What Does Mānuka Honey UMF 20+ Actually Mean? Understanding the Benefits of High-Grade Mānuka Honey
You've probably heard that high-grade Mānuka Honey is particularly good for you, but choosing the right Mānuka honey brand can be confusing! With different rating systems, strengths and price points on the shelves, it is easy to feel overwhelmed.
If you are interested in understanding exactly what UMF™ and MGO ratings mean, read our guide to Mānuka honey ratings. It explains how the ratings work, what they measure and why they matter.
For this article, we are going to skip the technical details and get straight to the question many people really want answered: what makes UMF™ 20+ Mānuka honey worth choosing?
As a general rule, Mānuka honey with a higher UMF™ or MGO rating indicates a higher concentration of the compounds used to measure Mānuka honey potency. That means UMF™ 20+ sits towards the higher end of the Mānuka honey scale, with a minimum MGO level of 826 mg/kg. But what does that mean in practical terms, and why might you choose a higher-grade Mānuka honey?
Why choose a higher-grade Mānuka honey?
Not all Mānuka honey is the same. The concentration of naturally occurring compounds can vary considerably between batches, which is reflected in the honey's UMF™ or MGO rating.
A higher rating generally means a higher concentration of MGO, one of the compounds that makes Mānuka honey particularly interesting from a health and wellness perspective. That higher concentration is one reason people choose high-grade Mānuka honey for more targeted uses, rather than simply using it as an everyday sweetener.
Research has investigated MGO and other components of Mānuka honey for their biological activity, particularly their antimicrobial properties. The important point is that UMF™ 20+ gives you a higher concentration of these naturally occurring Mānuka compounds than lower-rated honey. It is not simply a marketing label, or a measure of sweetness. Rather than judging a Mānuka honey brand's quality by price, colour or packaging, you can use the UMF™ rating as an independently tested, scientific measure of the honey's potency and quality.
Mānuka honey for everyday wellness
The Mānuka tree has been used in Rongoā remedies (traditional Māori medicine) for generations. After bees pollinate the Mānuka tree, pure Mānuka honey has been found to have properties that are anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant, supporting immunity, external wound care, and internal health.
The good news is, you do not need to wait until you are unwell to enjoy Mānuka honey. Many people incorporate it into their everyday wellness routines, using a spoonful on its own, adding it to food or drinks, or simply enjoying its rich, distinctive flavour.
A higher-grade honey such as UMF™ 20+ can be a particularly appealing choice when you want to make the most of Mānuka honey's naturally occurring compounds.
How to use UMF™ 20+ Mānuka honey
One of the simplest ways to enjoy high-grade Mānuka honey is straight from the spoon as part of your daily routine. Its naturally rich, complex flavour means you do not need to do anything to it.
More of our favourite ways to use Mānuka honey are:
- Stir it into warm drinks such as tea, cocoa or lemon water.
- Drizzle it over yoghurt, porridge, cakes or fruit.
- Add it to smoothies for a naturally sweet antioxidant boost.
- Use it as a naturally sweet addition to breakfast or lunch on toast or sandwiches.
- Replace sugar in baking with honey.
Customers tell us they often use Mānuka honey topically on their skin too, to utilise its antibacterial and antiseptic qualities for support during healing.
If you are using Mānuka honey specifically because of its higher MGO content, it makes sense to choose a product where the rating is independently verified. This is where the UMF™ certification system can be useful.
Is UMF™ 20+ better than lower-rated Mānuka honey?
Not necessarily better, but it is more potent.
The right grade depends on what you want from your honey.
If you are looking for an everyday honey for food and drinks, a lower UMF™ rating may be all you need. If you specifically want a high-potency Mānuka honey with a higher concentration of MGO, UMF™ 20+ is a logical choice.
In other words, you are not necessarily paying for "better honey". You are paying for a higher concentration of the compounds that give Mānuka honey its distinctive properties.
The benefits of choosing UMF™ 20+ at a glance
If you are deciding whether UMF™ 20+ Mānuka honey is right for you, the main reasons to choose it are simple:
Higher MGO concentration: UMF™ 20+ contains at least 826 mg/kg of MGO, giving it a higher measured potency than lower UMF™ grades.
Naturally occurring Mānuka compounds: You are getting a concentrated source of naturally occurring compounds found in Mānuka honey, including MGO.
Independent quality assurance: UMF™ certification assesses more than MGO alone, providing additional assurance around your Mānuka honey's authenticity, freshness and shelf life.
A premium New Zealand product: Genuine New Zealand Mānuka honey is produced from bees foraging on mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium), a plant native to Aotearoa New Zealand.
For Tai Tokerau Honey, we are proud to produce Mānuka honey here in the Far North of Aotearoa New Zealand. Our UMF™ 20+ Mānuka Honey is made for people looking for a high-grade Mānuka honey with a naturally high concentration of MGO.
So when you see UMF™ 20+, think of it as more than just a number on the label
A UMF rating is a clear indication that you are choosing a high-potency Mānuka honey, backed by the additional quality checks of the UMF™ system.
