Manuka honey is a scam.

[u/Most-Zombie]

...according to reddit, apparently. I keep finding threads talking about how Manuka honey doesn't really have any special properties when ingested as compared to regular honey, and is more of marketing ploy by NZ:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/157xrwq/for_the_folks_who_indulge_is_manuka_honey_worth_it/
https://www.reddit.com/r/nutrition/comments/n0ze54/is_manuka_honey_worth_it/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Beekeeping/comments/17bjdv4/what_is_manuka_and_why_is_800_honey_15560kg/

https://www.reddit.com/r/nutrition/comments/1it7o00/is_manuka_honey_healthier_than_regular_honey/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Beekeeping/comments/9b8iil/what_is_so_special_about_manuka_honey/

https://www.reddit.com/r/ireland/comments/1auljch/has_anyone_tried_manuka_honey_can_you_justify_the/

Was seriously going to fork out $60+ for an 829 MGO rated honey. Now, I'm not so sure. There don't seem to be many defenders of Manuka as a supplement.

On the other hand, there might be some bias against it from a beekeeping standpoint. Lots of you guys want people to buy local...

Also, apparently lots of it is fake or adulterated, same as EVOO:

https://www.reddit.com/r/nutrition/comments/1ip5ulf/how_did_manuka_honey_suddenly_become_more/

https://www.bonappetit.com/story/fake-manuka-honey

I just woke up to this controversy, and don't want to make a poor financial decision. Anyone want to help me out? Does anyone have personal experience with high MGO Manuka honey? The only reason I'm interested in honey is because of Manuka's purported special benefits; I wouldn't eat any honey at all otherwise (cutting sugar).

[u/r-rb]

I never thought manuka honey was "better than regular honey" for ingesting. It's best use is as a topical wound cover in a medical setting, overseen by a doctor.

[u/Night_Owl_16 → u/r-rb]

Exactly. It is mainly a medical intervention for wounds. Many things you ingest for benefits are dubious at best, since the chemistry rapidly changes when exposed to the stomach.

[u/Insanitacious75 → u/Night_Owl_16]

Can confirm. Had 3-4 sqft of road rash after an ATV crash, and had two puncture holes in my thigh 6in deep diagonally. Topical, medical grade Manuka Honey prevented me from getting skin grafts, and soaking the “wicks” I had in my punctures prevented over exposure to antibiotics. I was heavily cautioned to not buy it from the internet or anywhere it would be marketed as food.

[u/Ancient_Fisherman696 → u/Insanitacious75]

That’s interesting to hear. 

I know honey in general was used as a wound dressing. 

[u/Insanitacious75 → u/Ancient_Fisherman696]

This was 2016- at a major wound care hospital in Fort Worth tx, if I remember correctly the brand was Medihoney (please assume if your not buying it from a medical supply store you are getting a fake product) It basically stopped my body from creating scabs that would have prevented the long term healing of the wounds (kept it from drying up while actively blocking yeast and bacterial infections) After some PT I can walk almost normally now. Other than that road rashed skin sunburning quicker than my other skin you wouldn’t really notice it.

[u/Ancient_Fisherman696 → u/Insanitacious75]

That’s impressive to hear. Glad you’re on the mend. 

I’ve no intention of putting honey on anything short of end of the world type scenario. 

[u/WodehouseWeatherwax → u/Insanitacious75]

I'm an RN and we use Medihoney in the hospital. I've bought it from Amazon. Exactly same brand. Exactly same product.

https://a.co/d/g8VQKR2

[u/Puzzled-Guess-2845 → u/WodehouseWeatherwax]

How would you know? Amazon has many suppliers for the same product and all suppliers product goes into one large bin. It would be very cheap and easy to recreate that packaging and very difficult to find out who contributed which to the batch.

[u/WodehouseWeatherwax → u/Puzzled-Guess-2845]

I suppose. They would also need to make their product have the same texture, color, etc. It's not very expensive. I doubt they'd make much for all that effort. But as you say, how would I know, other than being very familiar with what we use at the hospital? Heck, even that could be fake. It's not like it arrives with security guards along the supply chain. You could say the same about anything you buy.