COMMON QUERIES
Manuka honey is a variety of honey that is native to New Zealand. It is made by bees who pollinate the flowers of the manuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium) and is often referred to as “medicinal honey” due to its impressive healing powers.
We ship to all countries in the EU region. However, we have distributors in several parts of the world and you can buy our products through most online platforms as well.
Monofloral manuka honey refers t the honey which is produced predominantly from Manuka bush. To qualify to be labelled as Monofloral, the honey must meet a higher level of two of the four naturally occurring markers and the meet the pollen test. On the other hand, multifloral or blend honey contains pollens from different flowers including manuka honey. Consequently, monofloral manuka honey is more expensive than multifloral manuka honey. All our honey is monofloral manuka honey.
Manuka honey is more difficult to extract than other types, so it requires specialist skill and knowledge, and it can also only be harvested at certain times of the year. This means the supply is limited, and because of the travel involved from New Zealand to the rest of the world, global exchange rates are another important factor.
“Man-oo-ka”
Honey is a natural product that is harvested from honey bees around the world, it looks and feels different according to where and when it was produced. Good quality honey becomes more flavourful and dark in colour as its age.
Manuka honey has been used for hundreds of years to treat a wide range of conditions, including:
Sore throats and throat infections
Gut problems such as IBS & Crohn’s disease
Digestion conditions
Joint inflammation
Skin conditions such as eczema
It can be taken orally on a spoon, on food or stirred into a drink, or topically in creams and ointments.
Because manuka honey is a natural product that isn’t refined, it can be added to a low carb diet in moderation.
Because the nectar that’s extracted from plants naturally includes fructose and glucose, it is recommended that you consult your doctor before consuming manuka honey.
Yes – manuka honey has been taken by pregnant women for centuries, and there is no evidence of any issues or risks
Manuka honey doesn’t really go out of date, and as long as it is stored in a cool, dark place, it should remain edible and retain its health benefits for years to come. But due to regulatory purposes, manuka honey is normally bottled with two years expiry.
For health benefits, it is recommended to take one to two teaspoons of manuka honey a day, about 30 minutes before a meal. Some people also prefer to take one teaspoon before breakfast and one before bedtime. It depends on individual preferences, but two teaspoons of manuka honey are enough for lasting health benefits.
It is recommended that sterilised (irradiated) honey is directly applied to wounds, with a sterile, non-sticky, absorbent dressing on top. Dressings can be left for as long as seven days, but it is always recommended to seek appropriate medical advice, maintain good hygiene and change dressings regularly. In additional to Manuka honey for oral consumption, we also sell medicinal grade manuka honey as well as manuka honey dressings for quick wound healing.
SELECTING THE RIGHT HONEY
Choosing the right type of honey depends on your reasons for buying it. If you are just looking for an alternative to white sugar to add to your tea or cereal and do not particularly care about any health benefits, you may be happy selecting an inexpensive commercial brand. But if like an increasing number of people, you are conscious about eating well and interested in the health benefits of manuka honey, it is important to understand the MGO (Methylglyoxal) grading system.
The MGO (Methylglyoxal) grading system is a scientific system that establishes the potency of honey, and it ranges from 30 MGO to 1000+ MGO. The higher the number, the greater the honey’s antimicrobial activity (ability to kill harmful bacteria and viruses). However, be careful when using manuka honey with high potency because it is not advised for daily consumption. Broadly speaking manuka honey up to 520 MGO strength can be safely used daily to boost immunity and manuka honey with higher than 520 MGO rating is better used medicinally and not frequently. Whilst there are no reported adverse effects of using high strength manuka honey for daily use, it may disturb the digestive system if used frequently.
Broadly speaking monofloral manuka honey is pure manuka honey while multifloral manuka honey is not pure manuka honey. Multifloral Manuka is produced when bees have visited the manuka bush and other flowers nearby. It is far cheaper compared to monofloral manuka honey. Monofloral manuka honey is produced by bees who have collected the majority, or all, of their nectar from the manuka bush. Scientists perform special tests, including four natural markers and a pollen test, to confirm that the honey contains “wholly” or “mainly” manuka nectar. The higher the number, the higher the amount of manuka nectar. The rarest forms of manuka honey are found in the most remote parts of New Zealand and achieve a grading of 1000 MGO. Although multifloral manuka is cheaper but to maintain the highest quality standards and to protect our brand image, we do not sell multifloral manuka honey. All our honey is raw, completely untreated natural and monofloral manuka honey.
First, because true manuka honey can only be made in New Zealand, always look for the ‘New Zealand Made’ Logo before making a purchase.
Second, check whether the honey is high quality monofloral or low-quality multifloral manuka honey. If nothing is mentioned on the bottle, then assume that it is multifloral because brands selling monofloral manuka honey will proudly state this on their bottle.