Holland and Barrett Manuka Honey

pimento

This is the site for the New Zealand Manuka Honey Assocation. This should answer most questions.

http://www.umf.org.nz/

artbaron

Pollycat wrote: »

I'm quite interested in this thread, I really thought that honey was honey (IYSWIM) and you just put a squirt on your morning porridge.

And that's exactly what it is, don't be mislead into thinking otherwise. I sometimes buy more expensive honey but it's for the taste and because lower price honeys tend to crystalise if stored for more than a couple of weeks.

eskimo26

As i understand it this it's not a case of this honey not containing the active ingredient its more a case that it isn't marked with the logo that guarantees strength, purity, source etc.

Traditionally those that are marked are tested by a lab at a new zealand university i think [not sure].

Essentially it is a certification and quite an important one in this business.

Regardless i wouldn't touch h+b with a bargepole! With supplements there products are only cheap on promotion and they are full of horrible fillers and cheap ingredients.

Only time i shop there is when there buy 1 get 1 half price promotion makes some of there branded food products the cheapest available [including online.]

Use quality supplement brands and do some research so you can identify poor supplements.

Poor quality supplements can do more harm then good if you don't believe me read up on these 'fortified' cereals and what a con they are.

lovesholidays_2

Thanks all for your various replies.

To answer some of the questions:
eskimo26 - the problem is that it is a case of the Holland and Barrett manuka honey not containing the active ingredient. There is meant to be a special non-peroxide activity in manuka honey, but the Pure Gold and Manuka Pharm ones sold by Holland and Barrett do not have any of this. There is university research that shows the special non-peroxide activity is good because it remains stable in the honey, and that makes proper manuka different.
Sneakily they have been tested for 'peroxide' activity, which is something that all honey has. I also now know that even then the products do not match the labeled strength of that.

pimento - has posted a useful link that helps explain it.

It turns out that the correct information is available - as in you can find it if search properly - but I did not know it at the time of buying, and the problem is I had relied on the advice of the Holland and Barrett staff who have actually lied to me about what their products truly are.

It was after purchasing, when talking about it with a colleague who is from NZ, who warned me to double check because in NZ their equivalent of Watchdog program had shown problems with fraudulent manuka honey.

Don't think I can post links as a newbie, but if you go a search on google.co.nz (the NZ version) for 'tvnz close up manuka honey' you will get the video of the program, and there is a 10min clip if it is something people are interested in.

Also if you do a search on google uk for 'manuka honey test results' , you will find a UK based site that shows some actual test results and helps explain the difference between the genuine UMF certified manuka honey, and the other stuff that Holland and Barrett are wrongly selling.

What I don't understand, with what I since found out, is that it appears the information is available, so why are Holland and Barrett wrongly selling fake and understrength products to people? especially when consider most people are taking for health reasons.

I had tried going back to the store I got it from, but as I don't have the receipt (never expected to need for a purchase of this sort), they couldn't help me.

But it must be I am far from the only person caught out like this, hence trying to warn people, but also see if their is another place who can take up the complaint.

If trading standards, would I need to complain to my local one, or the one where Holland and Barrett head office is? It appears that consumer direct is no longer, so not sure what my other options are. Maybe has just been an expensive option.

For the other question as to why I had bought it, was actually bought for my sister who is pregnant, and therefor doesn't want to take antibiotics, and the manuka is meant to help when have colds or coughs.

PlutoinCapricorn

It is very cheap in Aldi, but I am not sure about the quality/strength.

Pollycat

Wow!
What a great reply, lovesholidays.

I think there are 2 things here:
1. you were told something that isn't true by a H&B sales assistant
2. H&B are mislabelling their products (if I've understood you correctly)

I'm not sure if this is the right thing to do but I would be inclined to ring your local Trading Standards and tell them that you were told something that wasn't true by a H&B SA.
They might send an inspector out to ask the same question and see if they are told the same as you were.

I'd also send all proof of mislabelling to them.

Keep us informed.

Computersaysno

Manuka is a special magic honey.

It has special 'Manuks' in it which work in a way that sceptics/scientists wouldn't understand; this is because it is magic.

It's just the same as ion balance bands, homeopathy, acai berries, feet detox pads, herbalife, etc. These too defy science and understanding....they are magic.

If you doubt the magic, then you are a heretic and in the employ of big pharma.

Please do not ask for evidence as this only shows that you are unworthy of the magic powers.

If you want evidence simply ask one of the wacky bollix new age mystics and they will tell you about a friend of someone they know in America who was dead and then the magic 'Manuka' [insert name of magic thing] resurrected them. And they know it's true because the man who sold them the manuka told them it was true. And it never been published in a science paper because big pharma has crushed and hidden it in a massive comspiracy.

ThumbRemote

Computersaysno wrote: »

Manuka is a special magic honey.

It has special 'Manuks' in it which work in a way that sceptics/scientists wouldn't understand; this is because it is magic.

It's just the same as ion balance bands, homeopathy, acai berries, feet detox pads, herbalife, etc. These too defy science and understanding....they are magic.

If you doubt the magic, then you are a heretic and in the employ of big pharma.

Please do not ask for evidence as this only shows that you are unworthy of the magic powers.

If you want evidence simply ask one of the wacky bollix new age mystics and they will tell you about a friend of someone they know in America who was dead and then the magic 'Manuka' [insert name of magic thing] resurrected them. And they know it's true because the man who sold them the manuka told them it was true. And it never been published in a science paper because big pharma has crushed and hidden it in a massive comspiracy.

Was it really worth resurrecting a week-old thread just to point out that you believe science has discovered everything there is to be discovered?

Computersaysno

ThumbRemote wrote: »

Was it really worth resurrecting a week-old thread just to point out that you believe science has discovered everything there is to be discovered?

I didn't say that, nor do I believe it.

What do you call alternative medicine that works?? Medicine.

Paraphrasing Cuba Gooding Jr...........Show me the evidence!!!!!!!