Spotlight on Manuka Honey Grades
Purchasing Manuka honey can feel a little intimidating due to the grading system assigned to the product. All genuine New Zealand Manuka honey is graded within a laboratory setting. This may sound a little more scientific than you like to get with your shopping, but Manuka honey grades are vital for a range of reasons. Manuka honey grades primarily revolve around two scores – the presence of methylglyoxal (MGO) and the Unique Manuka Factor (UMF). Only genuine New Zealand Manuka honey, extracted directly from a native plant, will enjoy a high UMF score. Manuka Direct supplies a certificate of authenticity with our products, ensuring that all ingredients can be traced back to the source and assure you that the Manuka honey grade is backed by evidence. The question remains though – what do these Manuka honey grades actually mean? As discussed, there are two scores to concern yourself with, MGO and UMF. Methylglyoxal is the ingredient that makes New Zealand the highly sought-after product that it is, packed with goodness. Genuine New Zealand Manuka honey will also contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which confirms the age of the honey, and leptosperin. The latter is particularly important, as this compound cannot be artificially added to a product. When researching Manuka grades, always consider the UMF and Manuka MGO scores in tandem. Here at Manuka Direct, we can promise the following: · UMF score of 5+ = minimum MGO of 83