Manuka Honey vs. Raw Honey: What Are the Differences?

Manuka honey is a type of raw honey, but it comes from a specific plant in New Zealand and contains unique nutrients like MGO that set it apart. 

Manuka Honey vs. Raw Honey Comparison Table

Manuka honey contains compounds that earn it the title of a superfood worldwide. Given its unique composition , Manuka honey can be an excellent addition to a healthy lifestyle.

The Difference Between Manuka Honey vs. Raw Honey

Over the last couple of years, Manuka honey has become quite trendy in health-conscious circles. You may have come across it and wondered how it compares to the raw honey you find at a local farmer’s market.

So what sets it apart? And is it worth choosing over regular raw honey?

We’ve got all the answers to your questions and more. Here’s what you need to know.

What Is Raw Honey?

Raw honey is honey in its natural state, meaning it is unpasteurized and minimally processed.

Bees produce honey by collecting nectar from flowers and breaking it down with enzymes before storing it in honeycombs. They then fan their wings to slowly remove moisture, turning the nectar into honey. Once harvested by beekeepers, honey may be processed or left as is.

The regular honey you find at the grocery store is generally pasteurized and filtered, which helps give it a consistent color and texture to meet the expectations many shoppers have when looking for the standard bottle of honey. However, the pasteurization process requires heating the honey to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, destroying some of its natural compounds.

Raw honey skips this step, allowing it to retain more of what naturally develops in the hive. Some raw honey is lightly filtered for texture, while others are sold in a more natural form, sometimes with the honeycomb intact. 

Benefits of Raw Honey

Raw honey is often chosen because it stays closer to how it’s made in the hive.

It contains naturally occurring elements like prebiotics, small amounts of minerals, and other components that develop during the honey-making process. Because it isn’t exposed to high heat, more of that natural composition is preserved.

That’s why many people include raw honey in their daily routine, not as a fix for anything specific, but as a simple way to support overall wellness as part of a balanced lifestyle.

What Is Manuka Honey?

Manuka honey is a type of raw honey made by bees that forage on the Manuka tea  (Leptospermum scoparium), native to New Zealand. Since this type of tree is only found in one region of the world and its flowers only bloom for a few weeks each year, Manuka honey is quite rare. That’s one of the reasons it’s so prized and sought after.

Another thing to note is that Manuka honey is monofloral, meaning it comes primarily from one flower source. The Manuka tea tree produces nectar that leads to the presence of naturally occurring compounds like MGO and leptosperin in the honey. 

Unique Benefits of Manuka Honey

While the leaves are undoubtedly beautiful, the flowers adorning the foliage are the star of the show. These flowers are tiny but mighty, producing nectar containing a nutrient called methylglyoxal (MGO). This unique, well-known, and well-researched compound sets Manuka honey apart.

Along with MGO, Manuka honey contains compounds like leptosperin and DHA that develop during the honey-making process. Together, these contribute to its distinct profile compared to regular honey. 

Because of this composition, Manuka honey is often included in daily routines to support immune function, digestive health, steady energy, and overall wellness as part of a balanced lifestyle. 

However you plan to use your Manuka honey, it’s useful to understand the MGO levels.

For everyday use, many people choose:

• 600+ MGO for daily wellness routines

• 850+ MGO for added immune support

• 1000+ MGO for more concentrated support 

In terms of taste and texture, Manuka honey is typically darker, thicker, and more rich than standard honey. Higher MGO levels often bring a deeper, slightly earthy flavor with a smooth, creamy consistency. 

What Makes Manuka Honey Different From Raw Honey?

The difference mainly comes down to where the honey comes from and what develops from that source.

Raw honey is usually made from a mix of different flowers. Because of that, its composition tends to be more general and can vary depending on the region and season.

Manuka honey comes from a single plant. That specific source leads to naturally occurring compounds like MGO and leptosperin, which give it a more defined profile compared to multifloral honey.

Manukora keeps its Manuka honey raw, without applying heat, so that original composition stays as close as possible to how it forms in the hive.

When you look at them side by side, both are raw honey at their core. The real difference is that Manuka honey is tied to one plant source, which gives it a more distinct character in both composition and taste.

It’s easiest to think of Manuka honey as raw honey with something extra going on. That’s also why Manukora calls it Honey With Superpowers™. 

Manukora’s Commitment to Authentic Manuka Honey

At Manukora, we’re committed to keeping things simple and doing it the right way.

The hives are set up in quiet, remote parts of New Zealand where Manuka tea trees grow naturally. Once they’re placed, they stay there. The idea is to let the bees work without being moved around or disturbed.

Because of that, the bees are foraging in a more natural environment, not around heavily farmed areas. That shapes the kind of honey they produce.

From there, everything is pretty straightforward. The bees collect nectar, turn it into honey, and store it in the hive. When it’s time to harvest, only the extra honey is taken. The bees keep what they need.

After that, the honey is kept raw. Nothing extra is done to change it. What you get is exactly how it comes out of the hive, including its texture and flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “raw honey” actually mean?

Raw honey refers to honey in its natural form. It isn’t heated or heavily processed, so it stays close to how it’s made in the hive. Some jars may be lightly filtered for texture, but the overall structure remains largely unchanged.

What is the difference between raw honey and processed honey?

The difference comes down to post-harvest handling. Processed honey is usually heated and filtered to create a consistent look and smoother texture. Raw honey skips most of that, so it may look slightly different from batch to batch and can feel thicker or more textured.

What makes Manuka honey different from regular honey?

Manuka honey comes from the Manuka tea tree in New Zealand, rather than a mix of flowers. Because of that, it has a more specific origin and contains naturally occurring compounds like MGO that are tied to this source.

Is Manuka honey just a type of raw honey?

Yes, Manuka honey is a type of raw honey. The key difference is that it comes from a single plant source, which gives it a more defined composition and a slightly richer, more distinctive taste compared to typical raw honey.

Sources

• Phenolic Compounds in Honey and Their Associated Health Benefits: A Review | PMC

• Health Benefits of Honey | IntechOpen

• Dynamics of the Cellular Metabolism of Leptosperin Found in Manuka Honey | PMC

• Antibacterial activity of Manuka honey and its components: An overview | PMC

• Monofloral Honeys as a Potential Source of Natural Antioxidants, Minerals and Medicine | PMC

• What makes mānuka honey 100 times more expensive than regular honey | Business Insider

• Testing mānuka honey is authentic | NZ Government