The great Honey debate - Manuka Honey vs Raw Honey.

We know it can be confusing, so we'll break it down for you. Keep in mind that the quality of honey is the upmost important factor when purchasing honey.

Let's start there, with quality. 

The sad truth is that MOST honey that you'll find at your local grocery store is not 100% honey. Much of the honey that is sold in the United States is imported from other countries. The regulations for imported honey are sub par, meaning large honey manufacturers can get away with adding other syrups (primarily High Fructose Corn Syrup) to their honey to yield more volume. You're left with a honey jar that is partially (or minimally) real honey and partially HFCS. Why would manufacturers do this? Cost! Honey is not cheap, and to maximize margins and profits, they reduce their cost by cutting honey with HFCS. This is outrageous! 

How do you know if you're buying quality honey? Truthfully, it comes down to price and source. Generic low price honey brands, most clover honeys, and honey that does not say Raw or American made on the label, should be questioned.

Next, you should understand that honey that is not labeled as Raw is pasteurized. The pasteurization process strips nearly all healthful properties that naturally derive from honey.

Honey sourced from American farms uphold higher standards. We recommend sticking to brands with a transparent supply chain.

Next, the great honey debate - Manuka vs. Raw or Local Honey. Which is better?

You may see various types of honey, such as Wildflower, Sage, Avocado, and Manuka. These are flowers for which bees collect nectar. Manuka Flowers bloom in New Zealand, but in a very short period of time, making the supply of Manuka Honey very limited. Because of this supply constraint, real manuka honey is difficult to track down and is accompanied by a high price to reflect its quality. 

Genuine manuka honey products must undergo a number of tests and standards, such as the United Manuka Factor™ Four Factor Quality Assurance Test to validate the Potency, Authenticity, Freshness and Purity of each back of manuka honey. However, because supply for manuka honey is so limited, and these certifications are time intensive and costly to the manufacturers, many bypass the process and are therefore do not test for quality and authenticity. 

What does that mean? Unfortunately, many manuka honey products that you'll find at your grocery store are not pure manuka honey. They are also cut with other substances (like corn syrup) to make the manuka honey stretch further. Some even counterfeit products with fraudulent labels. Many manuka products sold in the United States are not pure manuka, for this reason.

So what about Raw Honey?

Raw American Honey is your best source of honey! Raw honey may have slightly lower antimicrobial properties than genuine manuka honey, but it's more widely available, has a more transparent supply chain (when sourced from the United States), and is more affordable. Not to mention, the micronutrients, health compounds, and bee pollen remain intact in raw honey, as compared to pasteurized honey.

We love raw honey for these reasons, but also because we stand behind our American honey farmers. There are nearly 125,000 beekeepers throughout the United States, with the largest colonies in North Dakota, Montana, South Dakota, Florida and California. Many of these beekeepers only have 25 colonies, classifying them as "small beekeepers." Yet, they still make a living by ethically cultivating and selling their honey. We support these farmers.

It is important to point out that our entire agriculture system is dependent on pollination. Almond plants, avocado plants, and even cattle ranches rely upon bee pollination for their yield. 

By supporting our local, American beekeepers and honey production, we are not harming the environment, instead, we're providing work for the bees, and abundance of the foods you love.

You Again Super Honey is sourced from small bee farms in Southern California. As we build our supply chain, we are committed to supporting beekeepers across the nation.