Manuka Honey Guide

Our Wedderspoon raw Manuka Honey products are produced using natural methods without any heat treatment. This ensures it retains all of its natural enzymes and beneficial properties. We are distinguished by our use of the KFactor rating system, measuring the proportion of Manuka pollen in the honey. This rating system assures consumers of the purity and potency of our Manuka Honey. Higher KFactor ratings indicate higher levels of Manuka pollen, purity and potency.

What is Manuka Honey?

Manuka honey is produced from the nectar of Manuka flowers, which are Native to New Zealand. The honey produced from the Manuka plant is highly sought-after due to its potential health benefits, including antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. These make it a popular choice for wound care and as a natural remedy for sore throats and digestive issues.

Manuka honey has a robust and distinctive flavour profile that sets it apart from other types of honey. It is darker and richer in colour and has a stronger taste than regular honey. It also a hint of bitterness and a unique earthy flavour. This unique flavour profile is due to the high levels of natural compounds, such as methylglyoxal (MGO), dihydroxyacetone (DHA), and leptosperin, that are found in Manuka honey.

Why Raw Manuka Honey?

The fact that Wedderspoon Manuka Honey is raw and unpasteurized brings several benefits. Firstly, it ensures that the honey retains all of its natural enzymes, antioxidants, and other beneficial properties that can be compromised through the pasteurization process. Raw honey is known to have higher levels of nutrients compared to pasteurized honey. Additionally, the raw and unpasteurized nature of Wedderspoon Manuka Honey maintains its rich and distinct flavour profile, preserving the unique taste that Manuka Honey is renowned for. By keeping the honey in its raw state, Wedderspoon honours the authenticity and quality of their Manuka Honey, providing customers with a premium product that is closer to its natural form.

Testing Manuka Honey

It is important to test Manuka Honey for quality assurance, authenticity, consistency, and reputation. It ensures that the honey is of high quality, free of contamination, and meets the necessary standards for consumption. Testing also helps to maintain the integrity of the product. This is important for consumers who rely on manuka honey for its potential health benefits. Overall, testing manuka honey is crucial to ensure that consumers get a high-quality and authentic product.

The New Zealand government requires that Manuka Honey is categorized as either Multifloral or Monofloral in order to obtain an export certificate. The difference lies in the amount of Manuka pollen present in the honey. Monofloral Manuka honey is the superior choice due to higher levels of Manuka pollen. Other certification indicators such as UMF, MGO, and KFactor are also used by manufacturers to differentiate their brands. These indicators are not legal requirements for export but are used historically. For further information on the scientific definition of Manuka Honey, visit the New Zealand Government's website at https://www.mpi.govt.nz/food-business/honey-bee-products-processing-requirements/manuka-honey-testing/ .

How To Take Manuka Honey?

Manuka Honey can be consumed in various ways depending on personal preference. Taking it directly off the spoon is the most effective way as it won't dilute until it reaches the stomach. Manuka Honey can also be added to warm or cold water, or used as a sweetener in tea or coffee. But remember NOT TO add Manuka Honey to boiling water. This will kill the active enzymes, which is the reason you bought your honey in the first place! For children, it can be added to toast, breakfast cereal or yogurt as an easy way to consume Manuka Honey.

What Can You Use Manuka Honey For?

Manuka Honey has high anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which makes it effective against internal infection and inflammation. It can help with Stomach and Bowel Conditions, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn's Disease, Stomach Ulcers, low Immune Systems and even fighting life-threatening conditions. Medical Grade Manuka Honey products (Actilite and Activon) can also provide Manuka Honey dressings for external wounds and sores. Manuka Honey can help reduce inflammation throughout the body and is great for damaged joints, such as those with arthritis. It is important to note that these uses are based on customer experiences and not medical advice. We recommend speaking to a medical professional for any concerns or diagnoses.

Manuka Honey Rating Systems: Why KFactor is the Superior Choice

KFactor is a multi-stage authentication system used to measure a variety of unique key factors inherent in Manuka Honey at the molecular level. The measurements are performed in a laboratory to ensure the high quality and purity of each batch. The relatively new KFactor system is based on using a specific lighting technique, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), which measures the Manuka pollen grain count. This rating system assure consumers of the purity and potency in the honey based on the proportion of pollen. KFactor Manuka honey is produced naturally without heat treatment or artificial methods, ensuring that it retains all of its natural enzymes and other beneficial properties.

The following is a breakdown of the KFactor ratings for manuka honey:

  • KFactor 12: This is the lowest rating and has a minimum of 65% manuka pollen.
  • KFactor 16: This rating indicates a high level of purity and potency, with a minimum of 75% manuka pollen.

All KFactor Manuka Honey must also be rated Monofloral or Multifloral, as approved and tested by the New Zealand government.

MGO Manuka Honey

The MGO Manuka Honey rating system measures the amount of Methylglyoxal (MGO) present in the honey. Methylglyoxal is a key compound responsible for its antimicrobial activity. The higher the MGO rating, the higher the concentration of MGO in the honey. The MGO rating system ranges from MGO 30+ to MGO 1100+, with higher numbers indicating a higher concentration of MGO. Testing typically involves measuring the concentration of MGO in the honey using a range of techniques, including HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) and NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) spectroscopy. While MGO Manuka honey is beneficial for its antibacterial properties, some producers may heat-treat the honey to increase MGO content. This causes it to lose some of its natural enzymes and other beneficial properties. So, even if you think you're getting honey with a high MGO content, it might not be genuine.