Manuka honey is more than a sweet treat — it's a complex natural food. This guide explains the main natural compounds found in Manuka honey and the markers we test for. Manuka honey is a food, not a medicine, and we make no medical claims about it.

• Enzymes
• Polyphenols
• Flavonoids
• Antioxidants
• Phenolic compounds & authenticity markers

Enzymes

Because Wonder Honey is raw and never heated, it retains the natural enzymes that are part of what makes honey special:

• Glucose oxidase — converts glucose into gluconic acid and small amounts of hydrogen peroxide, helping give honey its long shelf life.
• Invertase — breaks sucrose into the simpler sugars glucose and fructose, contributing to sweetness and texture.
• Diastase (amylase) — breaks down starches; often used as an indicator of how raw and minimally heated a honey is.
• Catalase — helps break down hydrogen peroxide, contributing to natural stability.

Heat destroys these delicate enzymes, which is why we never heat our honey.

Polyphenols

Polyphenols are naturally occurring plant compounds found in fruits, vegetables, tea and honey, widely studied for their antioxidant activity. Manuka honey is naturally high in polyphenols — in one comparative analysis it showed a total gallic acid content of around 2,500 mg GAE/kg and 35–38 mg/kg of caffeic acid, ranking among the highest of 25 honeys studied (Gósliński et al., 2021).

Flavonoids

Flavonoids are a subclass of polyphenols. Those naturally found in Manuka honey include quercetin, kaempferol, chrysin and luteolin — plant compounds studied for their antioxidant activity, which contribute to Manuka's profile, colour and flavour.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants are compounds that help neutralise free radicals. The natural antioxidants in Manuka honey include phenolic acids (gallic and caffeic acid), the flavonoid quercetin, methylglyoxal (MGO), its precursor DHA, and trace nutrients such as zinc and selenium. Together these give Manuka a richer antioxidant profile than many everyday honeys.

Phenolic compounds & authenticity markers

Several phenolic compounds act as marker compounds used to verify genuine Manuka honey, including 4-hydroxyphenyllactic acid (4-HPLA), 2-methoxybenzoic acid (2-MBA), 2'-methoxyacetophenone (2'-MAP) and 3-phenyllactic acid (3-PLA). New Zealand's official Mānuka honey definition (set by the Ministry for Primary Industries) uses a combination of phenolic markers plus a DNA marker — which is why we test every batch.

These statements have not been evaluated by regulators. This product is a food and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

References

• Adams, C. J., et al. (2008). "Isolation by HPLC and characterisation of the bioactive fraction of New Zealand manuka honey." Carbohydrate Research, 343(4), 651-659.
• Oelschlaegel, S., et al. (2012). "Classification and characterization of manuka honeys based on phenolic compounds and methylglyoxal." Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 60(29), 7229-7237.
• Gósliński, M., et al. (2021). "Multidimensional Comparative Analysis of Bioactive Phenolic Compounds of Honeys of Various Origin." Antioxidants, 10(4), 530.