Do you know what Manuka honey is? What is special about this type of honey, and how do you read the label to determine the best kind to buy?
Recently, I received this question about what the best Manuka honey is:
Hi Beverly, How are you? I have been tasting several manuka honey products, such as Wedderspoon, Australia’s nature, and Comvita. Since you have so much passion in honey you will be able to share your knowledge with me. Is raw organic manuka honey very different than just organic manuka honey? What particular brand do you recommend for manuka honey. Hope to hear from you soon. Thank you.
Regards, Maria
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What Is Manuka Honey?
This honey is produced when bees feed on a manuka plant sourced from New Zealand. It is a relative of the tea tree. What is so amazing about this type of honey is its strong antimicrobial activity. All honey has healing properties, but this type of honey is more powerful medicinally. And unlike prescription antibiotics, it doesn’t cause the growth and spread of antibiotic-resistant superbugs. This is very significant because this makes it very effective internally and externally. It has been used very successfully in hospitals for treating burns, wounds, and other skin conditions.
Digestive conditions, ulcers, and acid reflux respond to Manuka honey, not only because of its anti-inflammatory properties but also because of its probiotic characteristics. Other conditions that respond nicely are acne, sore throats, cold and flu, gastritis, and many, many other conditions and ills.
How To Buy Manuka Honey With Confidence
Okay, have I enticed you to want to try this special honey? If so, you might be wondering what kind of Manuka honey to buy. How can you tell if you have a good quality, medicinal honey?
The strength of the honey depends on how much of the floral nectar the bees used to make the honey. In order to determine a honey’s potency level, it must, therefore, be tested. There is an association – the Unique Manuka Factor Honey Association – that independently tests and certifies Manuka honey, and they have created an official “UMF” trademark to verify the legitimacy of products claiming to be manuka honey.
Active vs. Inactive Manuka Honey
There are other rating systems out there, too, and this can be very confusing for a buyer. You have UMF, NPA, AMF, etc. Instead of letting this confuse you, just concentrate on whether or not your Manuka honey is active or inactive. Only active Manuka honey should be used for therapeutic purposes. If your Manuka honey is inactive, you won’t get the same results, unfortunately.
Let’s pretend we are going shopping to buy Manuka honey. What should you look for? If you look at the jar of Manuka honey, you will usually see a number followed by a plus (+)sign. This number measures the honey’s potency. If the number is 10 or higher, it is considered to be active and suitable for medical use.
Any number less than this is considered inactive. And it is not necessarily true that the higher the number, the better it works. Really high numbers, something like 18+, can be misleading because it may indicate that the honey has been heat treated. This increases the active factor but destroys the antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties of the honey. Of course, if you want Manuka honey just to eat, it doesn’t matter if it is not active.
If you buy honey in the medium range, this is great for most uses, and it is potent enough to heal. So, when you buy a jar of Manuka honey, don’t be too worried about the three letter acronym or trademark on the label. Instead, make sure your honey is active.
Also, don’t be afraid to contact the company who packaged the honey and ask questions. Find out if the honey was tested. If the honey is not tested, then there is no way of knowing what the potency level is.
Is Certified Organic Honey Worth The Price?
Organic vs Raw
Now let’s answer Maria’s questions about the difference between raw and organic Manuka honey. Raw honey is honey that is unheated, unpasteurized, and unprocessed. This means that all the beneficial qualities are intact. On the other hand, for honey to be certified organic, it has to be tested to guarantee that it doesn’t contain any pesticides or other pollutants. But it is worth mentioning at this point that some beekeepers feel there is really no such thing as truly “organic” honey. They claim that it is impossible to control the foraging radius of a bee colony.
So, my best advice is to stick with reputable brands. I really love and respect the Wedderspoon and Comvita brands of Manuka honey, although there are many others to choose from.
What kind of Manuka honey do you like? We’d love to hear from you.
Thanks to Maria for your excellent questions 🙂
Hello, I am considering Manuka Honey. I have found Comvita UMF5+ and I wonder if double or triple dose would equal the higher rated 10 or 15+ ???
Thanks, Linden
It will not be the same if u double or triple. You will still be UMF 5+. If u double or triple u will just have double or triple product.
I also use happy valley and I have lupus I believe it’s this that keeps my inflammation down. When I get bloodwork it always says I have no inflammation
Danielle: That is amazing news!! Honey is know to help with inflammation. Wishing you continued good health reports 🙂
Comvita honey UMF 15+,has been miraculousin arresting the arthritic pain in my knees.Today,at Costco,I saw a large jar(2 lb.?) of Wedderspoon 18 +,for $49–&thought wow,what a price;I pay $43 for 10 Oz jar of Comvita.Wanted to make sure Wedderspoon is reputable-did 2 hours of research before(accurately!!) determining they were the real deal.Thanks Bev**
No problem Jon. I’m so happy to hear that the honey has helped with your arthritic pain. Isn’t it wonderful!! I hope you continue to have excellent results with one of nature’s greatest gifts 🙂
“Bee” Well,
Thanks for the info
I can recommend Happy Valley, out of my personal experience. I have been eating their UMF 18+ Manuka honey for about two months now – two spoons a day. One in the morning and one in the evening. I’ve been trying to heal my IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), and so far Manuka honey has had the only positive effect. I used to have symptoms every day. Now they are down to once a week at most. Which is a tremendous relief for me.
Thank you for this article. More people should write about this wonderful natural bee product.
Dear Alice: Thanks so much for taking the time to write about your experience with honey. I’m delighted it has helped your IBS because I understand it’s not fun. Hope you continue to feel great!!!
Hugs,
Bev
hi I’m also suffering from H.pylori .where can I get manuka honey please
You can get it from amazon if your local store doesn’t carry it. Here’s a good brand –Manuka Health – MGO 400+ Manuka Honey, 100% Pure New Zealand Honey, 8.75 oz (250 g)” title=”manuka honey”>
How would you rate Airborne Manuka as a brand?
Thank you!
Hi Steve: I have never used this brand, so I can’t comment on it. Thanks,
Be very careful when shopping for Manuka honey. As Bev stated, try to find a reputable brand and stick with it. Unfortunately there is not much truth in labeling in the US and in other countries as well.
I recently had the opportunity to attend a seminar with Dr. Vaughn Bryant, a world renowned pollen expert who tests honey for its pollen content. The long story short is much of what we buy is not what we think it is.
Hi Mike: Sadly, you are 100% correct. Hopefully they’ll pass legislation that will give the consumer more information on the label to know exactly what they’re buying.
Thanks for your input 🙂
Bev
No way to be sure? Dang. What are we to do? This sux. 🤔