Best Manuka Honey – New Zealand

Category: Organic Honey Manuka

  • Organic Raw Honey A Comprehensive Guide to the Best Brands

    Organic Raw Honey A Comprehensive Guide to the Best Brands

    Table of Contents

    Introduction

    When it comes to finding the best organic raw honey, knowing where to look and what to look for is essential. Not all honey is created equal, and understanding the technical details, such as water content, natural sugars, and pollen, can help you identify the highest quality products.

    At Dash of Butter, we want to make your search for the best honey brands easier. We’ve compiled a list of the top 11 organic honey brands that you can purchase. But before we dive into the brands, let’s take a closer look at the benefits of organic raw honey and what to consider when buying it.

    The Benefits of Organic Raw Honey

    Organic raw honey is a naturally occurring sweetener that has been used for centuries for various purposes. It has a lower glycemic index (GI) value than sugar, meaning it doesn’t raise your blood sugar levels as quickly. This makes it a healthier alternative to sugar. However, it’s important to note that honey does contain more calories than sugar.

    There are various types of honey available, including Alfafa, Clover, Buckwheat, Orange Blossom, Tulip Poplar, Sage, Wildflower, and Tupelo. The quality of honey depends on which flowers contribute to the formation of nectar, as this determines its nutritional value. Honey can be mono-floral or multi-floral, depending on the flowers involved.

    What to Consider When Buying Organic Raw Honey

    When searching for the best organic raw honey, there are a few factors to consider:

    1. Filtering Process: While some filtering is necessary to remove impurities, excessive filtering can remove beneficial components. Look for honey that is minimally filtered or unfiltered.
    2. Pure and Organic: Ensure that the honey you choose is free from additives, chemicals, and antibiotics. Organic honey is a good choice as it is produced without the use of synthetic pesticides or chemicals.
    3. Taste and Floral Composition: The taste of honey can vary depending on the flowers involved in the nectar formation. Choose a brand that offers the taste and floral composition you prefer.

    With these factors in mind, let’s explore the top 11 organic honey brands for Manuka honey lovers.

    1. Brightland’s The Couplet California Honey

    Key Features:
    – Raw unfiltered honey.
    – Traditional beekeeping process.
    – Rich in vitamins and antioxidants.
    – Thick consistency.

    Brightland’s The Couplet California Honey is made from wild Hawaiian sources, including hibiscus, eucalyptus, coffee trees, papaya trees, passion flowers, and guava flowers. It offers a clean citrus finish and a velvety smooth texture, making it one of the best honey brands available.

    This honey can be used in various ways, whether you want to add a pinch of floral aroma to your morning tea or enjoy it with breakfast cereal. It’s not only delicious but also energizing and can even help with weight loss.

    2. Zach & Zoe Wildflower Pure Raw Unfiltered Honey

    Key Features:
    – Unheated and unfiltered.
    – Indefinite shelf life.
    – Organic beekeeping process.
    – Contains more antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

    Zach & Zoe Wildflower Pure Raw Unfiltered Honey is 100% pure honey extracted from raw honeycombs and honeybees. It is made by local beekeepers using a healthy and organic beekeeping process. The honey is gathered from a mixture of alfalfa flowers and clover in Utah, resulting in a tasty and organic product.

    This honey retains pollens and natural enzymes as it is never filtered or heated. It offers a delicious taste and can be added to daily recipes for a natural and nutritious sweetener.

    3. Ys Eco Bee Farms Honey

    Key Features:
    – Cleansing properties for curing acne.
    – Crystallized honey is a great alternative for spreads.
    – Affordable.
    – U.S Grade A.

    Ys Eco Bee Farms Honey is unfiltered and contains preserved enzymes that provide several health benefits. It is served in its smooth, crystalline form, making it ideal for spreading on slices of bread and pastries. The honey is sourced from organic bee farms that ensure no chemicals find their way into the beehives.

    This affordable and healthy choice is perfect for adding a healthy twist to your morning beverage or using as a natural sweetener in various recipes.

