You’re seeing the phrase “manuka honey” everywhere, from eye shadows to ice cream. So just what does it mean?

Manuka is a flowering plant native to New Zealand. Leptospermum scoparium is the official name of the plant. The plant is a shrub or small tree, and its flowers are very appealing to bees.

So “manuka honey” means honey made by bees from the nectar they gather from the manuka plant, just as “clover honey” means honey made from bees who get their nectar from clover.

There is a big difference, though. In the United States, it is impossible to say just where bees are getting the nectar they bring to the hive. There are no locations on the U.S. mainland from which a bee can’t go outside the farm where it’s raised and access other flowers. This is why the USDA doesn’t certify honey as organic. American honey labeled “organic” may mean that the beekeepers don’t use pesticides on their farm or put chemicals in the bees’ hives. But bees are wild animals, and it is simply impossible to say that a given bee has not found some other flowers on its travels in the United States.

New Zealand is an island country, with two main islands and a number of small ones. Bees may be able to fly, but they can’t fly across the ocean. It can be determined with confidence that a New Zealand bee has in fact been restricted to native flowers.

Manuka honey is certified by the Unique Manuka Factor Association (UMF), and tested by companies such as New Zealand Laboratory Services Ltd, a NZ Government accredited facility. Certification includes

• Independent Facility Audits
• Independent Label Claim Audit
• Independent Commissioner
• Independent Product Traceability
• Internationally Recognized Testing and Verification
• Internationally Recognized Natural & Unadulterated Testing

Koru Naturals certified Manuka honeys offer the full benefits of UMF New Zealand Manuka Honey. Our Manuka Honey Skin Care and Manuka Oil are equally reliable.

Image from Wikimedia Commons