Why You Should Use Manuka Honey for Sore Throats

Sore throats are never fun.

They make it hard to eat, drink, and sometimes even breathe.

No matter how hard we might try to stay healthy, getting the occasional sore throat is inevitable for most of us, particularly as the seasons change each year.

But there are ways you can stave off your sore throat, keep your pharynx healthy, and give it a boost when battling infection or inflammation.

Cue: manuka honey.

It’s been described as a “miracle food” by our customers who have seen amazing results using it for sore throats, coughs, and colds.

Here’s the science behind the miracle.

In this guide to using manuka honey for sore throats:

• Why manuka honey is good for sore throats

• The best manuka honey for sore throats

• How to use manuka honey for a sore throat

• Shop premium manuka honey

Why Manuka Honey is Good for Your Throat

Manuka honey is great for your throat thanks to its natural antibacterial activity.

This comes from a compound called methylglyoxal (MGO), and manuka honey contains uniquely high levels compared to regular honey¹.

The benefits of manuka honey have been studied and written about for decades, and it now has a global reputation for health and wellness. So it’s not just your throat that manuka honey is great for, but that’s the topic of this article, so let’s look at it in more detail.

A healthy throat, or pharynx, is key to good respiratory and digestive health².

The best things we can do for our throats are to avoid or quit smoking and drink lots of water. But they can still get irritated, inflamed, or infected from time to time.

Thankfully, manuka honey can help us both prevent and deal with sore throats.  

How manuka honey can ease the common causes of sore throats

The most common causes of a sore throat are viral infections like coughs and colds, and bacterial infections like strep throat, and tonsillitis.

Thanks to its antibacterial, antimicrobial, and emollient properties, manuka honey can protect the throat from invaders, keep it moist and clean while any damaged tissue heals, and even promote new tissue growth².

Even in the more severe throat conditions, like cancer, studies have found promising results. Honey can help to ease the unpleasant side effects of radiation in head and neck cancer patients, for example².

By incorporating manuka honey into your daily wellness routine, or just using manuka honey for your sore throat, you can protect and heal your throat fast.

Does a spoonful of honey a day help a sore throat?

Yes, taking a spoonful of manuka honey a day can help your sore throat and also prevent infection.

But don’t just take our word for it, here’s what our customers have said:

“I never ever write reviews but yesterday I was coming down with a vicious cold. My throat hurt, my nose was running, and I felt extremely rundown. The immediate relief of throat symptoms would have been enough for me to write this review. But something else happened! I woke up the next morning and my cold was gone.

I took nothing else, ate nothing else, and only took a short nap because I felt so poorly. This stuff is honestly a liquid gold and I refuse to live without it going forward.”

• Jessica, verified buyer | UMF™ 24+ | MGO 1122+

“I get sore throats frequently and this honey soothes it and heals it. I use it for coughs too. It tastes good and it works. I like it so much I ordered small jars for my adult children and their families.”

• Anonymous, verified buyer | UMF™ 20+ | MGO 829+

“I enjoy the rich creamy flavor and with a spoonful a day, I seem to avoid colds even if minor signs that I might have scratchy throat. It’s gone the next day.”

• Jeffrey M., verified buyer | UMF™ 20+ | MGO 829+

Preventing and combatting colds, sore throats, and allergies are some of the most common reasons why people use manuka honey.

And the results speak for themselves.

Which Manuka Honey to Use for Sore Throats

You’ll find a whole host of “manuka honey” products for sore throats on store shelves - from lozenges to powdered drinks and everything in between.

They promise all sorts. Some of them might work. But many will contain other ingredients too - perhaps ones you can’t pronounce and don’t need.

Pure, potent, raw manuka honey can help you without any other additives or chemicals needed. That’s been shown time and time again. You don’t have to settle for something diluted or contaminated.

In its completely natural and unprocessed form, manuka honey is a powerhouse for our bodies.

A jar of UMF™ graded manuka honey is all you need.

The higher the MGO content (and UMF™ grade), the more antibacterial the honey will be and the faster, potentially, your results.

So if you’re after a daily dose to boost your wellness, the lower grades will work fine.

If you want a more potent, targeted dose, then the higher the better.

Many of our customers have reported great results with our UMF™ 20+ | MGO 829+ manuka honey and higher for sore throats, coughs, and colds.

Check out this guide if you’re still unsure.

How to Use Manuka Honey for Your Sore Throat

There are a few ways you can use manuka honey for your sore throat, including making your own remedies.

Just be sure never to put your manuka honey in boiling water!

High temperatures destroy the beneficial compounds in your honey, so wait for drinks or foods to cool before adding.

Check out some of our recommendations below, but always remember to get a doctor’s advice when using anything for medical purposes.

Manuka honey for colds and coughs

Coughs and colds are usually caused by common viral infections and for most of us, they come and go relatively quickly. But they can still be unpleasant, particularly for people more prone to allergies or lingering symptoms.

Manuka honey can help us to prevent and treat colds and coughs.

“My kids take a spoonful or two when they have a scratchy throat or feel a little under the weather. The kids are able to get through the day or night without any medicines for minor ailments. Love this natural way to boost their immunity and comfort.”

• Amber C., verified buyer | UMF™ 10+ | MGO 263+

It’s best to get the manuka honey in direct contact with the inflamed area. So simply eating it off the spoon is ideal.

If you’d prefer to drink the honey and enjoy the soothing benefits of a warm beverage at the same time, try one of these warming drinks or our immunity-booster drink recipe.

Manuka honey for strep throat

Strep throat is a term that refers to the Streptococcus throat infection, a contagious bacterial infection³.

It can cause sore throats, headaches, fever, and vomiting, and can spread to the kidneys if left untreated.

With its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, manuka honey has been found to reduce the symptoms of strep throat and help inflamed sites to heal⁴.

“Greatest honey. I have it everyday. Helps with immunity in the cold months and against viruses and overall wellbeing.”

• Ervin C., verified buyer | UMF™ 24+ | MGO 1122+

Enjoy the manuka honey straight off the spoon for the best results.

You can also try one of our 176+ ways to use manuka honey like in a warming soup, or on your veggies for extra vitamins and minerals.  

Is manuka honey good for tonsillitis?

Yes, manuka honey can be great at easing tonsillitis and fighting the viral or bacterial infection causing it.

Cooler drinks will probably soothe your tonsillitis better than hot ones⁵, and salty water and apple cider vinegar are sometimes recommended.

Why not mix some manuka honey in apple cider vinegar to take the edge off?