    4. Crockett Wildflower Honey

    Key Features:
    – Abundant flavonoids and phenolic acid.
    – Adds a delicious kick to recipes.
    – Sustainably sourced.
    – 100% wild and raw.

    Crockett Wildflower Honey is sourced from the Sonoran desert, which is home to a versatile floral variety. The honey is made from plants such as Saw Palmetto, White Holly, Cactus, Mesquite, Cat Claw, Gal berry, and Palo Verde, resulting in a unique flavor and numerous health benefits.

    This raw and wild honey is available in a 48-ounce container and offers a rich flavor and high nutritional value, making it a worthy purchase.

    5. Go Raw Honey

    Key Features:
    – Natural crystallization process.
    – Free of sugar.
    – Supports sustainable beekeeping.
    – No extra water added.

    Go Raw Honey is made from pure honey bee nectar from clover plants. It is known for its high antioxidant and bioactive compound content. This honey has a mild taste and a light hue, making it a delightful addition to various beverages.

    By purchasing Go Raw Honey, you’re not only enjoying a delicious sweetener but also supporting sustainable beekeeping practices. The honey is sourced from family-run bee farms in the USA, ensuring high quality and authenticity.

    6. Nature Nate’s 100% Pure Raw Unfiltered Honey

    Key Features:
    – Reduced mechanical processing.
    – Multi-floral flavor.
    – Wide range of health benefits.
    – Available in liquid form or comb.

    Nature Nate’s 100% Pure Raw Unfiltered Honey is unpasteurized and raw, sourced from bee farms in the US and Canada. It offers a deep and balanced flavor derived from the flowers of Canola, Clover, Wildflower, and Tallow.

    While Nature Nate’s slightly heats their honey, they still preserve its natural nutrients. The honey is available in liquid form or as a comb, providing options for different uses. It is gluten-free and Kosher certified, ensuring high quality and authenticity.

    7. KIVA Manuka Honey

    Key Features:
    – Pollen is not separated.
    – Ideal for medicinal, sweetening, and skincare purposes.
    – Traceable back to hives.
    – Certified 15+ UMF rating.

    KIVA Manuka Honey is a trusted brand known for its high-quality Manuka honey. Manuka honey is derived from the Manuka plant, which is exclusive to New Zealand. KIVA ensures correct harvesting methods and offers honey with a UMF rating higher than 15, indicating its high content of Manuka pollen.

    This honey is available in individual snap packets, making it convenient for on-the-go use. It is not only a great sweetener but also offers various health benefits, such as soothing sore throats, boosting energy, aiding digestion, and promoting wound care and skincare.

    8. Honest Raw Wildflower Honey

    Key Features:
    – Free from antibiotics and chemicals.
    – Non-GMO.
    – Honeycombs located far from urban areas.
    – Kosher-certified.

    Honest Raw Wildflower Honey offers a rich and pure raw unfiltered honey with an unforgettable taste. The hives are located 10 miles away from commercial farms, ensuring the honey is free from pollutants and chemicals. Bees forage within a 3-mile radius, resulting in honey free from harmful substances.

    This crystalline honey is perfect for spreading and is rich in propolis, vital amino acids, enzymes, and antioxidants. It is an affordable and healthy alternative to sugar.

    9. Desert Creek Raw Texas Honey

    Key Features:
    – Darker honey contains more beneficial compounds.
    – High in fructose.
    – No artificial colors added.
    – 100% unaltered.

    Desert Creek Raw Texas Honey offers honey sourced from the flowers of Clover, Indian Blanket, and Scabiosa, which grow uncultivated in Texas. The combination of these nectars results in a darker coloration and a unique local flavor.

    This raw and unfiltered honey offers a better sweetening effect compared to sugar. It is perfect for baking and can be used as a substitute for sugar. The honey is sold in its raw form, preserving all its medicinal properties and ensuring top quality.

    10. Wedderspoon Raw Manuka Honey

    Key Features:
    – High capacity to kill harmful bacteria.
    – Retained pollen from flowers.
    – Non-GMO and unpasteurized.
    – No refrigeration required.
    – BPA-free, non-leaching packaging.

