Learn about Manuka honey: why is it still ‘sold out’ despite its million-dollar price tag?

Ginger soaked in honey, kumquat soaked in honey,… are probably folk remedies for coughs that are very familiar to Vietnamese people. Not only is it effective in treating coughs, but by using natural ingredients, this remedy is also suitable for all ages, especially for children, pregnant women and the elderly.

However, not all honey is the same because it is greatly influenced by the type of flower the bees collect nectar from, for example Honey of Chrysanthemum Flower has a clear yellow color, sweet taste and is suitable for mixing drinks; Chrysanthemum Honey has a dark color, suitable for soaking herbs; Longan Honey It has a clear yellow color suitable for food preparation and drinking…

And there is a type of honey that housewives are “crazy” about because of its uses and sky-high price, which is Manuka HoneyWith a price of up to a million VND for a small bottle, manuka honey is the most expensive honey on the market.

So what is manuka honey that is so expensive? And what are its uses that make many housewives hunt to buy it? Let’s find out with Websosanh and find the answer for yourself:

1. What is manuka honey?

New Zealand is an island nation isolated from the rest of the world and has rare flora and fauna, so it is home to many rare products, including the Manuka flower. This is a wildflower, with 5 white or pink petals and blooms in spring. With a height of over 2 meters and growing into large bushes, Manuka has great powers and is famous for its ability to heal wounds.

According to research, Manuka pollen contains the antibacterial compound methylglyoxal, and when bees collect nectar from Mannuka flowers, the pollen will mix with the nectar and convert methylglyoxal into dihydroxyacetone – an antibacterial compound that is effective in treating infections, killing bacteria, germs and healing wounds very well.

Manuka honey, or more correctly manuka flower honey, is not only a food but also a rare medicinal source that is exploited and brought to consumers by major honey producers.

One thing to note is that manuka flowers also grow in southern Australia, so manuka honey can come from either New Zealand or Australia.

2. What is MGO 250+ manuka honey? What do the UMF and MGO indexes mean?

When shopping for manuka honey, you’ll often see names like:

BlueHill Manuka Honey 250+

Manuka honey doctor 15+

Manuka Honey UMF 10+

Manuka Honey Blend 30+ MG ….

Pretty complicated, right? So what are these UMF 10+, 5+, or MGO 250+, 700+ ratings?

In fact, to manage the quality of manuka honey, producers around the world have established an organization called Unique Mānuka Factor Honey Association to evaluate the quality of different types of manuka honey.

Originally, the Unique Mānuka Factor Honey Association offered UMF® index system – is an abbreviation for the phrase Unique Manuka Factor to evaluate the antibacterial quality of manuka honey.

UMF scale ranges from 0, 5+, 6+,… to 26+, the higher this index, the higher the antibacterial ability of manuka honey, or in other words, the better the quality of the honey.

The Unique Mānuka Factor Honey Association later added MGO index – that is, the index of the methylglyoxal content in honey (measured in ppm). With this index, we can more clearly digitize the antibacterial content in each milliliter of manuka honey sold. And below is the conversion table between UMF and MGO indexes:

Thus, both UMF and MGO indicate the antibacterial content in manuka honey. The higher the index, the higher the quality of the honey and of course the price is also very expensive. For example, with the same 250 grams of manuka honey, the price of each type is as follows:

– Manuka honey 5+ price: 290,000 VND

– Manuka honey 10+ price: 575,000 VND

– Manuka honey price 15+: 1,350,000 VND

– Price of manuka honey 20+: 2,200,000 VND

Of course, this also applies to the dosage, for example for the same inflammation you only need to apply a little bit of 20+ manuka honey, but with 5+ manuka honey you need 1 spoon for example.

However, you do not necessarily need to buy manuka honey with a high UMF index. Depending on the purpose of use, you should consider balancing economic factors and effectiveness.

3. What are the effects of manuka honey?

In addition to the basic effects of a type of honey, manuka honey with its antibacterial compounds is also used as a medicine, therefore, the effects of manuka honey are quite wide, specifically:

– Wound healing: In 2007, the US FDA certified manuka honey as one of the safe ways to treat wounds. Manuka honey is used by people to treat wounds, burns, ulcers, pimples, … even ulcers caused by diabetes. For anti-inflammatory and wound healing functions, you should use manuka honey 10+ or ​​higher.

– Prevents tooth decay and keeps gums healthy. In addition to reducing bacteria in the mouth, manuka honey also helps reduce plaque formation on teeth and prevents bad breath.

– Good for treating sore throat: manuka honey helps reduce inflammation caused by bacteria inside the mucosa, making the throat healthier.

– Helps support the treatment of stomach diseases and stomach ulcers. You should use manuka honey with a UMF index of 10 or less, mixed with warm water to drink.

– Acne treatment includes acne for women and pimples in other areas of the skin.

– Beauty: manuka honey helps slow down the skin aging process and rejuvenate the skin.

– Supports treatment of symptoms of cystic fibrosis.

Of course, you can still use manuka honey like other types of honey: to drink, add to food, or soak in herbs… however, with its expensive price, few people probably use it for such daily needs.

4. How to use manuka honey for children?

As mentioned above, manuka honey has many uses, and for different purposes, you can have different ways to use manuka honey. You can soak manuka honey with herbs, or drink it, or apply it directly to the wound depending on your needs.

Here we would like to elaborate on how to use manuka honey for children. When using manuka honey for children, you need to note:

– DO NOT use manuka honey or any honey for children under 12 months of age. Because the baby’s digestive system is still weak, using honey can cause poisoning in children.

– For children 12 months and older, you can use manuka honey with a UMF index of less than 10 to give your baby a moderate amount to drink, or apply topically.

Of course, children 6 years and older can use manuka honey more comfortably, and children 12 years and older can use it like adults.

For adults, the use of manuka honey also requires moderation and knowledge, specifically:

– Manuka honey UMF 5-10: suitable for enjoyment, including eating with other foods, mixing drinks…

– Manuka honey has a UMF index of 10 – 17: suitable for soaking herbs, treating external wounds

– Manu honey with UMF index from 17 and above: for medicinal uses that users need to research carefully to use correctly.

5. Which brand of manuka honey is the best to buy?

Currently on the market there are many brands participating in the production of manuka honey, and these brands are mainly from Australia or New Zealand.

Reputable, good quality manuka honey brands that buyers can trust include:

– Berringa manuka honey from Australia

– Comvita manuka honey

– Enzergen manuka honey from New Zealand

– Tasmanian manuka honey from Australia

– Airborne manuka honey

– Barnes manuka honey

– Manuka Doctor Honey

– Wedderspoon manuka honey

In general, the important thing is still the UMF index and origin, genuine labels, but in reality the difference between manuka honey of different brands is not much.

Hopefully with the above information you have a better understanding of manuka honey and have useful information to use it properly to protect your health.

See more How to distinguish fake manuka honey