Lots of us may like to use a little honey as a sweetener for our morning coffee, toast or tea, but there are several uses for this tasty little treat - in its pure, raw, non-pasteurized form, it can do more than just bring a smile to our face.

Manuka honey as the new 'superfood.' What is Manuka honey, scientifically known as Leptospermum Scoparium?

Well, it is honey that is produced by bees that pollinate Manuka trees, which grow almost exclusively in the East Cape region of New Zealand. Because it's a bit of a rarity, it also tends to be pricier but according to Britain's Telegraph newspaper, a recent survey of people who bought it showed that 58 percent believed it to be better than ordinary honey - even if they didn't really know why.

This might be why. Manuka honey has a long reputation for offering a number of health benefits. For New Zealanders, local honey containing local pollen can help reduce the effects of hay fever, but for everyone else, Manuka honey has antiviral and antibacterial actions, which is why lots of people familiar with this superfood's qualities down it at the first hint of a cold or sore throat…