Manuka Honey Rating System - What does UMF + 10 mean?

UMF is a rating system that measures the antibacterial potency of Manuka Honey. UMF is a registered trademark of the New Zealand bases Active Manuka Honey Association. UMF is an acronym for Unique Manuka Factor, the antibacterial properties in active Manuka honey which are responsible for naturally destroying bacteria. All types of honey are known for their hydrogen peroxide activity which is also responsible for antibacterial properties. But the non-peroxide activity found in active Manuka honey is many times more potent. Furthermore is it resistant when exposed to heat and light and has a synergistic antibacterial effect with the hydrogen peroxide activity in Manuka Honey.

Certified active UMF Manuka Honey is tested and rated for its antibacterial potency. The higher the UMF rating, the higher the antibacterial activity. The minimum qualification for using the name UMF® and to be suitable for treating infections is a UMF 10+ rating. It doesn't seem to be that the higher the rating the better the honey.

Manuka honey with a rating of 10+ already is a highly active honey. According to Elaine Kleiner from Manuka Honey USA having a 12, 14 or 16+ honey doesn't make that much of a difference. Because some people have experienced sensitivity like burning or stinging sensations to Manuka honey with a high UMF rating of 20-30 the optimal rating for therapeutic use is between 10 and 18. Others say the best results for medicinal use are gained with a UMF factor of 16+ to 18+.

UMF ratings vary every year. This year's rating of UMF 19.8 is the highest rating ever in 10 years!


Many manufacturers of so called Manuka honey products put the term 'Active' on their labels. But this is no guarantee. Emblematic for the confusion that has been created the last years is the fact that the best selling Manuka honeys on Amazon are not UMF certified. If you buy Manuka honey be sure it says UMF on the label and the product has a rating of UMF® 10 or more to be assured of the quality standards it is required.

Manuka Honey for Wound Care

People from all over the world have reported amazing results from the continual use of active Manuka honey with many calling it a wonder treatment that restores health and combats various medical disorders. Manuka honey is basically used for 2 main reasons: gastro intestinal such as acid reflux, heartburn as well as for external wound care for burns, wounds, ulcers, sores and surgical scars.

Wounds treated with active Manuka honey heal where other treatments fail
This unique natural product is now being offered as a viable alternative to over-prescribed antibiotics and other conventional forms of medicine. It's catching on very rapidly in conventional medicine. Medical practitioners are using it widely because it's working where antibiotics are no longer working and it's making wounds heal that aren't healing even when you clear the infection off and the wound isn't healing. About 50% of the bacteria are becoming so widely resistant against antibiotics but with Manuka honey there is no resistance at all.

The world renowned Dr. Molan from the Waikato University Honey Research Unit New Zealand:

"We haven't found any species of micro organism that isn't killed by Manuka honey"

"Because of its very broad range of activity you don't need to identify what species of bacterium is causing the infection because Manuka honey will always work."

"I think hospitals ought to be using Manuka honey to prevent infections like MRSA. So if anybody has surgery they should have Manuka honey wound dressings put on the wound and then they won't get infected in the first place with those bacteria."

Because honey is a natural product (and can contain e.g. remains of botulism) it is strongly recommended to use medical grade honey which is sterilized by gamma irradiation on serious wounds. The Comvita company, owner of the Medihoney brand, offers FDA approved sterile honey products for wound care.

Medihoney Used to Prevent Amputation of Patient's Leg

Another example of Manuka honey saving lifes
A patient with a non-healing wound with an extremely rare fungal infection who appeared to be heading towards a lower extremity amputation (LEA) was saved by the interference of Medihoney products.

Medihoney wound care products are produced by global leader in medical honey products Comvita.

Mary Brennan, clinical nurse specialist for wounds said : "Medihoney helped to turn this wound around for him and allowed us back on track for healing. We had used other therapies, but this was the product that made the difference in a very short time."

Medihoney wound dressings and other products contain active Manuka honey from New Zealand and Australia. Manuka honey has shown to possess unique qualities, ideal for acute and chronic wound and burn management.

Visit the Reuters website for a full press release article.

Where to Buy Active Manuka Honey

Manuka honey is active when it has an UMF rating of at least 10+. (or MGO of minimal 100) In fact it's a little more complicated but if you want to buy active Manuka honey with the non peroxide traits that has health benefits this is roughly where you should look at.

UMF® is the registered trademark of the Active Manuka Honey Association (AMHA). The UMF rating is the number on the label. The higher the number, the greater the UMF test result and corresponding antimicrobial, therapeutic and healing qualities.

Manuka Honey Health Benefits

Do you know about the extraordinary health benefits of Manuka honey? My gut feeling says many people don't know about this very special product.

