The Phytochemical Potency Of Manuka Honey

By Author: manukahoney12
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Phytochemical properties pertain to the natural, bioactive, chemical compounds found in plants that are considered to be beneficial to human health. The Manuka plant (Leptospermum scoparium) contains compounds not found in any other plant which make it an extremely valuable commodity.

Honey is derived from the nectar of flowers. The floral nectar component could change certain qualities of honey, such as the color, texture, flavor and medicinal properties. Manuka honey from New Zealand is the only honey in the world that is tested for its phytochemical potency. Not all Manuka honey has bioactive qualities. Since Manuka honey is produced by bees and not in a laboratory, its phytochemical potency varies from batch to batch.

Since Manuka honey is used for medical purposes, it is important to determine which batches are active. In New Zealand, where Manuka honey is harvested, there are several rating systems that exist. The industry standard is the UMF rating system which measures the potency on a scale from 0 through 30. Manuka honey with a UMF rating between 0 and 9 is inactive and should not be used for ...
... medical use because it will not provide the same healing benefits that most people have come to expect. Manuka Honey UMF 10 and higher is active and suitable for medicinal use.

It is not necessary to use Manuka honey with an extraordinarily high UMF potency. In fact, a medium range is desirable for most applications. It is natural to assume that a Manuka Honey UMF 20 or 25 will work faster or be more effective. However, this is simply not the case. Laboratory studies have revealed that Manuka Honey UMF 10 is effective in eradicating the MRSA bacterium, and that is the most resilient bacteria on earth. There is nothing that a high active Manuka honey can do that a UMF 10 cannot.

The Manuka flower is only in bloom for about 6 weeks per season. Therefore, bee farmers in New Zealand only have a short window of opportunity to gather Manuka honey. Most of the Manuka honey that is produced is inactive. Manuka Honey UMF 10 is more abundant than the higher potencies but is more cost effective. Since UMF 10 is still an active, medical-grade potency, using an extra potent honey could be a waste of money. There have also been reports of people experiencing negative effects when using Manuka honey that is overly potent. Manuka honey with potency higher than UMF 16 is completely overkill.

Don’t be confused about the different types of rating systems that are available. Just as long as the Manuka honey you use has been laboratory tested, it’s not as important as to which rating system is used. Even though UMF is the industry standard for measuring the phytochemical potency of Manuka honey, others include MGO, Molan Gold Standard, etc. If Manuka honey is not laboratory tested for its potency, there is no way of knowing that it contains the healing properties necessary for therapeutic use.For more information or to purchase active Manuka honey, please call 1-866-427-7329 or visit www.HoneymarkProducts.com.

nna is a writer who writes number of articles on manuka honey cream. In this article she has written about best manuka honey.