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If you’re looking to feel more energized and healthy, or you want to fight a tricky skin infection or digestive issue, there’s a lot of positive buzz brewing about manuka honey. As the fourth most google searched functional food last year, manuka honey has become a natural health phenomenon, right behind tumeric, jackfruit and cider vinegar. Honey seems like such a simpler, more pleasant way to get healthy. I’ve got no beef with tumeric, but I have personally eaten jackfruit and thought it was slimey and smelled and tasted a bit like sewer. I’ve also tried drinking vinegar, and didn’t find that experience pleasant either. So what could possibly go wrong with sucking down a tablespoon of honey every day? Seems a whole lot better than the alternatives.
So just what is it about manuka honey that makes Dr. Mehmet Oz swoon, and convinces Kourtney Kardashian to sign on for manuka makeup gig? There’s got to be something going on that we should know about. Even traditional physicians and healers are becoming believers in this one-of-a-kind-in-the-world amber elixir. You’ll find fairly objective write-ups about treatments using it, from WebMD to Mayo Clinic. Why? This isn’t just any garden variety honey. No offense to the dedicated bee keepers out there, but real manuka honey only comes from New Zealand, and a tiny area of Australia, where the manuka plant grows, and certain high flying mountain bees prosper. And it’s quickly gaining in popularity as a real and potent healer.
Regular honey has been touted for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, ever since the ancient Greeks smeared it on their wounds a few thousand years ago. While I’ve always admired their jewelry, I’m gaining more respect for their ancient healing rituals too. Manuka honey contains a far more powerful cocktail of natural hydrogen peroxide, antibiotic methylglyoxal, and leptosperin than regular honey. It’s that third ingredient that marks manuka honey as authentic. In today’s booming sustainable food game, that’s a key. With the popularity of nutraceuticals, or superfoods, fans of manuka honey swear by its healing properties, and they’re not afraid to pony up with a substantial amount of money to try it, and keep using it. Thousands of reviews claim this honey heals cuts faster with less scarring. They say it significantly reduces their acid reflux and other digestive disorders. They use it as a face mask to clear up acne, or apply it topically to thwart problematic eczema spots. It’s pretty compelling reading.
Much like France has laid exclusive claim to use the terms Champagne and Roquefort, New Zealand is working furiously to lay exclusive claim to manuka honey, despite the fact that its being harvested in Australia too. While we know sparkling wine and bleu cheese are produced outside of France, determining whether they’re as good as the original French products is probably pretty subjective. In the case of manuka honey, you’ll have to decide for yourself if the Aussie version is as good. One thing is certain, if you purchase manuka honey with a Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) rating, you’ll know you’re getting the pure, uncut, New Zealand version of this product. Several highly rated honeys on our list do not include a UMF rating, and instead rely on a methylglyoxal (MGO) rating, indicating the strength of its antibiotic enzymes. Some critics have raised concerns that MGO can be replicated, meaning its presence doesn’t guarantee you’re actually getting real manuka honey. One big plus for the UMF rating system is that it analyzes the presence of leptosperin, that unique compound found exclusively in true manuka honey. Plus the system ensures that consumers are not purchasing manuka honeys with little or no antibacterial activity.
Whew! That’s a lot of information to think about, especially when you’re considering making a major investment in something you hope will improve your energy, health and vitality. If you’re on board with the manuka movement, let’s look at the Top 10 Best Manuka Honeys Available on Amazon. They are all highly rated, with lots of reviews to read and consider. Whether you simply savor a spoon of it, slather it on your toast or sip it in your tea, your day, and your health, will be sweeter for it.
1. Amazon’s Choice: Wedderspoon Raw Premium Manuka Honey KFactor 16+
(Wedderspoon)
Among the most popular brands of manuka honey, Wedderspoon’s raw, unpasteurized and non-GMO verified version is Amazon’s Choice. This smooth, creamy elixir tastes delicious and just a tablespoon a day could make you healthier in lots of ways. This amazing super-food was sourced, packed and shipped from New Zealand, so you know you’re getting the real deal. Its KFactor grading also ensures this is genuine manuka honey, not a blend or substitute. Stir some into your tea, slather a bit on your toast, along with some peanut butter, and enjoy. If you’ve got a bit of a raw, scratchy throat, Wedderspoon Organic Manuka Honey Drops will soothe what ails you as they slowly dissolve and coat your throat. To keep your healthy manuka honey habit even when you’re traveling or at the office, try Wedderspoon Manuka Honey on the Go. The 24 single serving packs are the perfect perk up in your afternoon iced tea or will sweeten a glass of lemon water perfectly.