Manuka honey taken out of the assortment
A few weeks ago me and a friend were in a shop which has multiple stores all over our country (the Netherlands) when we saw UMF 10+ Manuka honey from the Medibee brand on the shelves. The shop owner told us that the two jars we bought were the last ones because the firm has taken them out of the assortment! There was not enough demand for this product was the answer of the lady of the store to our astounded reaction.

That's why I think the big public has yet to discover this great natural product with very effective medicinal properties.

Manuka honey has been effective where antibiotics failed and is even known to cure the superbug MRSA! Due to unhealthy side effects, antibiotics can only be used for a short time but active Manuka honey can be used for long term treatment. It can be used safely and without side effects. It sterilizes open wounds, speeds up the healing process creating less scar tissue, has anti-inflammatory effects and an antibacterial level 4 times greater than standard antiseptics.


A summary of Manuka honey's proven health benefits, Manuka is known to treat:

* wounds
* ulcers
* stomach ulcers
* burns
* sore throat
* cracked lips
* rashes
* herpes
* cold and flu symptoms
* eye and throat infections
* ringworm
* relieves eczema and skin irritations
* kills antibiotic resistant infections
* destroys the stomach ulcer bacteria helicobacter pylori


On this page you can read a few amazing Manuka honey testimonials

Manuka Honey | the Healing Honey of the Tea Tree

Captain James Cook (1728 – 1779) discovered and explored New Zealand in the year 1769. It was then he got aware of the Manuka bush. Because of its resemblance to tea bushes he already knew, and because the Maori people brew a medicinal tea from the Manuka tree leaves, Cook referred to it as the tea tree. This name is still used today besides the scientific name which is; Leptospermum scoparium. There are three species of the Manuka bush and a variety of cultivars are often found in gardens.

Captain Cook wrote about this plant in his book: 'A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World'
"the leaves were used by many of us as a tea which has a very agreeable bitter taste and flavour when they are recent but loses some of both when they are dried. When the infusion was made strong it proved emetic (induced vomiting) to some in the same manner as ‘green tea’"

Since earliest times in New Zealand, the Maori people have used the Manuka plant as part of their traditional medicine. Various parts of the plant are used to treat burns, wounds, skin disorders, colds, fevers and digestive ailments.

"This Healing Honey of the Tea Tree" possesses strong antimicrobial properties and powerful antibacterial agents.

What is Manuka Honey?

Active Manuka honey comes from certain parts of New Zealand from bees who feed on the Manuka tree or bush. Leptospermum Scoparium is the Latin name for this bush but the Maori called it Manuka.

This unique natural product is known for its extraordinary and powerful health benefits. Manuka honey has and antimicrobial and antibacterial activities which no other type of food in the world has. The Maori have used the Manuka plant with its delicate white-purple flowers for ages as a medicine.

Normal honey is known for its possession of hydrogen peroxide. Genuine Manuka honey differs from normal honey because of the additional existence of non-peroxide antibacterial activity. This additional activity is called the UMF factor. Meaning the Unique Manuka Factor.

Not only has Manuka honey healing properties that can't be found in other honeys but clinical trials show Manuka honey is more effective than conventional medications and is used effectively for treating all kinds of complaints.

Manuka Honey Terms Explained

Terms related to Manuka honey explained.


Hydrogen peroxide
a natural antibacterial property found in all types of honey.

Glucose oxidase
an enzyme bees add to the nectar after they have gathered the nectar from flowers and have taken it back to their hive.

Peroxide activity
the antibacterial action that realizes the enzyme slowly releases the hydrogen peroxide at sufficient levels to kill bacteria but not damage tissue. Peroxide activity is triggered when honey comes into contact with moisture in the body.
peroxide activity is very easily destroyed by dilution, heat and light.

UMF
Unique Manuka Factor. About 20 years ago Dr. Pete Molan discovered that honey harvested from the Manuka tree contains a different antibacterial component which cannot be found in other honeys.
UMF is a rating system measuring the actual antibacterial activity of each batch of honey, tested against Staphylococcus Aureus, the species of bacteria that is the most common cause of wound infections.

Non peroxide activity
This unique non peroxide activity found in Manuka honey is stable and doesn’t lose its potency or effectiveness when exposed to dilution, light or heat.

MGO
methylglyoxal. according to prof. Henle this is the compound responsible for the antibacterial properties of Manuka honey. Prof. Molan says the MGO level is not a good indicator of honey’s antibacterial activity

DHA
dihydroxyacetone is present in young honeys shortly after bees deposit it in the comb. As the honey ripens, the DHA converts to MGO, the component which gives Manuka honey its antibacterial activity.