Honey with medicinal properties

EUCALYPTUS marginata, commonly known as jarrah, is a timber tree that can grow up to 40m in height. Jarrah generally flower every two years, usually from December through January in the early summer. The nectar produced has a low moisture content and is collected by honeybees.

Jarrah produces a dark, thick, tasty honey with a caramel aftertaste. It is not as sweet as other types of honey thanks to its low-glucose, high-fructose nature, and pure jarrah honey will not crystallise.

This therapeutic honey is antimicrobial and antibacterial, as well as low in glucose, high in fructose and antioxidants, free from Varoa mites, chemicals and preservatives, boosts immunity and has high total activity (TA).

Jarrah honey is considered healing because it has unusually high levels of antimicrobial properties (measured at TA 10+ or higher), which is thanks to its naturally occurring hydrogen peroxide activity. Because of this, jarrah honey can be used internally and externally for treating wounds, burns, sunburn and skin infections.

Scientists have developed a process to certify jarrah honey’s medicinal and antimicrobial properties. The TA Rating of Active Honey denotes the strength of the antibacterial potency of honey, measured by the standard (phenol) bacteria-killing scale.

Opceden Jarrah Honey is laboratory-tested and issued a certificate that details its TA score, which has reached as high as TA 35+.

The West Australian Jarrah Honey Committee announced that Western Australia’s jarrah honey has been proven to possess high antioxidant levels, following a recently completed research project.

The independent research project was undertaken by Dr Charles Dragar, who conducted antimicrobial activity testing of honey as well as a variety of other honeybased tests.

Jarrah honey was found to have significantly higher levels of antioxidants than manuka honey from New Zealand or leatherwood honey from Tasmania, with two to three times higher antioxidant concentration.

Dr Dragar commented that all samples of jarrah honey tested showed remarkably high antioxidant levels in addition to high antimicrobial activity, with levels up to 50% greater than that of manuka honey.

For more information, call 03-6156 2836/2936.

TA 10+ = UMF 10+ = MGO 263 (Antimicrobial strength is relatively equivalent to UMF 10+)

TA 15+ = UMF 15+ = MGO 514 (Antimicrobial strength is relatively equivalent to UMF 15+

TA 20+ = UMF 20+ = MGO 829 (Antimicrobial strength is relatively equivalent to UMF 20+