Frequently Asked Questions

For supporting your immunity against coughs, a Manuka honey with a UMF rating of at least 15+ is generally recommended for its higher antibacterial potency.

Yes, Manuka honey can be consumed while you're sick to help against symptoms and support your immune system.

Yes, Manuka honey can be applied topically to cold sores to support the healing process.

The frequency with which you should consume Manuka honey for cold relief can vary based on the severity of your symptoms and your overall health. Generally, taking a teaspoon up to three times a day is considered safe and effective.

Manuka honey is generally considered safe for children over the age of one year. However, honey should not be given to infants under one year due to the risk of botulism.

While Manuka honey has proven health benefits, it should not be considered a replacement for prescribed medication.

While Honey remains shelf-stable and food-safe for many years, the active ingredients (MGO) in Manuka Honey reduce over time. As such a best before date is added on Manuka Honey reflecting how long the Honey is expected to maintains the particular MGO/Grade detailed on the product label. Typically this shelf life can vary between 3-4 years.

Manuka honey may help support your immune system against hayfever symptoms due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

While Manuka honey is generally considered safe, there's limited research on its safety during pregnancy. We advise that you check with your health care professional before taking any health supplements during your pregnancy.

Manuka honey's antibacterial properties can be a great support for your immune system against sinus infections.

The antibacterial properties of Manuka honey can help support your body against oral bacteria which can be a cause of plaque and tooth decay.

While Manuka honey has many health benefits, it's still a form of sugar. If you're diabetic, it's crucial to consult your healthcare provider before incorporating it into your diet.

The UMF (Unique Mānuka Factor) rating indicates the potency of Manuka honey. A higher UMF rating means the honey has more beneficial properties. For allergy relief support, consider a UMF rating of at least 15+. The higher the UMF rating, the more beneficial it will be for you.

While Manuka honey has shown promise in alleviating allergy symptoms, it's not a cure. It should be used as a complementary therapy alongside traditional treatments.

There's limited scientific evidence to support using manuka honey specifically for pet allergies. However, its anti-inflammatory properties may help alleviate some symptoms.

Manuka honey is not recommended as a treatment for food allergies, which can be severe and require immediate medical attention.

While Manuka honey is safe, it's always best to consult your healthcare provider if you take other medications, as it could interact with certain drugs.

UMF stands for "Unique Manuka Factor," a grading system that measures the quality and potency of Manuka Honey.

Store your Manuka Honey in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. There's no need to refrigerate it. Proper storage preserves its natural properties and ensures it remains effective over time.

While both UMF and MGO (Methylglyoxal) measure the quality of Manuka Honey, they are not the same. UMF is a more comprehensive grading system that takes into account various compounds, including MGO.

The Mānuka honey marketplace is crowded with many different ways of measuring the grading of the honey all presented by different honey companies to help sell their products.

The UMF Honey Association has a world-leading science program that is focused on identifying the unique signature compounds of genuine Mānuka honey, as a way of safeguarding consumers and the industry. UMF® stands for Unique Mānuka Factor. The most genuine, high-grade Mānuka honey from New Zealand displays a UMF® rating on the label and packaging. This represents the unique signature compounds characteristic of this honey which ensure purity and quality. These include: the key markers of Leptosperin, DHA and Methylglyoxal.

While Manuka Honey is generally considered safe for pets, it's always best to consult with a healthcare provider for specific advice.

MGO stands for methylglyoxal, a compound naturally produced in Manuka honey. It is the main antibacterial agent that differentiates Manuka honey from other types of honey. The MGO rating directly reflects the honey’s potency, with higher MGO values indicating greater antibacterial strength.

MGO is measured using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), and the levels are expressed in mg/kg (milligrams per kilogram).

Higher MGO levels generally indicate more potent antibacterial properties, making it more suitable for natural health uses. However, the best MGO level depends on your needs. For daily wellness, a lower MGO may be enough, while higher MGO levels (500+) are ideal for more specific health support.

Both MGO and UMF ratings provide insight into the honey’s quality and potency. The MGO number shows the concentration of methylglyoxal, whereas UMF is a comprehensive certification that considers multiple compounds, including MGO, DHA, and leptosperin. UMF focuses not only on the potency, but the quality and authenticity to ensure the honey is true to label.

Higher MGO Manuka honey tends to have a stronger, more robust taste, sometimes described as phenolic or slightly smokey. This richer flavour is due to the higher concentration of bioactive compounds, which contribute to both the honey’s taste and its health properties.

MGO Manuka honey supports wound healing, soothes sore throats, aids digestive health, and enhances immunity. Studies highlight its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, making it a versatile natural remedy for various wellness needs.

Absolutely, Manuka honey is not only edible but also commonly used in skincare products due to its high MGO content.

MGO ratings provide valuable information about antibacterial strength, but they don’t account for other factors that contribute to Manuka honey’s overall quality. For a more comprehensive assessment, choose honey with a UMF certification, which includes MGO and other essential markers.

The differences often come down to testing methods and honey sources. UMF certification ensures consistency by adhering to strict testing standards, whereas MGO-only grades may vary depending on the producer. Always look for the UMF mark to ensure reliable and accurate grading.

Check the label for the official UMF™ logo and grading. You can also verify the product by checking the brand’s membership with the UMF Honey Association. At Manuka South, all our Manuka honey is UMF-certified for your peace of mind.

