Manuka Honey

Bees gather manuka honey from the nectar of flowers of the manuka bush, a nz native plant. This bush grows wild in undeveloped, unspoilt and regenerating land, common throughout the country.

Umf is the name of a very beneficial anti-bacterial property found in some strains of manuka honey. Umf has been found (in laboratory studies) to be effective against a wide range of bacteria including the very resistant helicobacter pylori (which causes most stomach ulcers) and the wound-infecting staphylococcus aureus. When applied topically, it assists the natural healing of skin ulcers, boils, wounds, burns, cracked skin and mrsa.

Umf (unique manuka factor) indicates the honey has a high and measurable antibacterial component, which gives this honey special healing properties. Only some strains of manuka honey contain this extra anti-bacterial property which is very stable and not easily destroyed by heat or light.

Manuka honey with umf is gathered from the manuka flowers only in a few places in nz, because umf is not in the nectar of all manuka flowers. The reason for this is not yet known, research is continuing to try to discover whether there are certain strains of plant, or whether it is soil or climatic variations that create the umf.