How to Choose Mānuka Honey - A Quick Guide

Most forms of honey are known for their sweet flavor and rich consistency, but honey is also known for its nutritional benefits. Each type of honey is different and gets its unique properties from the pollen of different flowers. Every flower has a unique flavor and offers different nutrients. That is what makes Mānuka honey so special! Not only is it found in only one area of the world, but the flowers from which the honey is made have a very short season. This means great care must be taken to collect the pollen while it is available.

There Is Nothing Like Mānuka Honey

Mānuka honey is a very rich, dark, flavorful honey that is made from the pollen of the Mānuka bush. The Manuka bush is native to New Zealand and the flowers will only bloom for a very short period of time so the bees must work overtime collecting as much pollen as they can. Extensive research has been done on Mānuka honey proving that it is unlike any honey you often find stocked at your local grocery store. It’s so much more!

What Makes It So Special?

While Mānuka honey is special due to the flowers' incredibly short season, there are other characteristics that make it exceptionally unique. Mānuka honey is known for its sweetness and its dark, rich color. Another reason Mānuka honey is so special is that aside from being a staple in many diets, it also has proven medicinal qualities as well. Studies have shown that Mānuka honey has an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that are needed to maintain good health and well-being. It is also known to have phenolic compounds, also known as natural antioxidants.

What Does UMF Stand For?

Professor Peter Molan was the first person to use the term UMF. The Unique Manuka Factor given to a honey is an indicator used to determine its antibacterial potency. The higher the UMF rating, the stronger the honey is when it comes to its antibacterial properties. Most antibacterial properties come from a specific underlying amount of hydrogen peroxide. At the University of Waikato in New Zealand, Professor Molan performed many tests but couldn't determine what was in the Mānuka honey that gave it its superior antibacterial properties. He then devised the UMF rating system to account for these extremely unique qualities.

Why Is the UMF So Important?

While many honeys have nutritive value, Mānuka honey is considered a superfood. Unlike other foods, this type of honey contains a wider variety of nutrients in much larger quantities than other types of honey. The UMF of a Mānuka honey is often dependent on the specific types of Mānuka flowers. A monofloral variety is made from one specific type of Mānuka flower, while a multifloral variety is made from two or more types of Mānuka flowers. Monofloral honeys have a higher UMF than multifloral honeys. The UMF rating is important because it denotes the degree of potency a honey has when used for medicinal purposes.

Mānuka Honey Offers Beneficial Immune Support

Of all the information we know about Mānuka honey, we know that its abundance of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants make it one of the most powerful immune boosters available in nature. The processes used by Taylor Pass Honey are able to leave the honey in its most natural and most powerful state. Honeys that have the highest UMF ratings are the most potent, but even those with lower UMF ratings offer valuable immune support when included in your daily diet plan. A small amount every day can give your immune system the support it needs to help you live the fullest, healthiest, life possible.

Follow Your Doctor's Orders

Even though Mānuka honey is a potent superfood, it shouldn't be relied on as a cure-all. It's best to follow your doctor's orders and use Mānuka honey as part of your daily diet. Regular use of honey in the diet is the best way to keep your immune system strong and illnesses at bay. When used as part of a proactive healthcare regimen, honey will not only sweeten your life but improve your health as well.

Every effort is taken to ensure that the bees, their hives, the terrain, and the honey products are as natural as possible at all times here at Taylor Pass Honey. Sustainable processes have been carefully developed to have as little impact on the honey and the bees as absolutely possible. If you want the very best nature has to offer when it comes to Manuka honey, look no further than Taylor Pass Honey.