There are many differences between local/supermarket honey and Manuka honey and in this blog it will outline the main things you need to know so you can get an accurate understanding of how New Zealand’s Melora Manuka honey is a far better option to purchase, especially if you want more health benefits instead of just pleasing your taste buds.
You will be provided plenty of information on how to compare the two items and the main differences between them, you will learn all about how to spot the differences visually, how to spot a legitimate product differences in ingredients and origin.
Manuka Honey Is Packed With Vitamins And Minerals
One of the main things to talk about is breaking down just how much natural nutrition that Manuka has compared to local honey, Manuka is packed with all kinds of vitamins and minerals which include things like essential B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper and potassium, this makes Manuka a great energy source for those who take part in sports or heavy exercise such as Cycling, running, weightlifting and more.
B Vitamins
First on the list to look at is the B vitamins, these vitamins play an important role in releasing the energy from carbohydrates, fats and proteins that we consume on a daily basis from our diets and they also help to form red blood cells in the body which are an important function for sports in general as it helps to combat fatigue.
Calcium
Next we can see that Calcium is also contained in Manuka, this mineral helps to build stronger bones and is vastly important to keep teeth healthy, it is also required for your heart, muscles and nerves to function properly.
Zinc
The next thing on the list is Zinc which is an essential requirement for the human body to function correctly, Zinc plays an important role in things like skin health, immune function and cell growth and may offer protection against acne, inflammation and other conditions.
Copper
Copper is the next mineral on our list and we can see that Copper helps the body to form collagen and is also used in energy production for the body, collagen is very important as an anti-aging protein that helps to reduce wrinkles and skin dryness.
Potassium
Last but not least, we can see that Potassium is another mineral that is found in Manuka, this mineral is essential to the human body as it is an electrolyte which helps both your nerves to function and also your muscles to contract, it also helps to maintain a regular heart rate and can even be beneficial for blood pressure issues.
Overall, we can see that Manuka contains many different vitamins and minerals and can aid and assist athletes who want to support the amount of nutrition that they are getting every day from their diets, Manuka is nutrient dense and also has a bitter sweet taste so it is very quick and easy to consume in the morning time.
The Difference Between Supermarket Honey & Manuka Honey
Supermarket honey is often used as an alternative to sugar and can be spread on toast or stirred into a cup of tea on a morning time, it has a golden colouring, thick texture and is more syrupy like in consistency, Manuka is typically consumed for medicinal purposes as it brings more health benefits, some of these include help treat infections, helping to heal burns and other wounds and it can even help with gum disease.
The main difference between these two types of honey is the extracted source, a supermarket honey is made from clover, sunflowers, buckwheat and any kind of plant that bees collect nectar from, Manuka honey is made from a single plant which is known as Leptospermum scoparium which has a white or sometimes pink appearance to it and is native to New Zealand. Manuka honey is always made from the nectar of this plant which needs to be taken into consideration when you view the price tag and also note down the origin of the honey, this is a great indicator to see the quality of the product you are purchasing. Supermarket honey is from different countries. The country of origin is not always stated on the label. Supermarket honey usually states from EU and non EU origin, most non EU usually originates from China.
UMF Manuka Honey
The most important label to look out for the UMF rating which stands for Unique Mānuka Factor, this is basically a grading system to measure how potent the honey you are purchasing is, you want to take a look and find a product that has a UMF rating of 10 or higher which is a signal that the honey has the minimum level of natural antibacterial compounds.
UMF also ensures that the Manuka honey is audited and checked by a third party before being exported.
MGO Manuka Honey
Manuka honey is different than local honey because it contains MGO which stands for Methylglyoxal which gives the honey its anti-microbial activity, taking an anti-microbial is a great way to kill off the bad bacteria that reside in your gut, it has also just been found out that Manuka may be an effective prebiotic and can stimulate growth of good bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium which are bacteria designed to help fight things like infections, diarrhoea, skin disorders and eczema.
We can also see that Manuka honey has a little less sugar so is generally a little bit healthier to consume on a regular basis, with less sugar it is also a good way to avoid the dreaded sugar crash that can happen after you consume too much processed sugar, we can see other health benefits with Manuka such as the fact that it is rich in skin friendly anti-oxidants which helps you get clearer skin.
Some companies use MGO to measure the strength of the Manuka. Here at Melora, we use both UMF and MGO, as UMF is audited.
Manuka Honey Has So Many Health Benefits
The main difference we see with Manuka vs. Local honey is simply the fact that Manuka has so many scientifically studied health benefits compared to the honey you find at the supermarket.
Price difference and availability are one of the many reasons that people simply haven’t had the chance to consume Manuka yet, due to the extraction process and limited availability the product can be hard to find in all shops. Manuka is scarce, which means a much higher price tag than other honeys, I suspect due to new research being available all the time about what food items provide a health boost that we will see many trying out brand new items, there are so many people who are researching gut health online these days as we see just how important it is to top up your good gut bacteria.
Maintaining Your Health With Manuka Honey
Manuka is an investment in your overall health and well being rather than something that just tastes good, Manuka is a special product with many natural benefits.
Enjoy Melora Manuka Honey and benefit from the excellent quality in both taste and benefits. Reach out to Melora today to get your first jar.