Honey is often used as a natural sweetener, but it’s also championed for its possible healing properties.

In recent years, Manuka honey, a type of honey made from the flower nectar of the Manuka tree, a shrub native to New Zealand, has earned the spotlight for its potential medicinal value.

Manuka honey is a monofloral honey, which means honeybees produce it mainly from the nectar of a single plant species, in this case, the Manuka tree. Monofloral kinds of honey are considered especially desirable due to their rich phenolic content, a type of compound that may provide antioxidants and other health benefits.

Manuka honey also contains a high amount of methylglyoxal (MGO), an antimicrobial marker that may be helpful in controlling microbial infection.

We’ve partnered with Manuka honey brand Comvita to bring you five remarkable facts about this versatile product.