A few months ago New Zealand Honey Co asked me to take photos for their Manuka honey! I’d never heard about Manuka honey before, and it was really interesting learning more about it. For those who, like me, were clueless in the world of Manuka honey, here are some fun facts about this unique food!
About Manuka Honey
Manuka honey is only created in New Zealand. It’s created by bees who pollinate the flower “Leptospermum Scoparium”, otherwise known as the Manuka bush.
Manuka honey has antibacterial properties! It was approved in 2007 by the US FDA as an option for treating wounds. The honey is rated on a scale, and if the UMF (unique Manuka factor) scale is 10+ or higher, the honey is considered medical grade which can help heal cuts, wounds, abrasions, and infections. Honey is known as one of the oldest wound dressings. The high viscosity helps create a thick protective barrier on the cut, and the antibacterial properties prevent bacteria from growing on the wound.
I’ve always found honey to be so interesting, because it has so many unique qualities. It still blows my mind that archeologists found unspoiled honey in the tombs of Egyptian royals from thousands of years ago!
There are different kinds of honey that you can buy. There is raw, unprocessed honey – like this Manuka honey. It comes straight from the beehive. It’s unheated, unpasteurized, and not processed. This means that all the healthy vitamins and enzymes remain in the honey when you eat it!
Most of us buy commercial honey from the store. This honey is more similar to corn syrup than raw honey. This is because it’s heated to a high temperature, and almost all the nutrients are destroyed in this process. Many companies also add additives like high fructose corn syrup that aren’t good for you. It’s cheaper, but you get what you pay for!
Researchers in New Zealand have found many benefits of Manuka honey. If you’re interested in learning more, I’d suggest doing your own research!
About the Photoshoot
The team at New Zealand Honey Co knew they wanted bright, light, clean photos for their website & marketing. I knew that nice, natural surfaces like marble and wood would be perfect for their look. I went out and bought some props – including this beautiful olive wood bee dipper, and some honeycomb shaped tiles to echo the beehive. I also planned my shots to include the many uses of Manuka honey – from face masks, to eating on toast, to drinking with a herbal tea, to putting it on wounds.
It was so fun photographing and learning about Manuka honey! I hope you enjoyed seeing the photos, and learning more about it too!
