What is it?
New Zealand Manuka Honey has been loved by Global people due to its quality and benefits. It is collected by honeybee from the New Zealand native Manuka tea tree(Leptospermum scoparium). A New Zealand Professor, Peter Molan, discovered that Manuka honey contains unique chemicals including Methylglyoxal(MGO). MGO in Manuka honey shows high level of antibacterial effects.
New Zealand Manuka honey has kept its superior quality by all industrial relatives such as beekeepers, producers, sellers and government. First, All export quality Manuka honey must be qualified by a third-party laboratory that is approved by the New Zealand government. This process has to be done for each produced batches. Secondly, all Manuka honey sellers in New Zealand must be registered and record the export history to track their stock.
Manuka Honey may supports:
· Prevent gastric ulcers
· Improve digestive symptoms
· Oral Health
· Soothe a sore throat
· Treat skin infection when directly apply to the skin
Manuka Honey Grades?
Manuka Honey is graded by a government certified laboratory. There are several grading systems like MGS, MGO and UMF. The majority of brands use the UMF grading system which is the most well-known among all systems. However, some brands like PURITI used to certified both MGO and UMF because each system has different criteria.
There are a number of brands in New Zealand. You only need to remember one thing: If the UMF/MGO grade on the label is the same, it meant products have the same quality.
UMF(Unique Manuka Factor)
UMF Grading system is the most well-known and broadly used in the industry. It tests various factors in Manuka honey which not only MGO(Methylglyoxal) but also include Leptosperin, DHA, HMF.
| Grade/Purpose | MGO(Potency) | Leptosperin(mg/kg, Authenticity) | DHA(Dihydroxyacetone)(mg/kg, Shelf life) | HMF(Hydroxymethylfurfural)(mg/kg, Freshness) |
| UMF5+/General Purposes | 83mg/kg | >100mg/kg | 150mg/kg | <40mg/kg |
| UMF10+/Everyday Health | 261mg/kg | >150mg/kg | 250mg/kg | <40mg/kg |
| UMF15+/More potent to support Health&Wellness | 512mg/kg | >200mg/kg | 400mg/kg | <40mg/kg |
| UMF20+/More potent to support Health&Wellness | 826mg/kg | >200mg/kg | 500mg/kg | <40mg/kg |
| UMF25+/Higher level of potency with additional nutritional support | 1197mg/kg | >200mg/kg | 500mg/kg | <40mg/kg |
The higher grade of Manuka honey means the consumer get better health benefits. However, the price will be double when you go with one grade high. We normally recommend choosing for your purposes. For example, If you would like to maintain your health, maybe you only need UMF10+ instead of buying the ultra-premium graded Manuka Honey.
Please refer to our guideline:
- General Purposes(Sugar substitute): UMF 5+
- Affordable Choice for maintaining health: UMF10+
- Premium Grade: UMF15+ and UMF18+
- Ultra Premium Grade: UMF20+ and UMF22+
- Superior High Grade: UMF24+ and UMF32+
MGO Grading System
The MGO Grading System is developed in 2008. Manuka Health uses the MGO system for their Manuka honey products. The grading system was focused on how much Methylglyoxal(MGO) is in 1kilogram. For example, MGO550+ contains at least 550mg of Methylglyoxal(MGO) in 1kilogram.
MGS Grading System
The Molan Gold Standard™ (MGS) is a grading system that has been reviewed by the Ministry for Primary Industries of New Zealand to ensure that it meets legislative requirements.The Molan Gold Standard is tested and certified by an accredited laboratory under the ISO 17025 Standard.
Please refer to the comparision chart between MGO, MGS and UMF:
| MGO | UMF | MGS |
| 83+ | 5+ | 5+ |
| 250+ | 10+ | 9+ |
| 400+ | 13+ | 12+ |
| 550+ | 16+ | 16+ |
| 850+ | 20+ | 20+ |
| 1000+ | 22+ | 22+ |
Our TOP 3 BEST SELLERS
2. HNZ Manuka Honey UMF10+ 500g
3. Puriti UMF22+ 250g
Q&A
Is it safe?
In general, YES, Manuka Honey is safe.
However, we recommend consult with a healthcare professional if you have:
- Diabetes: The research about the effect of Manuka honey on diabetes is still ongoing. Basically, All types of honey are natural sugar and it may affect your blood sugar levels.
- Allergic to bee products including honey
- Infants: All bee products are not suitable for infants under 24 months
General Precautions
- Not suitable for infants under 12 months
- Store in a cool place, away from direct sunlight
- If honey consistency hard, warm to soften
| References: Berkheiser, K. (2018, March 29). 7 proven benefits and uses of Manuka Honey. Healthline. Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/manuka-honey-uses-benefits#TOC_TITLE_HDR_9,
Prokop, N. (2021, April 12). Manuka Honey Benefits: 8 Amazing Health Benefits of Manuka Honey. Mountain Valley Honey. https://mountainvalleyhoney.co.nz/articles/manuka-honey-benefits-8-amazing-health-benefits-of-manuka-honey/ Unique Mānuka Factor (UMF) Grading System Explained | UMFTM. (2021, December 20). UMF. https://www.umf.org.nz/unique-manuka-factor/ |