Whether you want to heal some specific skin conditions or improve overall energy and vitality, you must start consuming manuka honey.
But it has to be raw and authentic without any adulteration. I’ve been testing manuka honey for years, and here’s my ultimate ranking.
I was trying several different Manuka Honeys as there are so many different products available on the market. I was looking for a combination of high values in MGO and UMF but also for a good price. And of course, the taste has to be pleasant. Manuka Honey from NZ Honey co checks all the boxes. I enjoy a teaspoon of it every morning. It tastes great and it supports good health conditions. I really like it.
Having conducted a deep dive into 15 other leading brands of Manuka and purchasing over 6 of them, New Zealand Manuka Honey is the realist of the real & proved to be orders of magnitude better than the rest in both taste and nutrients. Don’t be fooled by the creaminess of other brands, it simply means that the honey was heated while NZ’s retains the raw precious bee bread and other vital nutrients that make it a powerful elixir.
Manuka honey, in general, is considered a superfood when consumed raw. However, there is nothing like it, if you can get your hands on the superior quality of manuka honey, which fares even better than the raw and conventional variants.
As someone who has been interested in natural remedies for many years, I have always been fascinated by the healing properties of Manuka honey.
Manuka honey, or as we call it, is an all-inclusive variant that achieves a lot more than any standard form of honey and salubriously takes care of your diverse physical ailments while curing them in no time. But then, implementing manuka honey is easier said than done. The approach needs to be curated and modified, depending on the quality of the manuka honey that is to be used.
- As high-quality manuka honey is loaded with anti-bacterial properties, it is advisable to check for every intrinsic compound that one can normally associate with manuka raw honey.
- Starting from UMF certification to the availability of methylglyoxal MGO, you need to be very careful whilst asserting the composition before you use manuka honey.
Therefore, to simplify things a bit for you, we have come up with a comprehensive list of the best brands of Manuka Honey out there.
What is Manuka honey?
Before we proceed to the list, let’s get our basics a bit clear. The benefits of Manuka honey aren’t something that we are unaware of.
Manuka honey originated in New Zealand. It is extracted from the nectar of the Manuka tree. Even though manuka trees can be grown anywhere, the most authentic ones come from New Zealand since it is Manuka’s native place.
That said, before purchasing, it is better to confirm whether they adhere to the New Zealand origin or not. Not taking anything away from other manuka honey products, but the ones where raw honey is sourced directly from New Zealand are to be given precedence.
Even Australian ones are great, and the manuka trees in Australia are called the Tea tree. So the manuka honey can be named Tea Tree honey here. But try opting for the New Zealand manuka honey ones since they are much better and renowned.
The antibacterial and antiviral properties of this New Zealand honey make it the perfect choice for your everyday consumption.
One of the things that sets Manuka Honey apart is its MGO rating. MGO stands for methylglyoxal, which is a compound that is found in high concentrations in Manuka honey. The higher the MGO rating, the more potent the honey is believed to be. Manuka honey with an MGO rating of 400 or higher is considered to be therapeutic grade.
It is a great antiseptic and can effectively heal wounds and cuts. You can even incorporate manuka honey into your beauty regime since it is pretty beneficial for your skin’s overall health.
We will discuss more regarding the detailed benefits of Manuka Honey below.
Here Are the 7 Best Manuka Honey Brands on the Market (Explained)
Now that we have the basics clear, let’s jump on to my top 10 choices of the best manuka honey products out there. This comprehensive list will give you insight into all the high-grade and high-quality brands and their products and help you make the perfect decision.
1. New Zealand Honey Co. Raw Manuka Honey
Sourced from the native trees of New Zealand, The New Zealand Honey co. UMF 20+ is our first Manuka honey brand on the list for a good reason, providing the highest quality 100% raw and authentic Manuka honey out there. They are lab-tested, and the company claims the total authenticity of the manuka honey.
The best part about this Manuka honey is that it is unpasteurized and minimally processed. Thus, the honey delivered to you is raw and untouched. The unique filtering process keeps this product in UMF 20+ Manuka honey. B-bread is included in the extraction process. Thus, it contains a high amount of vitamins, flavonoids, plant phenols, amino acids, and additional minerals. So it supports your immune system and makes it strong.