Price: $34.15 (5 percent off MSRP)
Buy the Wedderspoon Raw Premium Manuka Honey KFactor 16+ here.
Pros:
- Rated 4.6 out of five stars by purchasers
- Amazon’s Choice
- Users swear by its antibiotic and healing properties
- Tastes delicious
Cons:
- Pretty darned expensive
- Does not have a UMF rating
- Tastes different than your honey bear
- Some product inconsistencies reported
Find more Wedderspoon Raw Premium Manuka Honey KFactor 16+ information and reviews here.
2. Comvita Manuka Honey UMF 15+
(Comvita)
This premium manuka honey from New Zealand is traceable from hive to shelf. With more than 30,000 hives high in the mountains, Comvita’s bee keepers extract this healing honey and have it independently UMF rated, which helps to ensure that this honey has very high anti-bacterial properties. This manuka honey is said to support your digestive health, respiratory system, and may aid in the relief of coughs and a sore throat. It’s also an excellent natural energy booster as part of your daily nutritional regimen. Because of the hydrogen peroxide that naturally occurs in this manuka honey, it’s also renowned for healing cuts and scrapes, as well as bringing some relief to sufferers of eczema and psoriasis. If you’re a huge fan of this honey, you can also get a 1.1 pound jar for just a few dollars more. For winter wellness, Comvita also makes honey lozenges that combine UMF manuka honey with Propolis, which contains high levels of bio-flavonoids with immune supporting properties.
Price: $45.13 (5 percent off MSRP)
Buy the Comvita Manuka Honey UMF 15+ here.
Pros:
- Rated 4.3 out of five stars by purchasers
- Great for soothing sore throats and tummy issues
- Yummy flavor
- Helps to heal cuts, scrapes, eczema and more
Cons:
- Super spendy
- Can have kind of a funny aftertaste
- Container seems scantly filled
- As a health aid, not effective for all users
Find more Comvita Manuka Honey UMF 15+ information and reviews here.
3. Kiva Certified Manuka Honey UMF 15+
(Kiva Health Food)
If you’re looking to enhance your overall health, many swear by the benefits of Kiva manuka honey. The UMF rating means you’re getting real manuka honey that’s been certified to high standards. While this honey may help with healing cuts and abrasions and even pimples, users rave about increased energy, overall wellness and especially a reduction in their problematic digestive issues like reflux and irritable bowel syndrome. With a creamy texture and great taste, you can slather it on your english muffin, but purists prefer it straight from a spoon, letting it melt on their tongue for the full flavor experience. Kiva Certified Manuka Honey UMF 20+ is quite a bit larger investment, but it significantly ups the ante on the antibiotic, anti-fungal and other healing properties found only in manuka honey.
Price: $37.99 (5 percent off MSRP)
Buy the Kiva Certified Manuka Honey UMF 15+ here.
Pros:
- Rated 4.6 out of five stars by purchasers
- Super tasty
- Helps to calm digestive issues
- Heals wounds faster
Cons:
- Costs a pretty penny
- Some users report it has a medicinal taste
- Complaints of scantly filled jars
- Doesn’t generate health effects for every user
Find more Kiva Certified Manuka Honey UMF 15+ information and reviews here.
4. Manuka Health MGO 400+ Manuka Honey
(Manuka Health)
This high grade premium MGO 400+ Manuka Honey from New Zealand is guaranteed to contain minimum of 400mg of methylglyoxal, the naturally occurring compound that is present in high quantities only in authentic manuka honey. Use this honey as a topical treatment for dry skin, drink it in tea to soothe your tummy, or eat it straight from the jar to help boost your immune system. Many users apply this manuka honey topically and claim it fights even difficult to cure skin infections from cystic acne to MRSA. Diabetes patients praise it for helping to heal their foot ulcers. Many other users report it simply makes them “feel better.” Manuka Health MGO 550+ Manuka Honey has even more antibacterial methylglyoxl, which may make it more effective at healing wounds and other infections. If you’re looking for energy and overall health, you can also choose Manuka Health MGO 250+ Manuka Honey and get twice as much honey for just a slight bump in price.
