Understanding MGO and UMF®️ Ratings

When you choose a jar of mānuka honey, you will usually see an MGO number, a UMF™ number, or both on the label. Here is what they mean in plain English, so you can choose with confidence.

What MGO means

MGO stands for methylglyoxal, a compound that occurs naturally in mānuka honey. It forms slowly as the honey matures, from DHA (dihydroxyacetone) in the nectar of mānuka flowers. MGO is measured in a laboratory in milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg). For example, MGO 400 means 400 mg of methylglyoxal in every kilogram of honey. A higher MGO number means more methylglyoxal in the jar.

What UMF™ means

UMF™ (Unique Mānuka Factor) is an independent grading system run by the UMF™ Honey Association in Aotearoa New Zealand. A UMF™ grade looks at more than MGO. It also checks leptosperin, a natural marker that shows the honey is genuine mānuka, and DHA, the compound MGO forms from. Licensed producers have their honey tested, and the grade is printed with a licence number on the label.

MGO and UMF™ side by side

MGO tells you how much methylglyoxal is in the honey. UMF™ looks at several markers together and confirms authenticity. The two scales line up roughly like this:

• UMF™ 5+: around MGO 83+
• UMF™ 10+: around MGO 263+
• UMF™ 15+: around MGO 514+
• UMF™ 20+: around MGO 829+
• UMF™ 25+: around MGO 1200+

The higher the grade, the rarer the honey, because only a small share of each season's harvest reaches the top grades.

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Mānuka honey as rongoā

Whatever the grade, mānuka honey from the whenua (the land) is kai (food), and it has long been part of rongoā (traditional Māori healing). A spoonful may soothe the throat, comfort and nourish. You can read more in our plain-English guide to rongoā Māori. Honey sits alongside the care your GP recommends. It does not replace it.

If you have diabetes, watch your sugar or have a bee allergy, check with your GP first. Honey is not for babies under 12 months.

Which grade should I choose?

Choose by taste, occasion and budget. Higher grades are richer, rarer and often given as a koha (gift).

• Mānuka Honey 25+ UMF™ Luxury Gift Package, $349: our richest grade, hand-packed and blessed.
• Find your mānuka honey: see every honey we have in stock, from everyday jars to gifts.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between MGO and UMF™?
MGO measures methylglyoxal only. UMF™ looks at MGO, leptosperin and DHA together and confirms the honey is genuine mānuka.

Is a higher grade better?
Every grade of mānuka honey is rongoā kai from the whenua. Higher grades are richer and rarer. Choose by taste, occasion and budget, and please see your GP for any health concern.

How do I know my mānuka honey is genuine?
Look for a clear UMF™ or MGO grade, a UMF™ licence number where UMF™ is shown, and a producer you can ask questions of.

From the whenua

Whenua Honey is a Māori-owned whānau (family) business on the East Coast of Aotearoa. Every jar is wild and sustainably harvested, hand-packed and blessed, and 5% of our profit goes back to the people and the whenua.

This article is general information and does not replace advice from your GP or other health professional.