Scientists Say Hipster Honey Could Actually Save Lives

Blood might drain from your face at the cost of manuka honey (30 quid a jar, if you're wondering) and you might scoff at Scarlett Johansson's claims that it "pulls out the impurities" from the skin. But all those matcha latte-drinking, Gwynnie wannabes might be onto something.

New research from the University of Southampton has shown that a solution of the honey, which is a type of monofloral honey from Australia and New Zealand, and water could prevent the growth of bacteria on hospital equipment by up to 77 percent. And, as a result, decrease the risk of patient infection.

The study, which was published yesterday in the Journal of Clinical Pathology, found that "even low dilutions of manuka honey can curb the activity and growth of bacterial biofilms—the thin but resilient layer of microbes that build up on, and stick to, any surface including plastic."

Researchers diluted honey and water solutions to different strengths, from 3.3 percent honey to 16.7 percent. The solutions were then applied to two types of bacteria which commonly cause urinary tract infections (Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis) and left to incubate.

The results showed that even the lowest dilution of the honey solution reduced the amount by which the bacteria clung to the lab's plastic plates by 35 percent after 48 hours. After three days, all the dilutions had inhibited bacteria growth by around 70 percent.

In a press release, Bashir Lwaleed, health sciences professor at Southampton and lead author of the study, said that manuka honey's properties could be harnessed for patients as well: "We believe that patients might also benefit from honey's anti-inflammatory properties, which are generally stronger in dark honeys, such as manuka and that antibacterial resistance is unlikely to be a factor when honey is used."

Your nan must have been onto something with her hot water, honey, and lemon solution for when you were feeling under the weather. And she was doing it way before Scarlett, too.