Executive Summary:
- Prebiotics are non-digestible nutrients that feed beneficial bacteria in your gut. They help support digestive health and maintain a balanced microbiome.
- Manuka honey is a natural source of prebiotics, including unique oligosaccharides.
- Manukora’s raw, unprocessed Manuka honey retains its beneficial nutrients, including prebiotics, ensuring you get the most out of every jar.
Is Manuka Honey a Natural Source of Prebiotics?
Interest and research in gut health have grown rapidly, and so has the conversation around prebiotics. The truth is that maintaining a healthy gut goes beyond probiotics. Yet, what are prebiotics? How do they differ from probiotics?
In this article, we explore how Manuka honey can support gut health—and what it has toKrista Bugden do with prebiotics.
What Are Prebiotics?
Prebiotics are a type of non-digestible fiber that feeds beneficial bacteria in the gut. This fiber travels through the digestive system without being broken down, reaching the large intestine, where it promotes the growth of healthy microbes.
While “prebiotics” sounds similar to “probiotics,” these two are different. Unlike probiotics, which are live bacteria, prebiotics act more like a food source for your microbiome (the bacteria in your gut). They essentially feed “good” bacteria in your gut, contributing to healthy and balanced digestion.
Both probiotics and prebiotics play an important role in maintaining long-term gut wellness—and emerging research continues to support this.
Natural Sources of Prebiotics
You can find prebiotics in various whole foods, such as:
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Bananas
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Onions
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Garlic
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Asparagus
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Oats
Manuka honey is also a natural source of prebiotics, including unique oligosaccharides that make raw Manuka honey a thoughtful addition to a gut-conscious routine. As a minimally processed whole food, it fits seamlessly into a wellness lifestyle rooted in quality and nourishment.
How Prebiotics Support Digestive Health
There’s no way around it: Gut health is central to overall wellness, and prebiotics play a foundational role. They help maintain a diverse and balanced population of gut microbes. This, in turn, supports smoother digestion, regular bowel movements, and optimal nutrient absorption.
On top of this, a healthy gut goes beyond digestive health. As more research emerges, we’re continuing to learn the vast impact that gut health has on the whole body, including immunity, mental health, and more.
Yet, adding natural prebiotics to your daily routine is one of the simplest ways to invest in gut health and overall health. It’s also super easy to do!
Why Manuka Honey Stands Out as a Prebiotic Source
Manuka honey provides various beneficial nutrients, such as:
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Fructo-oligosaccharide (prebiotics)
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Antioxidants (like Leptosperin)
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MGO (also known as methylglyoxal)
Unlike many packaged products, Manukora’s honey is raw, natural, and unprocessed. This helps preserve its prebiotics, ensuring you enjoy it the way nature intended..
Its creamy texture and rich flavor also make it easy to enjoy every day—especially compared to fiber-rich vegetables that some may find harder to incorporate or difficult to digest.
We recommend enjoying Manuka honey each morning by the heaping spoonful, with one to two more heaping spoonfuls throughout the day for even more support. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can also pair it with yogurt or oats, or add it to tea or coffee once it’s come off boiling.
Manukora’s Commitment to Gut-Friendly Wellness
Everything about Manukora’s process is designed to support wellness. For example, each jar includes a scannable QR code showing test results and the honey’s harvest location. At Manukora, our honey is also tested to ensure it’s free of glyphosate, antibiotics, and GMOs.
Our team is further committed to using traditional beekeeping practices that preserve the natural nutrients in our honey, including its prebiotic content.
Lastly, our Manuka honey is harvested from remote, untouched landscapes in New Zealand, far from pollutants and full of vitality.
With its natural oligosaccharides, antioxidants, and creamy texture, Manukora’s raw Manuka honey supports the gut while also offering a natural food rich in flavor and creaminess.
Curious to try real and authentic Manuka honey? Manukora’s range of MGO 600+, 850+, and 1000+ starter kits offers the perfect way to add this liquid gold into any routine.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What’s the difference between a probiotic and a prebiotic?
Probiotics are live bacteria that help increase the good bacteria in your gut. In contrast, prebiotics are non-digestible fibers that feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut.
Is Manuka honey a prebiotic?
Yes, Manuka honey contains prebiotics, such as oligosaccharides. These support the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, helping to maintain a healthy microbiome.
Can I take Manuka honey daily for digestive support?
You can absolutely enjoy Manuka honey every day to support digestive wellness. Taking 1 to 3 heaped teaspoons daily provides consistent exposure to its natural prebiotic nutrients. It’s best enjoyed directly from the spoon, making it a simple and mindful way to promote digestive balance without adding complex supplements.
Does heating Manuka honey destroy prebiotics?
Yes, high heat can reduce the effectiveness of prebiotic nutrients in Manuka honey. If you're adding it to a drink like tea, allow the liquid to come off boiling (ideally for 30 to 60 seconds) before adding the honey. This preserves the natural nutrients and ensures you're getting the most from every spoonful.
Sources:
Probiotics and prebiotics: What you should know - Mayo Clinic
