Honey is often said to kill bacteria, for example manuka honey fights H. Pylori in our digestive tract. But does it harm the good bacteria in our gut (regular honey, not necessarily manuka)? What about when I mix honey with a probiotic yogurt or kefir, does it kill bacteria?
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The antibiotic properties of honey apply when it is in its natural "intact" state. When honey is blended into other foods in small quantities those properties are lost--which may be a good thing, as it does kill both good and bad bacteria when it's in a significant quantity. In actual situations, those properties have more to do with honey taking care of itself against spoilage rather than antibiotic properties in the human gut. P.S. Smeared on a wound, though, honey can be helpful and was used that way prior to antibiotics. |
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Honey's antimicrobial properties are due to it being being hydrophilic in nature. It draws the water out of bacteria, thus killing them. Sort of like salt on a slug. |
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