    Wedderspoon Raw Manuka Honey is harvested and packed in New Zealand to retain its authenticity. Manuka honey has the highest antibacterial and antiviral properties, making it a valuable addition to your medicine cabinet. Wedderspoon’s Manuka honey has a K factor of 16, indicating a high content of Manuka pollen.

    This delicious superfood can be used as a sweetener, medicine, and skincare product. It offers various health benefits and has a delightful minty taste that customers love.

    Conclusion

    When it comes to finding the best organic honey brands, it’s important to consider factors such as the filtering process, purity, taste, and floral composition. The 11 brands listed above offer high-quality organic honey options for Manuka honey lovers.

    Remember to choose honey that is minimally filtered or unfiltered to retain its natural goodness. Whether you’re looking for raw honey, Manuka honey, or wildflower honey, these brands offer a range of options to suit your preferences.

    So go ahead and indulge in the delicious sweetness of organic raw honey, knowing that you’re making a healthier choice for yourself and supporting sustainable beekeeping practices.

  • The Benefits and Varieties of Organic Honey Manuka

    The Benefits and Varieties of Organic Honey Manuka

    Table of Contents

    Honey is a versatile staple to keep in the kitchen: It can be used as a substitute for sugar in recipes, drizzled into your tea, or smeared on biscuits. However, in terms of taste and quality, not all honeys are created equally. The honeys that made this list are all unprocessed, free of added ingredients, and as close to their natural form as possible. This not only leaves you with a sweetener that’s loaded with all the good stuff, but one that tastes divine, too.

    The Power of Organic Honey Manuka

    Organic honey manuka is often referred to as “nature’s gold” due to its numerous health benefits. It is rich in antioxidants, has antibacterial and antifungal properties, and acts as a prebiotic, helping feed the good bacteria in your digestive system to keep your gut healthy. It has even been touted as a way to speed up wound healing and soothe a sore throat. Not to mention, it’s absolutely delicious.

    SB Organics All Natural Honey Stix: Convenient and Tasty

    SB Organics makes portability easy by packaging its raw, unfiltered, and unpasteurized honey in convenient, individual sticks that come in packs of 100 or 200. SB Organics All Natural Honey Stix are made and sourced in the United States from the nectar of star thistle flowers and have a taste that people call “light, refreshing, and clean.” Not only does the honey taste good, but each stick is easy to open by lightly biting the top and squeezing the honey out as you go.

    Linden Honey: Fresh and Blossomy

    This linden honey is made in the U.S. with no preservatives, additives, or pesticides. Like specific types of honey such as acacia, manuka, buckwheat, tupelo, and others, linden honey is made when bees pollinate a specific plant. In this case, it is Tilia americana trees that grow in North America, as well as the United Kingdom, some areas in Europe and Asia. Linden honey is yellow and thicker, making it great as a spread or marinade on meat, toast, crackers, or as an addition to a cheese and charcuterie board. It tastes fresh and blossomy—with a hint of mint.

    Mike’s Hot Honey: Sweet and Spicy

    The sweet-heat combo of Mike’s Hot Honey has just enough kick to get your mouth watering without being totally overpowering. Originally created as a topping for pizza, Mike’s Hot Honey has evolved into the perfect finish for all types of dishes, like chicken wings, French toast, seafood, and even your favorite veggies. And it’s available in several different sizes, from single-squeeze packets to a 12-ounce tabletop version to a 1-gallon jug.

    Mike’s Hot Honey combines sweet and spicy—the best of both worlds. The chili-infused honey is made from just three ingredients: 100 percent pure honey—that’s sourced from the United States, Argentina, and Brazil—real chili peppers, and vinegar.

    Acacia Honey: Light and Floral

    Unlike other types, acacia honey is a lighter amber color and sweeter, more floral, and runner, making it a great addition to teas and other drinks. It also does not crystallize as quickly as other honeys, giving it a longer shelf-life before you need to heat it to turn it back into liquid. This specific 1+ pound jar is made in Austria.

    Bees who pollinate black locust trees—which are native to states from Pennsylvania south through Georgia, Arkansas, and Oklahoma in the U.S. and a large chunk of Europe—make acacia honey.