Price: $44.61
Buy the Manuka Health MGO 400+ Manuka Honey here.
Pros:
- Rated 4.5 out of five stars by purchasers
- Works well to help fight skin infections
- Tastes terrific
- High methylglyoxal content
Cons:
- Very spendy
- Not UMF rated
- Flavor profile not a favorite of everyone
- Not effective for every user
Find more Manuka Health MGO 400+ Manuka Honey information and reviews here.
5. Top Rated: Tahi Manuka Honey UMF15+
(Tahi)
This manuka honey is sustainably raised, with plants not subjected to any chemical influence. It is raw, unpasteurized, undamaged and minimally filtered for maximum goodness. The super taste, aroma and thick creaminess comes from the fact that this honey has been crafted with care. It contains high levels of natural pollen and is created by free roaming bees. This honey is a healing wonder and is being used in New Zealand hospitals and vet clinics for wound cleaning and healing. Consumers rave about its effectiveness at healing digestive disorders, from moderate to severe. And while among the more expensive brands we looked at, the company’s commitment to environmental and socially conscious causes made us give it the nod on so many levels. If you need a more budget friendly option, Tahi also produces a UMF12+ honey at about a 35 percent savings over the UMP15+ variety.
To find more of Tahi’s highly rated manuka honey products, browse here.
Price: $69.95
Buy the Tahi Manuka Honey UMF15+ here.
Pros:
- Rated 4.7 out of five stars by users
- Amazon’s Choice
- Healthy and healing
- Produced by a socially conscious company
Cons:
- So expensive
- Not as thick as some other brands
- Sweeter than many
Find more Tahi Manuka Honey UMF15+ information and reviews here.
6. Manuka Honey Bio Active 10+
This cool processed, bio-active manuka honey has all the healing properties of raw honey. When taken internally, the natural enzymes in this honey can help to work effectively against the H-Pylori bacteria that can cause ulcers and other digestive problems. This manuka honey also contains special antibacterial properties that make an especially effective treatment for healing cuts, burns and diabetic ulcers. Using honey on such wounds basically seals the skin, and keeps out moisture and the resulting bacteria, allowing for cleaner healing to occur. Consumers are raving about this affordable honey’s ability to tackle their digestive disorders, and many women utilize it as a face mask to improve acne and hyper-pigmentation issues with lots of success. You can also get this honey in varying strengths from Bio Active 5+ to Bio Active 20+, although with no official UMF rating, it’s hard to know whether it’s worth spending more for the higher numbers.
Price: $26.60 (5 percent off MSRP)
Buy the Manuka Honey Bio Active 10+ here.
Pros:
- Rated 4.6 out of five stars by users
- Among the most affordable of all reviewed
- Helps to calm digestive disorders
- Excellent for use as a face mask
Cons:
- Different texture than other manuka honeys
- A bit of a strange flavor and aftertaste according to some
- May not offer the level of healing of more expensive brands
- No UMF rating
Find more Manuka Honey Bio Active 10+ information and reviews here.
7. Best Buy: Manuka Doctor Bio Active Honey 24+
If you’re looking for a natural energy source, that has tons of other healing, healthy benefits, Manuka Doctor Bio Active Honey could be the right choice for you. First, this manuka honey is the most affordable in our line-up, meaning you could, if desired, take a spoonful everyday without mortgaging your house or selling your kids. We’ve talked extensively about how manuka honey is truly a superfood because of its anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant qualities. The 24+ peroxide activity rating means this honey is a powerful ally in achieving overall health benefits. Now that’s a tasty sort of remedy that isn’t too hard to swallow.
Price: $18.53 (5 percent off MSRP)
Buy the Manuka Doctor Bio Active Honey 24+ here.
Pros:
- Rated 4.5 out of five stars by users
- Most affordable of all products reviewed
- Good supplement for overall well-being
- Super tasty
Cons:
- Not UMF rated
- Not raw honey
- Has an odd scent
- Not very sweet
Find more Manuka Doctor Bio Active Honey 24+ information and reviews here.
