How to Choose Your Honey

So it’s important to know what to look for on the label.

All pure monofloral Mānuka Honeys come in varying degrees of strength. Different brands use different grading systems to highlight the strength. UMF and MGO/MG are the most commonly used grading systems and the most trusted.

If a honey doesn’t have a rating then generally it’s considered a Mānuka Honey Blend or Multifloral Mānuka Honey - these delicious pots of honey still contain Mānuka Honey but they contain lower levels of Mānuka Honey than those with a UMF/MGO rating. Mānuka Honey Blends or Multifloral Mānuka Honey are generally cheaper and contain honey from the nectar of many flowers, or have been blended with other types of honey.

Here’s how the UMF and MGO/MG ratings line up:

UMF and MGO Ratings

All pure monofloral Manuka Honeys come in varying degrees of strength. Different brands use different grading systems to highlight the strength or bioactivity. UMF and MGO are the most commonly used grading systems and the most trusted.

UMF & MGO comparison table of Manuka honey grading

MGO mg/kg	UMF Rating
MGO (Methylgloxal) is one of the chemical markers found in Manuka Honey	As part of the quality process, independent testing measures four key signature markers - MGO, Leptosperin, HMF and DHA
MGO 80	UMF 5+
MGO 260	UMF 10+
MGO 510	UMF 15+
MGO 690	UMF 18+
MGO 830	UMF 20+
MGO 1200	UMF 25+
MGO 1620	UMF 30+