1. Manuka Honey can only come from New Zealand.

That’s because New Zealand is the only country in the world to have formalised the scientific definition of what Manuka honey is. This strict scientific standard is also called the MPI Standard and is stamped onto the lid of every jar of Manuka Doctor honey. Australian Manuka honey does exist, but it doesn’t meet the same strict scientific standard set by New Zealand and many countries or retailers do not accept it as genuine Manuka.

2. Manuka honey is different because it has higher anti-microbial effects than other types of honey.

Put simply that means Manuka honey has the ability to kill bacteria. This has been shown in scientific testing, and is what makes Manuka different to other honeys.

3. That anti-microbial effect is from MGO.

See that large number on the front of the pot? That will be the MGO rating. It refers to how much Methygloyoxal is contained within the honey in milligrams per kilogram. So a 100 MGO honey will have been tested to show it contains 100 milligrams of Methylglyoxal per Kilogram.

4. Manuka is worth the price...

Like all natural products Manuka cannot be manufactured, only harvested from a crop. Meaning there is a finite amount produced each year for sale around the world. Authentic Manuka must also undergo rigorous scientific testing to prove it is the real deal and not a fake or diluted copy. All Manuka Doctor honey is tested in this way using independent labs before being packed in New Zealand itself and exported to the UK.

5. The cheaper Manuka honey you see on the market may not be all it seems

While it may be possible to find cheaper Manuka honey on sale in the UK, it is not often clear how this honey has been tested. Nor that is has been packed in New Zealand itself. The legal requirements for Manuka are sadly only the law in New Zealand. It would be possible for an unscrupulous company to export large metal drums of Manuka honey from New Zealand and then re-pack it in a different country where the testing and purity laws are different, meaning the Manuka may become diluted, blended, or adulterated.