Manuka honey is a distinctive honey made from the nectar of the manuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium), a shrub native to New Zealand and southeastern Australia. It has an earthy, robust flavor with a slightly smoky, floral undertone, and is set apart from other honeys by naturally high levels of methylglyoxal (MGO), which give it stronger antibacterial activity than most honey; potency is graded on an MGO or UMF scale, with higher numbers commanding higher prices. In cooking it works as a sweetener in baked goods and as a base for dressings, marinades, and glazes for meat, poultry, and seafood, where its robust flavor holds up better than milder honeys. Medical-grade manuka honey is also used in wound-care dressings for its antibacterial effect, a use that predates its popularity as a specialty food.