8. Happy Valley UMF 15+ Manuka Honey
Happy Valley UMF 15+ New Zealand manuka honey is a deep, rich amber with distinctive undertones of caramel and malt. While it’s delicious to eat, it also contains high levels of the special chemical markers, specific only to true manuka honey. With just one teaspoon a day, it will help with digestion, soothe sore throats and colds, boost your enery, help heal wounds and help to neutralize damaging free radicals. It may also help to stimulate your immune response, which is great for fighting infections of all kinds. This honey’s UMF15+ rating ensures that you’re getting pure manuka honey, and it’s equivalent to a methylglyoxal (MGO) rating of 510+. That’s powerful stuff. Fans of Happy Valley manuka honey speak especially about how it helps to improve their dry skin when taken daily with tea or coffee, relieved eczema symptoms and improved dry scratchy throats and sinuses during allergy season without having to take an over the counter allergy relief medicine. Happy Valley UMF 10+ Manuka Honey is also highly rated for its healing prowess, and is about a third less expensive, and might makes sense if you’re trying manuka honey for the first time.
Price: $42.74 (5 percent off MSRP)
Buy the Happy Valley UMF 15+ Manuka Honey here.
Pros:
- Rated 4.4 out of five stars by users
- Especially effective at helping relieve itchy dry skin
- UMF rated
- Helps to aid digestion
Cons:
- Pretty expensive compared to some
- Tastes different than ordinary honey
- Some shipping and packaging issues reported
Find more Happy Valley UMF 15+ Manuka Honey information and reviews here.
9. Wild Cape UMF 15+ East Cape Manuka Honey
Ethically harvested, Wild Cape UMF 15+ certified Manuka Honey comes from East Cape, North Island, New Zealand, an area world-renowned for producing the most potent manuka honey in the world. Unlike manuka honeys from other regions of New Zealand, which can be more acrid and bitter in flavor, the manuka honey from this region is famed for its mild flavor, while still retaining its health-enhancing properties. With a slightly lighter color and delicious caramel flavor, this honey is prized for its health-enhancing potential. Fans extol the virtues of this honey for its ability to ease sore throat pain and respiratory infections, as well as it quick healing power on cuts and other abrasions. It is also reported to improve the symptoms of acid reflux and and other intestinal and digestive issues.
You can find more East Cape produced manuka honeys here.
Price: $37.90 (5 percent off MSRP)
Buy the Wild Cape UMF 15+ East Cape Manuka Honey here.
Pros:
- Rated 4.4 out of five stars by users
- Sweeter and milder flavored than many manuka honeys
- Amazon’s Choice
- UMF rated
- Moderately priced compared to some
Cons:
- Can have a bitter finish
- Not as thick as some other manuka honeys
- Doesn’t equally benefit every user
- Some consumers object to plastic packaging
Find more Wild Cape UMF 15+ East Cape Manuka Honey information and reviews here.
10. The Power Hitter: Steens Manuka Honey UMF 20+
Steens
This raw, unpasteurized, cold-pressed manuka honey is a power hitter when it comes to high UMF. As you might expect, the price reflects that higher rating, but it might just be worth it if you’re looking for a bit of manuka magic to tackle a particular health problem. Steens manuka honey has never been above the temperature in the hive (and is then left to set naturally.) This minimal processing technique does not denature the amino acids and enzymes. That means this honey has a higher amino acid/protein profile. It’s higher in nutritional content doesn’t compromise the natural enzymes that aid in digestion. You can anticipate this honey to have a thicker, thixotropic texture as the crystals are uneven in size, much like they’d be right from the hive. If you’re into sustainability, Steens manuka honey has a super cool option no other brand offers. On the back of every pot of their honey, you will find a trace code that you can enter into the Steens website and actually see which region your honey has come from. That alone almost makes it worth the extra cost. Users love the fact that it is super strong, and effective at knocking out a sore throat or stomach issues more quickly than lower UMF rated manuka honeys. It’s a great immune booster that lots of people are using on a daily basis for overall health. For the same price, you can get twice as much Steens manuka honey with a UMF 15+ rating and many of the same good healing benefits. Steens even has a UMF 5+ squeeze honey that would be great to keep your little ones healthy and happy.
Price: $119.95
Buy the Steens Manuka Honey UMF 20+ here.
Pros:
- Rated 4.6 out of five stars by users
- Powerhouse UMF properties
- Good for quickly healing cuts and burns
- Tastes seriously good
Cons:
- Incredibly spendy
- Packaging is unimpressive for the price
Find more Steens Manuka Honey UMF 20+ information and reviews here.