The lower grades like 5+ and 10+ are great as immunity boosters and are quite suitable for general consumption. Grades above 15+ are used for medicinal uses and are an excellent remedy for flu, cough, and cold purposes. The New Zealand Honey Co. Raw manuka honey is free from any artificial ingredients, and thus completely natural.
The honey is thick and creamy and goes best with your everyday sandwiches. As mentioned by the name, the honey goes through low-speed centrifugation, which doesn’t make the honey any less potent. It is still powerful, just like the natural one.
2. Steens Monofloral Manuka Honey – Best For Your Immune System
Delicious Manuka honey by Steens is the ultimate combo of plant power and the magic of bees. It has the powerful properties of a Manuka tree added with the goodness of honey. Steens Manuka honey is pure, precious, and crafted to perfection.
Per jar contains an amount of 7.9 oz and 17.6 oz.
Honey manufacturer, Steens have an implacable passion for raw and unpasteurized honey. They believe in the natural power of honey. The proprietary whole-comb extraction technology is used for the extraction of raw honey. The technology ensures the full qualities of the fresh honeycomb.
Steens Manuka honey used Manuka factor grading for authenticity markers. Honey is also independently tested and certified UMF 20+. In addition to this, the New Zealand government also exports standard grades for export purposes of the Steens monofloral Manuka honey.
Since bee bread is three times more bioavailable than regular bee pollen, your body can absorb these nutrients more efficiently. By visiting the Steens website, you can also trace the source of the Manuka honey.
So, get ready to add a tablespoon of delicious Steen Manuka honey to your daily dose of the breakfast bowl.
3. Manuka Health Manuka Honey UMF 20+
This company goes the extra mile by blending science and nature together. They have tried to keep the natural aspect intact along with adding some scientific validation to their products, which is pretty intriguing. It is a pretty decent quality manuka honey and has been the choice for many customers.
Per jar manuka honey contains an amount of 8.8 oz or 250 gm
The independent quality tests show an MGO rating of 925+, which approximately counts to 22 UMF rating, which is a pretty decent UMF rating.
The best part of this unique manuka brand is that it is fully traceable. Also, it has a creamy texture! It does a decent job, but you need to use an extra amount of this manuka honey to get better benefits since it is slightly less potent if compared to the previous ones. But it indeed has excellent reviews among the other honey brands, so it is worth a try!
4. Manukora Raw Manuka Honey
The most intriguing factor is that the manuka honey is of dark and unique flavor, which is slightly different from the rest. It can be used as a topical treatment on your wounds, as well as it is certified as safe and genuine.
It has two variants – 8.82 oz or 1.1 lb (500g).
Manukora Manuka is loaded with medical and health benefits for people, and its unique traceability system makes them one of the best products to be consumed by people regularly. They can be mixed up with different food products like salad, smoothies, mocktails, etc., to be consumed regularly at home.
With such a great UMF, it is a great option to choose from since it has a significant amount of antibacterial properties as well. It falls on the expensive side but is undoubtedly a great deal because of the quality and benefits. It is a great addition to your smoothies and other recipes.
The industry-leading system for traceability allows the users to trace their products reaching out from hive to hand. The unique identification system allows the company to reveal the test results and the products’ origination to ensure that the honey you received is pure and authentic.
The honey jars are available in 250 gms and 500 gms and are MPI certified to ensure their authenticity. The high rating of UMF makes it trustable for health practitioners.
Another additional factor to be considered here is that each jar has a unique source code. If the source code is scanned, it will prove the brand’s authenticity and trace it ultimately.
5. Wild Cape Manuka Honey
- UMF 15+ certified
- BPA free packaging
- Sourced from a single origin
- 100% Raw and organic
- Has medicinal properties
The Wildcape Manuka Honey has been sourced from the eastern belt of New Zealand and is full of unique flavors. The intense taste is to die for. This can be used as a natural sweetener to enhance the taste of almost every meal out there!
Per jar consists of an amount of 8.8 oz.
The unique flavor profile makes this manuka honey stand out from the rest. This honey oweners focus on customer satisfaction and provide the best-extracted manuka honey out there by having unique harvesting methods.
