Looking for the best Mānuka honey? Here’s a simple guide that tells you all you need to know

You have heard of Mānuka honey and its many health and wellness benefits. However, you may not know exactly how to choose high quality Mānuka honey and how to incorporate it into your daily life.

If you’re looking for an effective – and tasty! – way to improve your overall wellness, read on and learn all you need to know about Mānuka honey.

We assure you, you’ll be confident to shop for the best Mānuka honey in Singapore after you’re done with this easy guide!

What’s the difference between Mānuka honey and regular honey?

bees in hives that produce high quality manuka honey

Don’t all honey come from bees and are the same?

If you think this, you only got half of it right.

While all types of honey are produced by bees, Mānuka honey is special because it is derived from bees that feed on the Mānuka plant (also known as tea tree). This is a plant known for a suite of health benefits and is native to New Zealand.

On the other hand, normal honey can be made by bees anywhere that feed on nectar from any flower, which may not carry medicinal benefits, unlike the Mānuka plant.

What are the benefits of Mānuka honey?

benefits of manuka honey

While all honey is said to carry natural antibacterial qualities, Mānuka honey – by virtue of taking its essence from the Mānuka plant – has even more potent benefits.

Besides its antibacterial properties, consuming Mānuka honey also aids with tissue repair, fighting inflammation and pain, accelerating healing, as well as treating minor wounds and burns.

There is also research that shows that Mānuka honey has a positive effect on the skin (including improving eczema conditions), soothing coughs and sore throat, and improving gut health.

How do you know if you’re buying high quality Mānuka honey?

Because of how valuable Mānuka honey is, there may be brands and retailers out there that try to pass off regular honey for Mānuka honey, or over-sell on the benefits of a lower quality Mānuka honey.

To make sure you are a wiser shopper, take note of the following tips!

Make sure it has a “Made in New Zealand” label

manuka honey new zealand

Remember Mānuka plants are primarily found in New Zealand? This is why all genuine Mānuka honey is made and packed in New Zealand.

If the Mānuka honey you bought doesn’t say it’s a “Product of New Zealand” or “Made in New Zealand”, it should raise a red flag.

Understand the difference in prices

monofloral manuka honey

You may have wondered why the prices of Mānuka honey may vary drastically – sometimes a more premium jar of Mānuka honey may cost more than four or five times the price of a cheaper one.

This may be because the former is “monofloral”, while the latter is “multifloral”.

Monofloral Mānuka is derived from primarily one nectar source – the Mānuka plant, while multifloral manuka comes from bees that feed on the nectar of many different plants, including the manuka plant.

What this means is that monofloral Mānuka has even more of the associated health benefits of Mānuka honey. This is also why monofloral Mānuka honey tends to be significantly more expensive.

This being said, multifloral Mānuka is taken from bees that are free to roam and naturally forage from Mānuka and any other flower that takes their fancy, leading to the production of a naturally blended multifloral Mānuka honey. It is still a good form of natural sweetener to add to your diet.

Look at its UMF or MGO indicators

herbal pharm manuka honey mgo indicators

MGO and UMF are professional indicators of the concentration of bioactive chemical compounds that health benefits can be attributed to.

MGO refers to the measurement of the methylglyoxal levels in the Mānuka honey. Methylglyoxal is a naturally occurring compound that’s responsible for giving Mānuka honey its antibacterial properties. An MGO grading typically starts from around 50 to as high as 2,000 (even though MGO 2,000 honey is rare).

On the other hand, UMF (or Unique Mānuka Factor) measures the presence of other indicators as well.

MGO is sometimes preferred because it’s more straightforward to test. At the same time, both indicators are seen as equally reliable.

Also, make sure that the honey is tested and certified independently, as a mark of its quality.

Where to find authentic, high quality Mānuka honey in Singapore?

herbal pharm manuka honey

Specialising in health and wellness supplements since 2004, Herbal Pharm has a range of authentic, high quality Mānuka honey to choose from. All produced in New Zealand and independently tested and certified, you can be sure you’re getting hold of the finest honey at the best value.

Besides its top-class nutritional benefits, Herbal Pharm’s range of Mānuka honey also has superior taste and texture.

Straight out of the jar, it has a thick and viscous gel-like consistency. Warm it up and it’ll melt down to a slightly more velvety and smoother texture, so it spreads perfectly over your tastebuds, allowing you to experience its naturally occurring flavours.

As you savour it, enjoy its rich caramel taste that has a bittersweet finish and its dense, smooth texture. And as you move up the MGO, you’ll find that the taste progresses; the higher the MGO, the richer and creamier the texture.

herbal pharm manuka honey 800+

At the top of Herbal Pharm’s Mānuka honey range is the Mānuka Honey 800+ (S$139). This is a monofloral, 100% pure Mānuka honey with a MGO800+ rating. One of the highest rated Mānuka honey you can find in Singapore, this is recommended for improving overall wellness, healing wounds, boosting immunity, improving digestion, and elevating your quality of sleep.

honey-300-front

For a mid-range option that still delivers good health and wellness benefits, consider the Mānuka Honey MGO 300+ (S$59), a monofloral Mānuka honey that still makes for a soothing treat that supports overall wellness.

Honey 50+ front (1)

And if you’re looking for something inexpensive that acts as a healthier sweetener replacement, go for the Mānuka Honey 50+ (S$24), a multifloral Mānuka honey that holds to Herbal Pharm’s high quality standard.

How to incorporate Mānuka honey into your daily lifestyle

Consume it directly

manuka honey

The most direct way to reap the benefits of Mānuka honey is to consume it directly. Simply eat one to two tablespoons of it every day.

This is a good way to soothe a sore throat, but even if you’re not sick, this can help boost your immune system.

You can also add it to lukewarm water to make a comforting honey drink. This is a great beverage to enjoy just before you turn in to improve sleep quality.

Include it to your daily meals

add manuka honey to food like pancakes

If you prefer to add Mānuka honey into your meals, here are a few ideas to try:

  • Spread it onto toast or pour it onto pancakes; it tastes good with some butter too
  • Add it to Greek yogurt to neutralise its sour taste
  • Sweeten your tea or even latte with it
  • Drizzle it onto granola or apple slices for a guilt-free snack
  • Use it in your stir-fried food in place of sugar

Apply onto skin

use manuka honey as mask

Mānuka honey helps reduce inflammation and is often used as a home remedy against acne. There are also studies that associate it with the soothing of eczema.

To use it, simply apply a thin layer of honey directly onto the affected area. Leave it on as a mask for at least 20 minutes, then rinse off with warm water.

Try honeycomb

Honeycomb is considered the purest form of honey as it is where bees collect and store their honey, nectar, and pollen.

If you prefer something with a better texture, go for honeycomb, which gives a sweet, delicious taste just like honey, but a chewy and flaky texture you can savour, while delivering antioxidants and immunity-boosting benefits.

Honey-Comb

Herbal Pharm also stocks Pure Honey Comb and it retails at S$36.

Besides the Mānuka Honey series, you can be sure to count on Herbal Pharm and its wide variety of natural and organic lifestyle products, as well as beauty and nutritional supplements that are lovingly made for a better you.

Find Herbal Pharm’s premium range of products at their retail outlets and official e-store. Alternatively, download the new Herbal Pharm app and enjoy 10% OFF your first purchase today with the promo code HPAPP (Android users only, T&Cs apply).

If you’re using a desktop, scan the QR code below with your mobile phone to download the app.

herbal pharm app

This article is brought to you by Herbal Pharm.