Bakery Unpredictability And Supplier Selection

Manuka honey is an interesting variety that has health benefits for everything ranging from healing skin to healing stomach problems. It's made from the Leptospermum scoparium plant in New Zealand, and because there aren't many of these plants, manuka honey production is limited each year. Buying manuka honey may sound easy at first, and typically it is easy, but you need to be familiar with the associated terms and numbers that you might find on labels.

Raw, Pasteurized, Processed?

You've likely heard of raw honey and more than likely have used pasteurized clover or orange blossom honey in the U.S. It gets a little more confusing with manuka honey. Manuka honey can be raw or pasteurized, just as any honey can be. However, you'll often hear about the benefits of raw versus manuka honey. Just keep in mind that "manuka" is the name of the plant and the honey from that plant in general, and "raw" and "pasteurized" have nothing to do with the species. That being said, raw manuka honey is preferred by some people who want honey that has not been processed in any way. Still, pasteurization won't change the health effects of manuka in general.

Check That Ingredient Label

Manuka honey, raw or otherwise, is expensive compared to standard clover honey. Supermarkets carry some brands that have prices in the double-digits, and online merchants often charge into the three-digits for a small jar of the stuff. With that much money on the line, be sure the honey you get is pure manuka honey. Look at ingredient labels and ensure you're not buying a blend of honeys. Note that you might see the term "monofloral" on some; that merely means the honey is mainly from one specific species of flower. Manuka honey can be monofloral, with nectar taken from manuka flowers with little nectar from other flower species, or multifloral, with mainly nectar taken from manuka flowers but with other nectars mixed in. Multifloral manuka tends to contain less methylglyoxal, the compound responsible for manuka's health benefits.

Look for Higher MGO Numbers

Methylglyoxal, or MGO, is a compound found in varying levels in manuka nectar, and that variation transfers to the honey. Many brands of manuka honey have an MGO number on their labels; the higher the number, the more the MGO, and the stronger the antibacterial properties of the honey. Monofloral manuka honey can have an MGO number with three digits, while multifloral manuka honey might have an MGO number only two digits long.

When buying manuka honey, look specifically to see if it is raw or pasteurized, its mono- or multifloral status, and its MGO number. If you're not concerned with the antibacterial properties, you'll find more options. However, if you want those properties, you need to find as high an MGO number as possible.

For more information, contact a manuka honey supplier such as Hokitika Honey & Herb Co.