Manuka Health's Honey Has Good Morning America Buzzing
NEW YORK (PRWEB) August 09, 2018 -- There’s no denying that the world is buzzing about New Zealand’s Manuka honey and its incredible healing properties: international demand is so high, it is currently outpacing supply. But as brands rush to meet demand, not all are as sweet as they seem, according to a recent in-depth report conducted by Good Morning America that aims to investigate five of the most popular brands (including Manuka Health New Zealand) currently on the market in the United States.
For its test, “GMA” Investigates purchased the same five brands of Manuka honey in four separate regional markets, and sent samples of each to two international laboratories for industry standard authentication tests. These tests were designed to measure each honey’s “MGO” levels. Unlike your more common “GMO” labeling, “MGO” is actually a good thing — MGO or methylglyoxal is a naturally occurring compound in Manuka honey that gives it its special properties. James Gawenis, Chief Chemist of Sweetwater Science Labs explains, “if it doesn’t have the MGO value, you might as well be buying sweet clover honey for less than a tenth the price.”
What “GMA” Investigates found it its research was eye-opening:
Of the five total sampled brands, just two of the five met industry standards for MGO levels, and one of the two verified brands told “GMA” Investigates that it plans to discontinue its current supplier when stores run out. This means that of all the brands sampled, only Manuka Health New Zealand has passed.
This commitment to the highest quality is the core of Manuka Health’s brand. Manuka Health recommends that consumers look for three important qualities when evaluating different brands of Manuka honey:
1. Make sure every jar of Manuka honey is actually from New Zealand.
Some jars of honey claim to be NZ Manuka honey has been potted overseas — look for pots of honey that are marked to be processed and potted in New Zealand.
2. Make sure there is a transparent rating system on your label that grades the potency of your honey.
The two leading rating systems are MGO (by Manuka Health New Zealand) that measures methylglyoxal and UMF — an independant rating system that also incorporates MGO as one of its measures; Manuka Health is also a member of the UMF Honey Association. The higher the MGO, the higher the MGO potency.
3. Buy from a brand that keeps control of the honey from the beekeeper to the jar.
There are few companies that harvest honey, extract honey, process, filter, and thoroughly test the honey throughout the process — look for brands that have integrity in their supply chain.
Manuka Health works hard to make sure that every jar of its Manuka honey passes these three important tests through its state-of-the-art honey facilities and a team of experts based in New Zealand.
Manuka Health’s Kate Kember explains:
“New Zealand’s Manuka honey is a rare and special, premium product which can only be produced by bees collecting the nectar of the flowers of the Manuka tree, which is native to New Zealand. So rare in fact, the bees produce the honey during a six-week flowering window of the year. Manuka Health have a team of experts from the beekeepers, to the honey technicians, to the quality team who are all carefully nurturing our Manuka honey to the pot our consumers trust. It’s great to see that interest in Manuka honey and its properties continues to grow in America; as pointed out in the Good Morning America item, ensuring consumers are getting the real deal is critical.”
Additional Links:
Original “GMA” Investigates Segment
The Edge Podcast with Mark Thompson Investigative Special Episode on Manuka Honey
More About Manuka Health New Zealand:
Manuka Health New Zealand was founded in 2006 in Te Awamutu and has grown to become a leading natural healthcare company. With over $100 million in sales, the majority of Manuka Health’s products are exported to 45 countries (holding #1 position in 22 of these markets) and includes core markets of North America, China, Germany, Japan, Australia, and the Middle East.
Manuka Health has been a leader in the Manuka honey industry over the past decade, bringing high quality premium New Zealand Manuka honey to consumers around the world, pioneering Methylglyoxal (MGO) as a significant compound in Manuka honey and building strong science credentials behind the brand. Manuka Health produces high quality Manuka honey and other bee-related products–Manuka honey, New Zealand floral honeys, Propolis, Royal Jelly, Wound Care, Skincare and natural wellness products.
http://www.manukahealth.co.nz
Torrie Miraldi, Phantom, http://www.phantomfirm.com, +1 530-913-3546, [email protected]
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