon for an extra natural kick.
- Add it to fruit. It’s a good idea to boost your Vitamin C intake when you’re suffering from allergies. Try broiling a grapefruit and eating it with manuka honey to get a powerful immunity boost.
- Add it to meals. You can make a delicious dressing using pineapple juice (high in bromelain, an anti-inflammatory), cayenne pepper, ginger, and manuka honey. These ingredients are all recommended for fighting allergy-style symptoms.
A few other recipes from our blog:
- Manuka honey and pumpkin soup
- Salted caramel bliss balls
- Manuka honey infused chia pudding
- Paleo banana bread with manuka honey
How much honey to take for allergies
There’s no optimal amount of manuka honey to take for allergies.
Everyone experiences different symptoms with varying results.
The best way to use manuka honey for allergies is consistently and in conjunction with other remedies. These might be natural or medical, depending on your preferences.
Just make sure you opt for the higher grades of manuka honey, as they have more potent levels of the good stuff.
Sources referenced in the text (in order):
The benefits of manuka honey [guide], New Zealand Honey Co.
The potential use of honey as a remedy for allergic diseases, National Library of Medicine.
Thinking of buying medical grade manuka honey? Read this first…, New Zealand Honey Co.
Birch pollen honey for birch pollen allergy, National Library of Medicine.
Seasonal allergies, Yale Medicine.
Ingestion of honey improves the symptoms of allergic rhinitis, National Library of Medicine.
Effect of ingestion of honey on symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis, National Library of Medicine.
Inhalation of honey reduces airway inflammation…, National Library of Medicine.
Immunosuppressive effects of honey on the induction of allergen-specific humoral antibody response in mice, National Library of Medicine.
Manuka honey: Histological effect on respiratory mucosa, National Library of Medicine.
Decoding UMF™, New Zealand Honey Co.
Allergic to honey, Healthline.
Monofloral vs. Multifloral manuka honey: why does it matter? New Zealand Honey Co.
Coffee with honey: why you should put manuka honey in your cuppa, New Zealand Honey Co.
Bromelain, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
Manuka honey and pumpkin soup, New Zealand Honey Co.
Manuka honey salted caramel bliss balls, New Zealand Honey Co.
Manuka honey infused chia pudding, New Zealand Honey Co.
Paleo banana bread with manuka honey, New Zealand Honey Co.
How much UMF™ is enough? New Zealand Honey Co.