In New Zealand, it is called Mānuka, in Australia, it is more commonly known as Tea Tree, but the word Manuka (without a macron, which is used to indicate a long vowel) has been in common use in Tasmania for at least 100 years.
Manuka honey, favoured for its medicinal qualities, is produced from the nectar of different species of leptospermum plants, which are native to both Australia and New Zealand.
High in minerals and antioxidants, Buckwheat Honey is an excellent native alternative to Manuka Honey. You can learn more about the specific health benefits of our dark honeys on our blog!
New Zealand Manuka comes only from the leptosperum scoparium plant, commonly known as the Manuka plant, while Australian manuka can come from any plant in the leptosperum species. Since research studies tend to focus on New Zealand manuka, it isn't appropriate to extend that research to Australian manuka.
More is more: Australia's unmatchable variety of Manuka
The diversity of Australia's Manuka trees is vastly superior to New Zealand. Australia is home to 83 species of Manuka, 12 of which have bioactive, medicinal properties, making them ideal for high-MGO Manuka production. In comparison, New Zealand has only one.
Manuka honey is expensive because it only comes from New Zealand. The high price of Manuka is largely due to its limited supply. Authentic Manuka honey only comes from New Zealand. The word Mānuka is the indigenous Maori word for the Leptospermum Scoparium tree.
Honey products are permitted into most Australian states and territories. Honey products must be inspected by a biosecurity officer on arrival, to confirm the honey items are free from contamination. Items that do not meet these conditions will be exported or destroyed at the importer's expense.
Malfroy's Gold honey is top of the class. Tim Malfroy produces some of the world's best honey in the pristine world heritage Blue Mountains of Australia.
What is mānuka honey? Real mānuka honey only comes from New Zealand. It is made from the nectar bees collect from the flowers of the native mānuka bush (leptospermum scoparium). It is a combination of the nectar and the way the bee turns it into honey that gives it its unique properties.
Irish heather honey was found to have the most antioxidants, even more than Manuka honey, which is produced in New Zealand by bees that pollinate the country's native Manuka bush.
When it comes to the anti-bacterial health benefits of honey, these are measured using a NPA (non-peroxide activity) rating, where 5+ is the lowest strength and 20+ is the best. Aldi's honey has a 5+ rating.
A maximum of two teaspoons a day (15g) is a good portion size of manuka honey, as while it has many impressive health benefits, it is still high in sugar. If you are using manuka honey as part of a balanced diet, try drizzling it over porridge, overnight oats or natural yogurt.
Yes, Capilano honey is 100% pure Australian honey. There's absolutely nothing added, it's just as nature intended.
Types. The Manuka bush is indigenous to New Zealand, so you should look for Manuka honey from New Zealand to help ensure an authentic product.
Thanks to its antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, manuka honey can be used to help treat wounds, improve your oral health, soothe a sore throat and treat ulcers and acne.
With nectar collected from so many different flowers and with native plants differing from region to region, it's no wonder honey will taste different and colour will vary. But that's not the only thing that will impact your honey. The thickness of honey can change year to year with the weather.
Australia boasts more floral sources for honey bees to forage on than any other country in the world, making our honey the most unique with wide-ranging tastes and colours.
Manuka honey is more expensive than most other honey because it is rare and only produced in Australia and New Zealand. The flowers the bees collect the nectar from, to make Manuka honey are from the Leptospermum family, which is native to Australia. Farming Manuka honey costs more to produce than other honeys.
What makes New Zealand Manuka honey special, is it has over 200 compounds that are not found in other types of honey. The medicinal trilogy of leptosperin, dihydroxyacetone (DHA) and methylglyoxal (MGO) are signature compounds that are measured in the UMF™ rating to our Manuka honey.
Manuka honey comes from bees that pollinate Leptospermum scoparium, or the manuka bush, which grows predominantly in New Zealand and also in Australia. Other species of this bush grow all over the world, but do not produce the flowers bees need in order to produce manuka honey.
Mānuka refers to a white flowered tree that grows in both New Zealand and Australia – although it is more widely known as “tea tree” in Australia.
Manuka honey boasts many natural, beneficial properties that make it healthy too. Eating it regularly in small amounts (a spoonful a day) is recommended. If you're using it as an alternative to sugar and natural sweeteners, manuka honey is absolutely the best option.
Is manuka honey worth the money? Manuka honey is worth the cost if you're looking for the health benefits that have made it famous. With its high levels of antibacterial, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, manuka honey is used in foods, skincare, and medicine throughout the world.
UMF is an indicator of quality and purity of mānuka honey. MGO stands for methylglyoxal, the naturally occurring compound that makes mānuka honey so unique. An MGO rating is a standardised measure of methyglyoxal content and is an indicator of quality.