    Mountain Clover Honey: Smooth and Creamy

    The honey, which is raw and unfiltered, comes from mountain clover that’s grown in or near Southeastern Idaho and then bottled in its purest form to create a 100 percent clover honey that’s rich in natural enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. The honey itself is smooth and creamy, with no honey crystals in sight, and has a mild not-too-sweet taste that goes well with anything you can imagine putting it on.

    Cox’s Creamed Honey: The Perfect Spread

    Almost all regular honey crystallizes over time, even when stored properly, but creamed, or whipped, honey undergoes a mechanical processing that turns large honey crystals into smaller ones that give the honey a smooth, spreadable consistency. This type of honey doesn’t crystallize and is perfect for toast or more delicate items, like fresh biscuits. While there are several creamed honey options out there, Cox’s Creamed Honey earned the spot of best creamed honey for both quality and taste.

    Bee Harmony American Raw Berry Honey: A Sweet Twist

    All of the honeys made by Bee Harmony, which also include varieties like raw clover, raw wildflower, and raw buckwheat, are sourced responsibly with a focus on protecting the bees and the environments in which they thrive, according to the brand. Bee Harmony also donates some of the proceeds from the sale of its honeys to pollinator conservation efforts.

    If you’re looking for delicious honey with a little twist, you’ll find it in Bee Harmony’s American Raw Berry Honey. Unlike other products that use added and/or artificial flavors, Bee Harmony’s honey gets its subtle flavor naturally by sourcing the honey from bees that pollinate several berry fields in different areas of the United States. As a result, the honey has a rich berry flavor and aroma that’s infused into every bite. And like other raw honeys that don’t undergo any processing, this honey is rich in enzymes and beneficial pollen.

    Wedderspoon Raw Premium Manuka Honey: The Best Manuka Honey

    Of course, it’s also one of the priciest. If you want manuka honey and you’re okay with a mixture of different plants and nectar sources, Wedderspoon’s KFactor 12 honey is a close second with a lower price tag.

    The raw, unpasteurized, non-GMO honey is sourced directly from New Zealand and guaranteed to meet the New Zealand government’s standards for high-quality honey. The KFactor 16+ is a trademarked descriptor that means the honey is wholly or mostly from the manuka tree. This is the highest-grade manuka honey you can get from Wedderspoon.

    Manuka honey comes from the Leptospermum scoparium (or manuka) tree, a close relative to the Tea Tree that grows only in New Zealand. It has antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. Wedderspoon offers many different products, but its main focus is on high-quality and delicious manuka honey, like the Raw Premium Manuka Honey KFactor 16+.

    Nature Nate’s 100% Pure Raw & Unfiltered Honey: Raw and Convenient

    If you want raw, organic honey, Nature Nate’s also offers a certified USDA organic version that combines honeys sourced from Brazil and Uruguay. Both versions are also certified kosher and gluten-free.

    Nature Nate’s 100% Pure Raw & Unfiltered Honey is where health and convenience meet. As the name not-so-subtly points out, the North American Honey is raw and unfiltered, so that it retains all of the pollen and beneficial compounds, but it’s also heated and strained so that it comes out smooth, squeezable, and clear of any bee remnants. This straining process also mutes the flavor slightly, so you’re left with something that’s mild enough to add to your most delicate teas, but also delicious enough to stand on its own if you like to sneak some in right off the spoon.

    The taste is also out of this world. It has a light, but rich honey flavor with the perfect amount of sweetness and a velvety smooth consistency that easily melts into your favorite tea or on top of warm peanut butter toast. Since the honey is completely unprocessed, it gets hard at cooler temperatures, but a warm metal spoon cuts right through it to turn it into the perfect consistency for spreading.

    Y.S. Eco Bee Farms Raw Honey: The Best Overall

    Y.S Eco Bee Farms has four generations of beekeeping experience and is considered one of the pioneers of certified organic beekeeping, so it’s no surprise that its Raw Honey earned the top spot of best honey overall. It’s raw, unpasteurized, and comes straight from the hive to the jar, so it retains all of its live enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and natural antioxidants.

