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What is Manuka Honey & is it worth paying top $$$$

Updated: Jun 26, 2023

"Mānuka honey is a monofloral honey produced from the nectar of the mānuka tree, Leptospermum scoparium. The mānuka tree is indigenous to New Zealand." You can find lots and lots of information on internet, I will not bore you with all the facts; here is the link for the basic information. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mānuka_honey and there are lots and lots more news on the internet.
I am sure most people has heard of Manuka honey at some point in their lives, and most people would associate Manuka honey with luxury item or just over priced grocery.

The reason why Manuka honey has become so expensive nowadays is due to its rarity, it is only produced in NZ and has annual production of approximately 2800 tonnes of pure high level Manuka Honey. ( yes, lots of counterfeit Manuka honey are on the market)


What sets Manuka honey apart from other types of honey is its high level of antibacterial properties, which are scientifically proven due to the presence of a compound called methylglyoxal (MGO). This makes it a popular choice for use in natural remedies for treating wounds, colds, sore throats, promoting sleep, healthy and vitality and the list goes on...

One of the iconic description of the Manuka Honey taste is 'bitter sweet', similar to burnt caramel or even Chinese medicine. It is graded based on its MGO, NPA & UMF content, with higher grades being more potent and having stronger antibacterial properties and of course more expensive!

Here is an interesting news article about the most expensive Manuka Honey ever sold. https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/116614833/mnuka-honey-selling-for-2700-a-jar-at-harrods . At $2700 NZD per jar of 230g. it is UMF 31+. ( please refer to the first picture below)

I hope these customers that brought the most expensive Manuka honey don't store it in their safe.

Manuka Honey should ideally be consumed within 1-3 years of purchase, because the anti-bacterial component' MGO' is an alive organism that will eventually decrease as the year gone by and will eventually become a normal jar of honey.

One more disappointing factor; aged honey in general will have increased the HMF content, which can be toxic and carcinogenic (the legal limited is 40mg, very fresh honey has no HMF) again, you can find all the relevant information about HMF content in honey on the internet.

Manuka Honey need to be consumed continuously for at least of 3-6 months to really feel the result.
Overall, high grade Manuka honey does contain medicinal properties and it's scientifically proven to have range of health benefits, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/manuka-honey-uses-benefits . But, it is not medicine, sometimes it may be much effective and cost friendly if you just buy antibiotics.

Promo Code for Free delivery ( NZ National wide & New Customer only) : NEW2023
Nowadays, an alternative to high grade Mono-floral Manuka honey is the Multi-floral Manuka honey blend variety, typically meaning the bees has been collecting nectars from a range of florals including Manuka, or the honey is purposely blended with clover or multifloras for better taste and better value for money. It also contains a combination of benefits from other floral source as well as Manuka.
I would highly recommend you give the Manuka blend variety a try!
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