How Should You Eat Manuka Honey Correctly?
What do you use to scoop your manuka honey from the tub?
Do you eat it straight, mix it with water, or even in your rolled oats?
Let’s delve into the different myths surrounding this topic and find out how you can eat manuka honey correctly!
How Do You Eat Manuka Honey Correctly?
Take one to two tablespoons of manuka honey daily before a meal.
Eat it directly from the spoon without mixing it into a drink to reap the most benefits. Premium manuka honey doesn’t taste too sweet, and some even have a bitter taste.
Drink some water after to wash down the honey if you wish.
Can You Use a Metal Spoon or Wooden Spoon for Honey?
Any spoon is fine – you need not use a wooden spoon or wooden dipper to scoop honey.
The saying that a metal spoon will spoil honey is a popular marketing myth. Most people suggest not to use a metal spoon as honey has an acidic pH and reacts with a metallic surface. This is true to an extent as the reaction may damage and reduce honey’s healing properties.
However, most beekeepers know that using a metal spoon is usually alright. It’s because you’re dipping and scooping the honey out and the metal will only touch the honey for less than two seconds.
This has negligible effects. It’s only advised against leaving a metal spoon in a jar of honey overnight.
Do You Need a Wooden Spoon to Eat Manuka Honey?
No, there’s no need to use a wooden spoon for honey, nor non-metal spoons.
Go ahead and use a metal, porcelain, plastic, or whichever spoon that’s convenient. Remember that you’re merely dipping your spoon into the honey for a few seconds that’s too short for any effect to take place.
If you insist on a non-metal spoon to eat manuka honey correctly, you can just stick to using any wooden, ceramic, or plastic spoon.
Why Do New Zealand Beekeepers Eat Manuka Honey Directly?
New Zealand beekeepers know that excellent manuka honey is thick and if you can eat it like ice cream, it’s high-quality manuka honey.
Hence, New Zealanders take their manuka honey straight from the spoon and don’t mix it with water. Manuka honey is usually thicker and takes a longer time to mix with water than normal honey. Scoop it up and eat it immediately.
Some premium manuka honey brands like Comvita and Kare have a bitter aftertaste, while some brands like Taku are sweeter and popular with children.
Mixing Honey Into Drinks for Children
Do you let your child eat manuka honey?
Many parents like to give it to their children who may not like to eat it directly due to the strong taste.
For children, you can mix it into water as a drink. Mix with room temperature, cold or warm water (not too hot) to dissolve it, and bear in mind that it’s thicker and harder to dissolve.
Avoid water that’s too hot as it may destroy some of the honey’s benefits.
If you like to mix it with toast or crackers as breakfast or a snack, go ahead.
When Can Your Baby Eat Manuka Honey?
Children can eat honey only after they reach the age of one.
Why Can’t Your Baby Eat Manuka Honey Before One?
Honey naturally contains the spores of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. This does not mean that the honey is contaminated. It’s natural and harmless to almost all adults and children.
Unfortunately, a baby below 12 months of age has not developed its digestive and immune system well. This may result in a condition from the ill effects of the bacteria spores – botulism. Honey may cause sickness or even death. To reduce such risks, avoid giving any honey to young babies.
Babies below 1-year-old should avoid all honey, even those “pasteurised” products as traces of botulism bacteria may still exist.
Child-friendly Manuka Honey Recipe: Immunity-boosting Gummies
Giving your child some soft and chewy gelatin gummies is great for improving their immunity!
This recipe from Nutra Organics combines powerful ingredients like manuka honey, lemon, and ginger together.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 tbsp of manuka honey
- 3-inch knob of grated ginger
- 6 tbsp of gelatin
Instructions:
- Add one cup of water to the gelatin and stir
- Combine ginger and lemon juice. Use a sieve to strain both and remove impurities like pulp
- Place a saucepan over low heat. Mix the juice, 3/4 cup of water, gelatin, and warm it up just enough to melt the gelatin
- Stir your honey in after removing your mixture from the heat
- Pour it into your favourite mould and put it into the fridge to set for two hours. Cover with cling wrap
Ready to indulge?
Grab these manuka honey from New Zealand or read more about manuka honey in our manuka honey blog!
