The Magic of Mānuka Honey
Mānuka honey, made exclusively from mānuka flowers, is a uniquely tasting honey with strong antibacterial properties. In a world where antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains are increasingly becoming the norm, mānuka honey could have a therapeutic role to play, so safeguarding its authenticity has never been more important. The Unique Mānuka Factor Honey Association™ of New Zealand and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) are two key authorities for authentic mānuka.
Mānuka Honey Potency and Grading
Flora Mānuka honey is licensed by the Unique Mānuka Factor Honey Association™, an internationally recognized third-party that ensures identity, potency, and quality. UMF™ graded products have been tested for three signature compounds:
- Leptosperine,
- DHA (dihydroxyacetone), and
- Methylglyoxal (MGO)
The higher the UMF™ number on the product, the higher the concentration of these compounds. None of these compounds alone, or grading systems based on pollen count, are sufficient for ensuring authenticity.
Flora Mānuka honey is also measured and graded based on the MGO content of the honey. Flora offers a variety of strengths ranging from 30+ MGO all the way up to 515+ MGO. This is a measurement of how much MGO is in the honey—so 515+ means there is a minimum of 515 mg of MGO per kg of honey.
New Zealand Mānuka honey is also authenticated by laboratory testing under New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). Mānuka honey must pass 5 tests to be considered authentic and 100% pure.
Location, Location, Location
Flora’s mānuka honey range comes from a 100% Māori owned company based in Whakatane, New Zealand. Honey is sourced from multiple locations across the North Island of New Zealand:
- Mount Tarawera/Lake Rotomahana,
- Central Plateau,
- East Cape
- and the Northland regions.
How is the honey made?
The honey is unpasteurized, filtered, creamed, stirred at a low temperature (50-70 degrees C) for several days, then aged to increase the MGO content to a standardized amount. The honey is graded by its UMF number and MGO content.
Traceability and Authenticity
Flora Mānuka Honey, as an additional layer of transparency, offers a traceability system. Using a smartphone, consumers can scan the label to learn more about their jar of honey:
- Batch specific details
- Specific regional details
- Laboratory test results,
- UMF certification
This, along with UMF™ licensing, helps ensure the consumer is getting authentic mānuka honey and not adulterated or counterfeit honey.
While it doesn’t take much to enjoy mānuka honey straight from the spoon, there are also many creative ways to incorporate it into food. Here is just one idea from the Recipe section of Flora’s website.
Manuka Honey Overnight Oats
Sweet, lemony, healing oats you can bag in five minutes.
Prep time: 5 minutes + overnight
Serves: 2–3
Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk
1 tbsp ground flax seed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 medium sweet potato, cooked, peeled
1 tbsp Flora Mānuka Honey (100+ or 250+ MGO strength)
Assorted chopped citrus for garnish
Method:
- Purée sweet potato in a small food processor or with a hand blender. Add Mānuka Honey and purée a little more until smooth and creamy.
- Mix rolled oats, non-dairy milk, ground flax seed, and vanilla in a bowl. Add the sweet potato mixture and stir thoroughly. The mixture should be a smooth consistency.
- Separate into two glass jars with tight-fitting lids and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, give it a stir, toss some chopped citrus on top, and take it to go!