Sidr Honey vs Manuka Honey

Two of the most valuable and beneficial types of honey in the world: Manuka Honey and Sidr Honey. They have many differences but are also similar in many ways that most other species of honey aren't. So what exactly is the difference between Sidr honey and Manuka honey?

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For starters, the two types of honey originate from different trees and different regions of the world. Manuka honey for example originates only from New Zealand and is from the Manuka Tree; whereas Sidr honey can be found in various parts of the world including India, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Egypt, Libya, Sudan, and the Arabian Peninsula. It comes from the Sidr Tree or Lote Tree. It is also known as Sidrat al-Muntaha, as is called in the Qur’an in Surat Al-Najm. 

While the Manuka Tree is used primarily for its oil by the native Maori people of New Zealand to treat fevers, skin conditions, and other diseases; almost every component of the Lote Tree is used. This includes its bark, leaves, and berries. The Sidr honey absorbs all the benefits of the lote tree through its leaves, bark, and berries. The lote tree carries a major significance across the Muslim world for its high nutritional and medicinal value; but also because it is mentioned in Islamic text. Specifically, it is mentioned in the Quran in Surah Al-Najm. 

Benefits and Medical Grade

Manuka and Sidr honey are some of the few types of honey that are considered medicinal grade, due to their numerous health benefits and medicinal value. Unlike raw table honey purchased at a local store, these two types of honey have antiseptic, antibacterial, and antibiotic properties not usually found in raw table honey. 

Hydrogen peroxide is usually responsible for providing antibacterial properties to most types of honey. However, with Manuka honey, a different component known as methylglyoxal gives it its antibacterial properties; something found in much smaller amounts with other types of honey. 

Manuka honey has been used as a supplement for reducing high cholesterol and inflammation, treating sinuses and infections, and diabetes. Manuka honey has also been applied topically to treat skin injuries like burns, ulcers, and other wounds. 

Like Manuka honey, Sidr honey has been used for many centuries and contains numerous health and medicinal benefits. There is quite a bit of crossover in terms of the benefits they both offer, such as topical applications, treating infections and sinuses, and even boosting your immune system. The World Academy of Science, Engineering, and Technology conducted studies on Sidr honey and concluded that specifically “Yemeni Sidr honey possesses potent anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic properties. These properties may be as a result of the phytochemicals present.”

Additionally Sidr honey is used to alleviate stomach pains, digestive, and liver problems and provides a boost to the immune system, much like how black seed oil does.

MRSA

An interesting study was carried out at the University of Ottowa by Tala Alandejani, M.D. on the effects of Sidr and Manuka honey on the deadly MRSA bacteria. MRSA causes infections in different parts of the body and is usually resistant to the usual antibiotics, thereby making it a very dangerous bacteria. 

The study tested the two types of honey on several types of bacteria, one of them being MRSA. Sidr honey was found to have a 73% effectiveness in killing the bacteria, while Manuka was found to have a 63% effectiveness at killing it. When tested against another strain of bacteria, the MSSA; Sidr honey was 63% effective while Manuka honey was 82% effective.

Cost

Manuka and Sidr honey are two of the most, if not, the most expensive types of honey in the world. While the prices may vary based on region and purity, the two honeys can have quite the heavy price tag when sold in their purest forms. Manuka honey can run up to $1000 per kilogram in its purest form. 

When it comes to Sidr honey, since it grows in various regions, the price can drastically differ. Here at Pasha International, our honey is imported from India, and one pound of it is sold on our website in the $30 range. However, it is commonly accepted that the best quality sidr honey comes out of Yemen. Prices of Sidr honey in Yemen can start as high as $1000 and run into several thousand dollars depending on the exact location and purity of the honey. It is a major industry in Yemen that has unfortunately taken a major hit in recent years due to the war in Yemen. 

It should also be noted that the higher the quality of the Sidr honey, the better the quality of the benefits it offers. We have already had multiple customers reach out to us about Yemeni Sidr Honey and this is something we definitely plan on providing in the future. Popularity of Sidr honey is growing in western countries and benefits of Sidr honey long accepted in the Middle East and South Asia are just recently being learned about here in the West. 

Conclusion

Because Manuka and Sidr honey have many similarities I often find them being confused for one another; or thought to be the same honey with multiple names. Manuka has had a head start here in the West and can be seen in many stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. Sidr honey is almost non-existent in the western vernacular but is slowly making a presence. 

They both have quite a unique identity as well despite their many similarities. The history of the two are rich but quite different. They are valued historically but two spiritually inclined traditions in Islam and the Maori people of New Zealand who are vastly different but carry the same value for something with many physical benefits.