MANUKA HONEY – NATURE’S WONDERFOOD

For thousands of years honey has been known for its antibacterial, healing and health-enhancing properties. Certain honeys from specific plants are more effective than others, and the honey that comes from some strains of the New Zealand Manuka bush (Leptospermum Scoparium) is one of these.

In 1981 Dr Peter Molan (MBE), Associate Professor in Biochemistry at Waikato University, confirmed that some strains of the New Zealand Manuka bush honey contains an extraordinary, naturally present, very stable and powerful non-peroxide antibacterial activity not found in any other variety of honey.

The presence of the special non-peroxide activity can be detected only by an array of scientific testing directly relating to the phenol standard. The UMF® rating has a one-to-one relationship to the phenol standard e.g. UMF® 5 Manuka honey has the same non-peroxide antibacterial activity as a 5% phenol solution.

This unique antibacterial activity is over and above the usual active properties of honey, and sets Manuka Honey apart as one of nature’s true wonderfoods. But this special non-peroxide activity is not in all manuka honey.