MANUKA HONEY vs JARRAH HONEY
Manuka
Manuka has a very high viscosity (meaning it’s very thick and sticky) compared to Jarrah Honey.
Dark brown in colour, this honey has a “earthy” aroma and is strong on the palette. It has a rich and slightly bitter flavour.
Jarrah
Jarrah honey is enedmic to the southwest. The tree only blooms every two years briefly from late spring to early summer.
Jarrah Honey delivers a smooth nutty-malt flavour and is amber in colour. With a low glucose and highest fructose level of any honey.
Both Jarrah and Manuka honeys are active and healing honeys, meaning that they have antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. However, Jarrah honey has antifungal properties due to the hydrogen peroxide content, meaning it can also kill fungus and bacteria which are responsible for causing skin infections.
Health Benefits
Manuka
Manuka Honey (from the Leptospermum Scoparium tree) has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties and is used in medicinal applications as a natural remedy. Being antiviral and anti-inflammatory, manuka honey can be used to treat wounds and prevent infection, help with oral health, soothe a sore throat, soothe ulcers, and even fight acne.
Jarrah
Jarrah Honey has antibacterial, antimicrobial and antifungal properties meaning it kill fungus and bacteria which are responsible for causing skin infections. With a high hydrogen peroxide level, the honey can inhibit the growth of Golden Staph Bacteria. With a low glycemic index, Jarrah Honey helps prevent ulcers and sore throats. Jarrah Honey has an ability to naturally and efficiently heal wounds, skin infections, and minor burns.
Science BASED
Manuka
Manuka Honey’s antibacterial properties are caused by a substance called methylglyoxal. This also means that Manuka Honey doesn’t contain hydrogen peroxide is classed as a “non-peroxide” honey variety.
Jarrah
Jarrah Honey gets its antimicrobial properties from an enzyme (glucose oxidase) that’s added by bees as they make the honey. Since Jarrah Honey naturally contains glucose and water, the glucose oxidase reacts with the glucose and the oxygen in the water to produce hydrogen peroxide.
It’s this hydrogen peroxide that bolsters Jarrah Honey with active, healing, antibacterial, antimicrobial and antifungal properties. Jarrah also contains three times more antioxidants than Manuka that help to support a healthy immune system.
Testing methods
The method used to measure the level of activity in TA and UMF is called "radial diffusion assay". Honey is placed into a well on an agar plate and the amount (distance) that it diffuses through the agar and inhibits the growth of the bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) is compared to a standard material (phenol). The total activity results are reported as a % phenol equivalent.
A calibration curve is generated by the dilution of the phenol, with the upper standard being 35% - thus, the maximum TA or UMF value that can be reported is ">35%".
What is activity?
The term "activity" in the context of bioactive honeys is used to refer to the strength or potency of the honey in inhibiting bacterial or microbial growth.
There are two different types of activity: peroxide and non-peroxide activity honeys. Although different in their chemical composition, both peroxide and non-peroxide honeys produce an antimicrobial effect and thus comparable health benefits and immune support.
Western Australian honeys such as the Jarrah, Red Gum and Blackbutt are peroxide honeys (with their active component being enzymatic hydrogen peroxide), while Manuka is a non-peroxide honey (with its active component being methylglyoxal or MGO).