They opt for a less-industrial way to harvest the honey because no artificial honeycombs are used. Thus, this proves how natural this version of Wildcape manuka honey can be!
6. Wedderspoon Raw Premium Manuka Honey
In case you are not much bothered about the UMF certifications and want a cheap alternative, but of course, a good quality Manuka Honey, then this Wedderspoon could be your best choice! This could be a drawback for many people and can be seen as a positive side as well! It depends on your requirements! But Wedderspoon is certainly one of the famous and high-quality brands out there that has excellent reviews from customers worldwide!
The K-Factor is a genuine approach to assessing the honey’s quality and barely has any bad reviews. The mono-floral variety of K factor22+ and 16+ are supposedly the stronger variations. Thus, this is a product to choose if you want good quality and affordable manuka honey.
Since it is not UMF certified, we cannot be sure if it can be used for medicinal purposes but rest assured. The quality of Wedderspoon products is pretty high and superb if the manuka honey is used in your smoothies or meals. This manuka honey can be used efficiently if you top a tablespoon of this manuka honey on your breakfast pancakes!
Also read: Wedderspoon Manuka honey review
7. Comvita Manuka Honey Raw UMF 20+
Being a constant supplier of Manuka honey since 1974, the Comvita Manuka honey is undoubtedly at the top of the list since it is UMF-certified, high-quality, and authentic honey.
The quantity per jar of Comvita manuka is 8.8oz. The UMF quality certification will make sure that the honey brands adhere to the quality control guidelines.
This flagship authentic Manuka honey can be used in many ways and is the best one out there since this product has been used for medical treatments and is used topically in many healthcare clinics to treat wounds and cuts. Thus, this high rating of UMF is totally reliable and trusted by doctors.
This manuka honey is a raw and unpasteurized product. Thus, you get to reap the natural version’s benefits right from the beehives, unlike the many other brands that pasteurize their honey, which results in making it less beneficial.
You can add a tablespoon of Comvita Manuka honey to your tea, toast, or smoothies to get that perfect flavor along with the health benefits. Or you can mix it with your pre or post-workout meal to make it more nutritious.
What are the Manuka Honey Grading Systems? Why are they important?
Manuka Honey has a better edge over ordinary honey because of its medicinal properties. This is another significant reason for the huge price gap if compared to regular honey.
But you need to focus on the right brands if you want to have the best effects of manuka honey. They are the real suppliers. So you need to be aware of the ingredients and the ratings to have more insight regarding the product you are consuming.
Let’s make it more simple. When you heat up normal honey, the hydrogen peroxide in the raw form gets neutralized. This decreases the potency and thus might lose a significant amount of essential properties.
On the other hand, when manuka honey is heated, even if the hydrogen peroxide is neutralized, the potency never decreases. This is the fascinating fact of a good manuka honey manufacturer! It will still be equally powerful as it was in the raw form of manuka honey before the heating process.
Guess why there is no loss of the antimicrobial properties of manuka honey? It is because of the methylglyoxal or MGO. This chemical is responsible for manuka honey’s high-quality stable properties and is actively present in the Manuka Flowers.
Here come the standards and certifications from UMF, MGO, and K-Factor into play. These are pretty crucial and judge the quality of the Manuka Honey brands that are sold in the market.
UMF:
Out of all the other grading systems that we will discuss, the UMF association is surely the most reliable and crucial out there. It gives the exact representation of the properties of the content. You will gradually understand how critical the UMF certification is to analyze the authentic manuka honey manufacturer. It measures the MGO and DHA levels to calculate the activity of non-peroxide in the honey. The UMF certification grades according to the antibiotic strength, and the grades usually range from 5+ to 30+. If your manuka honey brand has a grading system of more than UMF 10+, it can be used for medicinal-grade purposes. The higher the grade in the grading system, the more pure and potent is your New Zealand manuka honey!
MGO:
As discussed before, MGO stands for methylglyoxal, which is the most active ingredient in it. It is solely responsible for giving such high-grade exceptional properties of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory health benefits to manuka honey! Look out for 500+ MGO grades in your manuka honey since MGO grades imply the manuka honey’s medicinal strength. Thus, 500+ is an optimum strength you should look out for.