    Final Verdict

    If you’re looking for a delicious honey, you can’t go wrong with the Y.S. Eco Bee Farms Raw Honey, which earned the spot of best overall for taste and quality. For savory dishes and a kick of spice, try out Mike’s Hot Honey, made with honey, chilis, and vinegar.

    What to Look for When Buying Honey

    Type

    There are lots of different kinds of honey, like manuka, clover, buckwheat, tupelo, to name a few. There’s really no right or wrong choice when it comes to the type of honey you choose—they’re all delicious in their own right—but if you’re buying honey for a specific reason—like for baking or for adding to tea—you may want to be a little extra diligent about which one you’re choosing.

    Flavor/Taste

    While there are flavored honeys, like lavender or cinnamon, different honeys also have natural variations in taste. Light honeys taste a lot different than dark honeys, so if you’re looking for a certain flavor profile, you’ll want to choose one that fits your needs. As a general rule, the lighter the honey, the milder the taste. Grade C honeys are the lightest (and most mild tasting), while Grade B honeys are more amber-colored and have a more distinct honey flavor. Grade A honeys are really dark, almost resembling molasses, and have a really strong flavor.

    Other Ingredients

    True honey only has one ingredient: honey. When you’re purchasing honey, check the ingredient list and avoid processed sweeteners marketed as honey. These sweeteners are highly processed, stripped of all their nutrients, and made with ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup.

    FAQs

    Does honey go bad/expire?

    Honey never expires, but it may crystallize, get cloudy, or become thicker and/or darker over time. If this happens, you can bring your honey back to life by putting the (glass) jar in a pot of warm water until the honey melts and returns to its original consistency.

    What’s the difference between filtered and unfiltered honey?

    Filtered honey goes through a process where it’s heated and then cooled and all fine particles, pollen grains, air bubbles, and other materials naturally found in the honey are filtered out. The filtering process makes the honey smoother and helps ensure that it stays liquid—a characteristic that most consumers prefer. Filtering also delays crystallization and breakdown over time. Filtered honey will stay liquid and pourable longer than unfiltered honey.

    On the other hand, unfiltered honey is honey that comes straight from the beehive. While larger particles, like honeycombs, may have been removed, unfiltered honey contains bee pollen and particles that are naturally found in the honey. Unfiltered honeys are usually thicker than filtered honeys, and you often can’t pour them—you need to scoop them with a spoon.

    What is manuka honey?

    Manuka honey is a specialized type of honey that comes from New Zealand. It’s made from bees that only pollinate the manuka bush, or Leptospermum scoparium. Although all honey has antibacterial properties, manuka honey is rich in a compound called methylglyoxal that makes it especially good at fighting off bacteria. It’s also considered antibacterial and anti-inflammatory.

    Is honey keto-friendly?

    Honey is considered an alternative sweetener since it’s all-natural and provides health benefits, unlike regular sugar. But it’s still high in carbohydrates—1 tablespoon contains 16.5 grams—so while it’s suitable for a paleo diet, it’s not keto-friendly.

    Is honey vegan?

    Although it may seem like honey is vegan because it comes from nature, it is technically not since it is made by bees in hives.

    If you are looking for a honey alternative that is 100 percent vegan, consider dandelion honey. This sweet, amber-colored syrup is made from the dandelion flowers typically found in your yard. All you need are 4 cups of the yellow petals, 4 cups of water, lemon, vanilla, and sugar. In about nine hours you get the result—a thin, sticky syrup that is similar in flavor to honey and ok for vegans or anyone with an allergy or sensitivity to honey can enjoy.

    How We Researched

    To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best types of honey on the market, evaluating their key features—like bottle size, place of origin, and price—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.

    Why Trust https://aboutmanukahoney.com?

    https://aboutmanukahoney.com is a trusted source for information on honey, including organic honey manuka. Our team of experts is dedicated to providing accurate and reliable information to help consumers make informed decisions about the products they purchase. We thoroughly research each topic and product to ensure that our recommendations are based on the best available information. Trust https://aboutmanukahoney.com for all your honey-related needs.