Choosing the best Manuka honey is actually not so easy. Every person’s taste differs and matters. Not all honey is the same. And, with every option out there, finding the right one is not that easy. Even when buying honey, every person looks for something that will benefit their health.
You ask why? Because every honey comes from different bees that gathered various nectars of different flowers. Additionally, some kinds of honey are pasteurized while others are sold as raw honey (as raw as when they are right from the beehives! Sometimes, with bits of honeycomb too!)
AT A GLANCE (SEE ON AMAZON):
- Best Overall: Raw Manuka Honey by the Comvita Store
- Runner Up: Raw Manuka Honey by New Zealand Honey Co.
- Also Great: Manuka Honey by the Manuka Health Store
- Also Great: Manuka Honey by Manuka Doctor
- Also Great: Raw Manuka Honey by the Wedderspoon Store
The Best Manuka Honey
What is the best manuka honey?
Choosing the best manuka honey brand depends on how you wanted the taste to be. It is also dependent on what specific purpose you want or what health benefits you want from it. Therefore we have decided to gather a list of our favorites for you.
Manuka Honey with High UMF and MGO
A UMF rating on a jar or bottle of manuka honey symbolizes the genuineness and high quality of such honey.
The higher UMF and MGO in these honey products like this Comvita Raw Manuka Honey portray the purity of its content. Sourced and manufactured in New Zealand, it has a UMF 15+ rating which assures us of authenticity. The company producing this product is a member of UMFHA, which proves that we are buying authentic (and not fake!) manuka honey.
Most raw honeys are considered a natural superfood. But this one is one of the best because it is GMO-free without any additives.
It has been shown that honey with a higher UMF rating and MGO content has a stronger flavor than one with a lower UMF and MGO.
Generally, it has a herbaceous flavor mixed with caramel and a tinge of bitterness.
Milder Tasting Manuka Honey
If you are one who loves milder tasting honey, select one with a UMF of lower than 10 or with less than 250 MGO.
So, if the two above taste too strong for your palate, this Manuka Health - MGO 100+ might be suitable for your taste buds.
Yet, you can still get the medicinal properties that this honey can offer.
Or take, for instance, this MGO 60+ Manuka Honey. It has a milder taste yet still contains the same honey good for your wellness.
Raw Manuka Honey
And if you’re looking for a more natural honey flavor, this raw manuka honey will give you earthy tastes and caramelized sugars. It surely tickles your taste buds. It is certified as a non-GMO and pure unpasteurized raw honey.
There is also this one which was cool processed (raw). As such, it comes in its natural flavor with all its antibacterial properties.
If you are a fan of Australia, this 100% Raw Australian Manuka Honey has 100% manuka ingredients produced by bees that gathered nectars from the manuka bushes in Australia.
Manuka vs. Regular Honey
Besides the taste and color, there are other differences between regular honey and manuka honey.
Regular Honey
Regular honey is one that underwent pasteurization to prevent fermentation by killing any yeast. This pasteurization process, however, eliminates some vitamins and natural enzymes that would have been beneficial to consumers.
It may also come as raw or unpasteurized or one that has not been heated or did not go filtration or heating. It is honey exactly as when taken from the beehive and put inside a jar.
Regular honey looks cleaner and smoother, translucent in color, and has a syrupy, more spreadable consistency.
Manuka Honey
The origin of Manuka honey traces back to the manuka tree, abundantly found in New Zealand and the southern part of Australia. Hence, some people call it New Zealand honey.
This type of honey is derived explicitly from honey produced by bees who fed on the nectars of the manuka bushes. This honey cannot be produced other than from the flowers of the said bush.
The manuka bush is indigenous to New Zealand and Australia. Hence, only these two countries produce this kind of honey. Then, they are imported into the US.
It is also one of the underlying reasons why this honey is so expensive. The rarity of supply and the fact of importing this honey into the US get into the pricing factor.
But for most people, the price of this honey is worth the medicinal benefits you can get from it.
The honey is rich in methylglyoxal and leptosperin and has long been known for its medicinal properties. The presence of this chemical is what makes this honey unique, as it is not found in some honey.
In contrast to regular honey, this type of honey is darker in color and thicker in consistency, and fudge-like, and is more difficult to spread.
Can you consume this honey every day?
Inasmuch as there are claims of the highly effective therapeutic benefits of manuka honey, these claims are based on studies done on a limited number of people. Some of these studies were performed on mice and other animals.
These studies are not conclusive. To substantiate these claims, more research and studies are necessary.
These claims are not a substitute for a doctor’s diagnosis and prescription. It is always best to consult with medical professionals before trying out medications or alternatives to them.
While this type of honey indeed has health benefits, it is best to minimize its consumption, especially for people who have diabetes.
Honey, no matter how healthy it is known, it still contains glucose and fructose, components of many carbohydrates. During digestion, our blood assimilates them directly into our bodies. Hence, for people who are into a low-carb diet, the intake of honey should be at a minimum.
To Sum it Up
There are lots of high praises and high recommendations for Manuka Honey.
But please also note that each of us has different levels of tolerance for food and ingredients. Some of us are even allergic to some specific food.
But with that aside, by itself or as an addition to any recipe or our daily meals, we surely agree that manuka honey is indeed one great superfood.