Mānuka honey is derived from the nectar of the Mānuka flower. A scarce and natural resource found only in New Zealand. Mānuka honey has a very limited harvest period and can only be collected during flowering that only lasts for 2- 6 weeks each year. The honey is unique as it contains special health properties using to support digestion, health, and healing. Mānuka honey is a complex honey that goes far beyond a simple table honey. 

The most genuine, high-grade Mānuka honey from New Zealand displays a UMF® rating on the label and packaging. This represents the unique signature compounds characteristic of this honey which ensure purity and quality. These include: the key markers of Leptosperin, DHA and Methylglyoxal. 

This is a big topic that we dive more into over on our blogs however in short: 

It is antibacterial: Mānuka honey has been proven time and time again to be a powerful weapon helping the body’s immunity against illness-causing bacteria. Not only does it help kill bugs, but it provides moisture and nourishment…double bonus! 

Honey also has anti-inflammatory properties which have been harnessed by humans for centuries and used as a treatment for wounds and illness. When you apply Mānuka honey to inflamed skin, it can help reduce the redness, swelling and pain while remaining very gentle. 

The honey bee collects nectar from the Mānuka flower and stores the nectar in its honey sac, to carry it back home. While the nectar is in the bee’s honey sack, it mixes with enzymes and proteins, which turns the nectar into honey. To thicken (cure) the honey, bees put it into the honeycomb where they store the honey and pollen and evaporate off the water in the honey by fanning their wings.  The Mānuka flower only blooms for about 2-6 weeks per year. 

Mānuka – is the Māori word for a small, scrubby tree with the convoluted Latin name of Leptospermum scoparium. 

As long as Mānuka honey is stored properly (not exposed to too much heat, and out of direct sunlight - your honey will last well beyond its best before date. 

Our Mānuka Honey is harvested in very secluded and top secret areas that are high density Mānuka forests, often only accessible by helicopter.

There are many ways that you can use Mānuka honey, it is part of the beauty of this product! The most popular ways that our customers use Mānuka are:

• Straight off the spoon 
• Added to your meals  
• Added to your drinks 
• Directly added to wounds, cuts, and sores

It is a labour of love from the hive to the jar.  Our hives are placed in the most pure and untouched locations around New Zealand often only accessible with helicopter which makes it a real challenge for our intrepid beekeepers to get to our hives. 

The harvesting of Mānuka honey is unlike any other as the Mānuka bush only flowers for 4-6 weeks each year so our apiarist work very hard during this period to ensure we get premium Mānuka honey while also looking after the bees. The biggest impact on our harvest is mother nature and rain and cold weather can ruin a honey vintage. If the weather is bad during flowering, then the bees cannot harvest nectar from the Mānuka bush and will instead eat the honey in the hive. Ethical bee keeping is part of our core values, we therefore only work with apiarist that ensure the bees have enough honey to keep the hive healthy.

When the harvest has finished our beekeepers submit honey samples to the Manuka South HQ to be part of our selection process.All samples go through rigorous certified testing. Our technical team analyze the results and only choose honey that exceeds the industry standards.  

When the tech team has ensured the honey meets all regulatory requirements, it then goes on to the selection team that look at the colour, texture and of course taste of the honey.  

The honey selected for our Limited Reserve and premium range of UMF honey also goes through rigorous DHA (Dihydroxyacetone) testing. DHA, a precursor chemical of MGO, is found in the nectar of (Mānuka) in New Zealand. The DHA levels are often still relatively high in freshly harvested honey.  Over a period of time, the DHA will convert to MGO in the honey, through a natural chemical process. 

The honey that gets selected for our premium range is cellared in carefully temperature-controlled facilities to mature the honey to optimal UMF/MGO results.

The UMF Honey Association has a world-leading science programme that is focussed on identifying the unique signature compounds of genuine Mānuka Honey,  UMF® stands for Unique Mānuka Factor. The most genuine, high-grade Mānuka honey from New Zealand displays a UMF® rating on the label and packaging. This represents the unique signature compounds characteristic of this honey which ensure purity and quality. These include: the key markers of  Leptosperin, DHA and Methylglyoxal.

The lowest UMF® rating number is 5+ and one of the highest is 35+. UMF® 35+ honey is very rare and not often seen in the marketplace. Any UMF® rating above 10+ has been historically described as ‘highly active’.

Always look for the UMF® rating to be confident that you are getting the level of quality that is associated with UMF® testing. 

Honey is a natural product, straight from the hive, so colour and texture will vary depending on many factors. Some of these are; the time of the year the honey has been harvested, the region it’s collected from and what flowers the bee have collected the nectar from. You can expect some natural variations of colour, texture and flavour from one batch to another.

Our Mānuka Honey Process; 

1. Bees collect nectar from Mānuka flowers here in New Zealand.  
2. The nectar is then made into honey by the bees and stored in the hive.  
3. Collect honey supers (honeycomb) from hive then extract the honey from the comb.
4. The raw honey is then poured into drums and carefully matured in temperature-controlled facilities.
5. When the raw Mānuka honey has reached the ultimate maturing level it gets poured into a mixing tank and slowly stirred to start the creaming process. This creaming process typically takes 3-7 days and gives the unique texture of NZ creamed manuka honey.
6. Next, we pack the honey straight into jars, ready for our customers. 

No, we only filter our raw and unpasteurised honey to remove any unwanted bits of comb.

The recommended doze in New Zealand is 10g of honey each day to help with your immune health.  This recommendation varies depending on country.

Serving size in New Zealand is one teaspoon per day

• 250g jar = 25 servings (one-month supply) 
• 500g jar = 50 servings (two months’ supply) 
• 1kg jar = 100 servings (four months’ supply)