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More Than Our Story
Magical Manuka Honey
Table of Contents
Heritage
Manuka honey is unique to New Zealand and comes from the Leptospermum Scoparium tree, or tea tree, which is a limited native resource. The word Manuka is the indigenous Maori word for the tree from which the honey is produced.
Regulations
A carefully regulated industry, producers have a scale for rating the potency of Manuka honey called UMF™, which stands for Unique Manuka Factor. The UMF™ rating reflects the concentration of 3 signature compounds found in genuine Manuka honey: MGO, DHA and Leptosperin.
Manuka has unique properties which are rigorously tested and measured before exportation. The health benefits of Manuka are tied to the UMF™ grading number and MGO levels.
There are two classifications for Manuka Honey, set out by the New Zealand Government’s Ministry of Primary Industries: Multifloral Manuka Honey (made from a combination of native New Zealand wildflowers) and Monofloral Manuka Honey (made predominantly from the Leptospremum Scoparium tree).
Ingredients
Producers have a scale for rating the potency of Manuka honey called UMF™, which stands for Unique Manuka Factor. The UMF™ rating reflects the concentration of 3 signature compounds found in genuine Manuka honey, MGO, DHA and Leptosperin.
Environment
Manuka trees are not abundant in New Zealand and generally grow wild at altitude making it difficult for beekeepers to access for packing. Helicopters are commonly used in the honey collecting process. Beehives will be transported in and out of these locations at a very high price.
Harvesting is not the only challenge, Manuka flowers have a very short blooming period, as short as 2 – 8 weeks per year. Manuka trees are also temperamental, with seasonal changes in weather potentially impacting seasonal harvests. With multiple factors impacting production the honey is a rare commodity.
Scarcity
There are approximately 2800 tonnes of Manuka Honey (2018) produced annually, compared with around 2 million tonnes of other honey produced globally. Naturally, high demand and limited supply raises the price of this commodity.
Additionally, the higher the grade of Manuka Honey, the less is available and the scarcer it becomes. To be considered therapeutic, Manuka honey needs a minimum rating of UMF™ 10+. As you can imagine, Manuka of this potency commands a high cost. UMF™ 24+ Manuka Honey or greater is extremely rare, and not readily available like the lower grades.
Health Benefits
Manuka honey is most notable for its healing properties, especially management of burns and wounds. Manuka honey also has antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties that may help treat numerous ailments, including irritable bowel syndrome, gastric ulcers, periodontal disease, and upper respiratory infections.
Warnings
Manuka honey is safe to consume for most people, apart from diabetics, people allergic to bees or other types of honey, and children under one. The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend giving honey to babies younger than one due to the risk of infant botulism – a type of foodborne illness. Speak with your healthcare provider about possible side effects with certain chemotherapy drugs and various other medicines.
Availability
Manuka honey can be purchased online through New Zealand Honey Co.™, a New Zealand owned and operated family business that has become one of New Zealand’s top exporters of Manuka Honey.
Manuka Honey is unique to New Zealand and is a native and limited resource. With a small window for harvest and the difficulties associated with extraction, it is a rare commodity. Furthermore, ongoing research continues to support the incredible health benefits of Manuka Honey, resulting in its increasing global demand.
New Zealand Honey Co.™
With a multi-generational family history of beekeeping, New Zealand Honey Co.™ partners with the best beekeepers to ensure their honey is of the highest quality. They offer a wide range of Manuka honey through their online store along with a wealth of information about Manuka.
SOURCES
- 7 Health Benefits of Manuka Honey, Based on Science, Kaitlyn Berkheiser
- Manuka Honey, Joseph Saling, Medically Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD on February 20, 2021
Daniel
Daniel is an extremely curious person, a wealth of random knowledge and facts. Extremely passionate about a vast array of interests ranging from health to history, science to athletics, everything culinary and the list goes on. Trust us, you would want to be on his team for Trivial Pursuit.
Daniel is also years into his battle with brain cancer. He experienced a seizure while on a Zoom call at work in late 2020 and quite literally, his life changed within minutes. After his operation he started to talk about his story but had always known it was more than just him. From then, More Than Our Story became a PROJECT that has evolved into the starting point it is today.
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