Know Your Honey
Getting to know real honey is complicated- we'll try to answer your questions here
How to choose Manuka honey
First things first, you should find out if your Manuka honey is what it says it is – there are a lot of fakes out there.
Which Manuka honey is best?
The best Manuka honey will be both genuine and strong. Now you know how to distinguish a dud Manuka honey from a genuine product, the next thing you want to look at is the MGO strength.
How can I be sure I’m buying genuine Manuka honey?
At Golden Treasures we’ve always insisted on seeing documentation. The New Zealand government has now brought in more strict legislation around Manuka honey and how it’s labelled, and all Manuka honey exported from New Zealand must now be laboratory-tested to prove it’s authentic.
What are the Manuka honey grades?
​Manuka honey is usually graded by MGO, UMF, or NPA. All of these grading systems are ways to demonstrate the antibacterial properties, quality and potency of each batch of Manuka Honey, so you know exactly what you’re buying.
​What is MGO in Manuka honey?
MGO, or methylgloxal, is the magic ingredient in Manuka honey, with well-documented antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. All natural honey has some antibacterial effects, but scientists have discovered that Manuka’s effects are much more potent, thanks to MGO. The antibacterial properties of honey are provided by hydrogen peroxide. In normal table honey, the hydrogen peroxide activity breaks down, meaning the anti-bacterial benefits are lost. But in Manuka honey, thanks to MGO, the antibacterial properties remain even after the hydrogen peroxide has disappeared. Manuka honey comes in a range of MGO ratings. The higher the number on the label, the better the health benefits and anti-bacterial properties are.
MGO vs UMF vs NPA
Each rating differs slightly but what they are measuring is largely the same, which is why they are often interchangeable on labels, e.g. a 140 MGO Manuka honey would have a 6+ UMF.
What MGO rating should I choose?
At Golden Treasures, we’ve simplified the Manuka honey that we sell. This means you will only see MGO ratings on our labels and not UMF or NPA. If you’ve previously bought UMF or NPA-rated Manuka honey, then here is a simple chart that shows you the corresponding MGO level.
MGO to UMF/NPA comparison table
MGO Level UMF number / NPA grade 85 MGO 5+
140 MGO 6+
240 MGO 8+
300 MGO 10+
525 MGO 15+
850 MGO 20+