Does manuka honey help control blood sugar in people with diabetes?
Executive summary
Manuka honey shows promising antidiabetic effects in animal models — improving pancreatic histology, raising insulin levels, and lowering blood glucose in alloxan-induced diabetic rats [1] [2]. Human research is sparse and mixed: small trials and reviews report modest reductions in fasting glucose or HbA1c in some settings, but glycaemic responses can still peak quickly and honey remains a carbohydrate that can raise blood sugar if used freely [3] [4] [5].
1. The animal evidence: pancreatic regeneration and blood‑sugar drops
Controlled laboratory work in rodents found that Manuka honey supplementation reduced hyperglycaemia, improved islet architecture, increased insulin concentrations, lowered oxidative stress, and upregulated beta‑cell transcription factors after chemically induced diabetes, leading investigators to conclude a regenerative and antidiabetic potential in that model [1] [2].
2. Human trials and clinical signals are small and inconsistent
Human data are limited: a small Turkish study reported that daily honey intake of 5–25 g over four months was associated with a reduction in HbA1c in some participants, but higher doses raised A1c and the trial included only 64 people, limiting generalisability [3]. A 2022 meta‑analysis cited in reporting pooled 18 small studies and found slight reductions in fasting glucose for some honeys, but the literature is heterogeneous and not Manuka‑specific in all cases [3].
3. Glycaemic index and real‑time blood‑glucose response
Physiological testing of Manuka honey samples showed that blood‑glucose curves peaked rapidly (mean peak at 30 minutes) similar to glucose in acute tests, indicating that despite a lower glycaemic index than table sugar, Manuka honey can produce a fast post‑meal rise in blood glucose [4]. That acute response matters for people managing diabetes and means portion size and context matter clinically [4] [5].
4. Proposed mechanisms — antioxidants, polyphenols, and sugar composition
Researchers propose several mechanisms behind reported benefits: Manuka’s polyphenols, methylglyoxal (MGO) and other bioactives may reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, and honey’s fructose:glucose profile and micronutrients could blunt glycaemic impact compared with pure sucrose, all of which are invoked to explain hypoglycaemic effects in animal and some human studies [6] [2] [4].
5. Wound care and non‑systemic benefits are stronger evidence
Independent science and reviews point to clearer, clinically useful roles for Manuka honey outside blood‑sugar control — notably topical antimicrobial and wound‑healing effects relevant to diabetic foot ulcers — where evidence is more consistent than for systemic glycaemic control [7] [6].
6. Caveats, conflicting claims and commercial influence
Many consumer and producer sites promote Manuka honey’s metabolic benefits and cite selective studies claiming GI advantages or HbA1c reductions, but these sources often overstate certainty and can reflect a commercial agenda to market a premium product [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]. Balanced reviews caution that honey remains ≈80% carbohydrate and can increase blood glucose; there is no conclusive evidence that honey prevents or controls diabetes at population level [5] [6].
7. Bottom line for diabetic care: cautious substitution, not a cure
Current evidence supports the possibility that small, controlled amounts of Manuka honey—used as a substitute for refined sugar—may modestly benefit some metabolic markers in some people, but the data are limited, dose‑sensitive, and not definitive; clinicians should advise monitoring blood glucose and HbA1c if patients try it, and Manuka honey is not a replacement for prescribed diabetes therapies [3] [5] [6].