what is Australian Manuka honey

Manuka honey is produced by bees that pollinate the manuka bush, which is native to New Zealand but also grows in Australia. Compared to the yellow-ish forms you may have seen on supermarket shelves, manuka honey is dark-hued and seen to be one of the most beneficial and antibacterial forms of honey in the world. Lucky for us, the bees down under are some busy bees.

What is a UMF rating on manuka honey packaging? 

Evidently, manuka honey is so special, it gets its own acronym: UMF (Unique Manuka Factor). This is basically a trademark that only licensed beekeepers and producers of genuine manuka honey can obtain. If you’ve ever seen a jar in your health foods store, you’ll have noticed the UMF trademark, as well as a number next to it (think: UMF 25+). There’s also a similar grading system referred to as MGO – this measures the potency of manuka honey’s antibacterial properties. Much like your SPF, the higher the UMF (or MGO) the better! The number refers to the level of unique signature compounds present in the honey, which determines its quality.