Two different bee products in one bottle. Manuka honey is made from the nectar of the manuka bush and is graded by its methylglyoxal content. Propolis is the resin bees use to seal the hive. They're paired because they've been used together traditionally, not because one needs the other.
Propolis sprays are one of those products people buy without quite knowing what's in them, mostly because the label uses two words that sound related and aren't.
Here's what each one actually is.
Manuka honey
Honey made by bees foraging on the manuka bush, Leptospermum scoparium, which grows in New Zealand and parts of south-eastern Australia.
What makes it different from other honey is a compound called methylglyoxal, or MGO, which manuka contains at much higher levels than standard honey. That's the basis of the grading systems you'll see on jars.
The grading, briefly:
- MGO — a direct measurement of methylglyoxal in milligrams per kilogram. MGO 100, MGO 400 and so on. Higher number, more of it.
- UMF — Unique Manuka Factor, a New Zealand grading system that measures several markers, not just MGO.
Both are legitimate. Neither is a health claim by itself — they're measures of composition, and a higher number costs more.
If a product says "manuka honey" with no grade at all, there's no way to know how much of the distinguishing compound is present.
Propolis
Completely different thing. Propolis is the resin bees collect from tree buds and sap, mixed with wax and enzymes, used to seal and clean the hive.
It isn't food and it isn't made from nectar. It's construction material.
Its composition varies enormously depending on the local trees, which is why propolis from different regions has quite different profiles. There's no MGO equivalent — no standard number to compare products by.
Why they're paired
Tradition, mostly. Both have long histories in traditional preparations for the mouth and throat, across a number of cultures, and they've been sold together for decades.
There's no mechanism where one activates the other. They're two ingredients with overlapping traditional use, in the same bottle.
What else is in the bottle
A 25ml spray isn't just honey and resin. Expect:
- Water or a glycerin base, to make it sprayable
- Alcohol, or explicitly not — alcohol-free versions exist and are worth looking for if you dislike the sting
- Flavouring, often lemon or eucalyptus
- A preservative
Alcohol-free is the thing most people care about and the thing most likely to be on the front.
What to check
- Is the manuka graded? MGO or UMF number, or it's just honey.
- Alcohol-free or not.
- Where propolis sits in the ingredients list.
- Volume. These come in small bottles and the price per ml varies widely.
- Bee allergy. Both ingredients are bee products. If you react to bee products, this isn't for you.
The claims question
Throat and mouth sprays are a category where a lot of very confident statements get made online, and many of them go past what a cosmetic or complementary product is allowed to say in Australia.
We're not going to make them. OGA's spray is sold as a natural oral care product with propolis and real manuka honey, and if you've got a sore throat that isn't settling, that's a pharmacist or GP conversation rather than a product one.
Allergies
Worth repeating on its own. Propolis and honey are both bee products, and contact reactions to propolis are documented. Anyone with a known bee or bee-product allergy should avoid it. Honey isn't suitable for infants under twelve months.
OGA's propolis spray is 25ml, alcohol-free, with real manuka honey.
Frequently asked
What is the difference between manuka honey and propolis? Manuka honey is made from nectar of the manuka bush and is food. Propolis is a resin bees collect from tree sap and use to seal the hive. They're different substances that are often sold together because of overlapping traditional use.
What does MGO mean on manuka honey? Methylglyoxal, measured in milligrams per kilogram. It's the compound that distinguishes manuka from ordinary honey, and the number is a measure of how much is present.
Is UMF better than MGO? Neither is better — they're different grading systems. UMF measures several markers, MGO measures one directly. Both are legitimate; a product with no grading at all tells you least.
Is propolis spray suitable for children? Honey isn't suitable for infants under twelve months. Beyond that, check the product's own guidance and ask a pharmacist, particularly for young children.
Can you be allergic to propolis? Yes. Contact reactions are documented, and anyone with a known bee or bee-product allergy should avoid both propolis and honey.
OGA Propolis Spray is a 25ml alcohol-free oral spray made in Australia with propolis and real manuka honey. It is a natural oral care product and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any condition. Not suitable for infants under 12 months. If a sore throat persists, see your pharmacist or doctor.