K-factor:
This follows a different strategy. Unlike the previous ones, the K- Factor doesn’t focus on the medicinal aspects. It focuses more on the level of origin. It states how much percentage of the honey is extracted from the actual Manuka Plant. It mainly has three divisions: K-Factor 12, K-Factor 16, and K-Factor 22. K-Factor is a pretty genuine grading system and can be trusted if you want to look out for the manuka honey origin. A K-factor grade of 12 is decent, but the more, the better!
TA or Total Activity:
If you want to know how much biologically active your manuka honey is, then search for this rating! The TA focuses more on the peroxide activity level. The higher the level of this, the more antibacterial is your manuka honey! Look out for A more than 10+ since that is the starting point and anything higher than that is certainly better!
How to Use Manuka Honey?
Using authentic manuka honey depends on the K factor and antibacterial properties of manuka honey. Depending on the type of honey, you can check for certified UMF variants, MGO concentration, and the UMF-MGO balance.
Certified UMF is one of the more dependable grading systems to compare products against and eventually determine usage.
As per the UMF association and UMF-MGO balance, it is better to look for a UMF score of over 16 to use this type of honey for every skin-based or internal ailment. If the Unique Manuka Factor UMF is between 10 to 15, the grading systems signify the same as mid-range honey, New Zealand sourced.
Also, if you are strictly going by the grading systems to determine usage and type of honey manuka, you must consider the K Factor in addition to UMF-MGO concentration.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who should not take Manuka Honey?
You should stay away from Manuka Honey if you are borderline diabetic or nursing an aggravated form of Hyperglycemia. Also, allergies to bees and being underaged are also reasons enough to refrain from consuming Manuka Honey.
- Are there any side effects to manuka honey?
Even though Manuka Honey is relatively safe and consuming the same shouldn’t be overthought, certain diabetic and allergic individuals have shown experienced certain issues, over time. However, the side effects are mostly negligible and mostly concern elevated sugar levels in the blood or an allergic rash or two.
- Should manuka honey be refrigerated?
No, Manuka Honey need not be refrigerated as even though you might be tempted to do the same on seeing the consistency, MGO-certified entities like Manuka Honey contain Methylglyoxal, which becomes even more potent when stored above 10 degrees centigrade. And as a natural antibiotic, you wouldn’t want to decrease its impact by freezing it over.
- How long does opened manuka honey last?
If you open a Manuka Honey bottle, you can safely use it for up to 3 years. In most cases, the quality and MGO certification of this product make it last well beyond the expiration date as well. However, if you see the texture disappearing and the honey crystallizing over time, it might be time to get a new bottle.
- What is the best time to eat Manuka Honey?
Ideally, you should consume Manuka Honey, twice a day. The best time, however, is to start your day with it by consuming one tablespoon as a part of the breakfast, either as a spread or directly
- Can you put manuka honey in hot tea?
Yes, Manuka Honey can be added to hot tea, without any issue, whatsoever. And this approach is even better if you are nursing a sore throat and want a natural cure to kick in.
- Can manuka honey reduce weight?
As it’s still honey, Manuka Honey wouldn’t directly help you reduce weight. However, if you make it a part of a bigger and healthier lifestyle, like replacing sugar with Manuka Honey, consuming the same as a part of the Intermittent Fasting schedule, and more, you might expect it to aid weight loss.
- What does K-factor mean in manuka honey?
KFactor is a dedicated grading system, which measures the purity of Manuka Honey. The process involves identifying the correct amount of included pollen in each bottle to decipher the quality of the same. However, this metric doesn’t factor in the antibacterial potency of the same.
- Which manuka honey is best for the immune system?
While every variant of pure Manuka Honey is good enough, you can consider getting Steens Manuka Honey, precisely for building immunity. Steens honey comprises several antibacterial compounds and comes with high MGO and UMF levels. Plus, it is enriched with antioxidants.
- Is manuka honey MGO 83 good?
Yes, MGO 83 is good for Manuka Honey as it caters to complete general well-being, making the product good enough for everyday usage. However, when it comes to Manuka Honey, UMF and KFactor also need to be taken into consideration.
