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Our verdict
Balance Grow Honey Citron Tea from S&R (85/100, ₱359 a kilo) is the best listing we found, and the Honey Citron & Ginger version (84/100, ₱396) is the best seller. Both list the same percentages as their FDA food records and come from a Mall store. Ottogi (72/100, ₱555) is the only one of the five that prints a full ingredient list.
No listing reached 90, and none states sugar or calories per serving. We left out Frenary and Selection (a listing that mixes the two names), Kkochsaem and Ccotsaem (no FDA record found), ₱149 “Grow” drinks and near-expiry Ottogi jars. Honey citron tea is a sweet fruit preserve; treat it as a sweet drink, not a health product. This is general information, not medical advice.
We searched Shopee for honey citron tea, honey ginger tea and the main Korean brands on October 30, 2026, read the listings from the Mall and long-standing shops, and looked each brand up in the FDA Philippines food registry and its advisories. We kept brands whose exact product has a current food registration.
4%
honey in both Balance Grow teas, by the listing and the FDA record: 65% or 55% sliced citron, 4% honey. The rest of the jar is not named. Source: the S&R listings and FDA records FR-4000009888764 and FR-4000009887862, checked 30 October 2026.
| Best choiceBest valueBalance Grow Citron |  Balance Grow Citron & Ginger | Ottogi Citron 1 kg | Ottogi Ginger 500 g |  Cholocwon Citron | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 85/100 | 84/100 | 72/100 | 56/100 | 50/100 |
| Our rating | |||||
| Best for | Plain citron, lowest risk | Ginger version, most reviewed | Reading the ingredients | Ginger from a registered brand | Second-lowest price per 100 g |
| Price | ₱359 / 1 kg | ₱396 / 1 kg | ₱555 / 1 kg | ₱310 / 500 g | ₱379 / 1 kg |
| Per 100 g | ₱35.90 | ₱39.60 | ₱55.50 | ₱62.00 | ₱37.90 |
| FDA record | Honey Citron Tea, Balance Grow | Honey Citron & Ginger Tea, Balance Grow | Honey Citron Tea 1KG, Ottogi | Honey Ginger Tea, Ottogi | Honey Citron Tea, Cholocwon |
| Honey share stated | 4% | 4% | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Ingredient list | Two percentages only | Three percentages only | Full list | None | None |
| Shop | S&R (Mall) | S&R (Mall) | buy buy (since 2021) | Itzy Mart (since 2021) | Purple K-Mart (since 2022) |
| Ratings on listing | 16,883 | 119,982 | 1,277 | 341 | 109 |
| Listing problem | No sugar or calories | Volume and variation fields wrong | Weight 140 g for 1 kg | Text is about citron tea | Disease claims; past expiry field |
| Buy | ShopeeLazada | ShopeeLazada | ShopeeLazada | ShopeeLazada | ShopeeLazada |
Honey citron tea: what the jar is, and what we could check
Honey citron tea (yuja-cha in Korean) is a thick preserve of sliced citron fruit in sugar and honey that you stir into hot or cold water. That description is general knowledge; the points below come from the listings and the FDA registry that we read.
- It is mostly a fruit-and-sugar preserve. The one listing that prints its full ingredients (Ottogi) gives citron pickle as half citron and half sugar, then adds sugar and fructose.
- Honey is a small share. The two Balance Grow listings state 4% honey. No other listing gives a honey figure.
- Imported jars are registered under the importer. In the FDA food registry every honey citron tea record we found names an importer such as Rockport Patterson, Super Sierra, KPLS Global or AM.PM24, not the Shopee shop. We matched on brand and product name and could not confirm which importer a given shop buys from.
- One brand name has attracted advisories. FDA Philippines issued advisories 2025-0307, 2025-0427, 2025-0854 and 2025-0970 against unregistered Balance Grow ice teas and ice ade. None names the honey teas we picked, which hold current records, but it is a reason to check the exact product name.
- No listing states sugar or calories per serving, except one seller who gives 55 calories for 20 g on a Frenary listing we did not rank.
What the claims on these listings actually mean
| Claim | What it covers | Key exclusion |
|---|---|---|
| “Honey citron tea” | The product name | Honey is 4% by the Balance Grow figures; sugar is a main ingredient on the Ottogi label |
| “Product of Korea” | Country of origin | The FDA record names the Philippine importer, not the Shopee shop |
| “No color no artificial preservatives” | A statement on the Ottogi listing | The ingredient list still includes sugar, fructose, citric acid, CMC, pectin and carrageenan |
| “Immune support”, “good source of vitamin C” | Marketing lines on Frenary and cheap Ottogi listings | No amount of vitamin C or study is given; the jar is a sweet drink mix |
| “Reduces blood pressure, lowers cholesterol”, “prevents adult diseases” | Copied text on the Cholocwon listing | A tea mix cannot make these claims; we ignored them |
| “Traditionally used to treat cold symptoms” | Text on an Ottogi listing | A statement about tradition, not evidence; ask your doctor about a cold |
| “Gluten free, GMO free”, “healthier choice” | Shopee attribute fields | Chosen by the seller; no ingredient list or certificate behind them |
Honey citron and ginger tea listings we would be careful with
| Product | What we found | Our check |
|---|---|---|
| Frenary / Selection Honey Citron & Ginger Tea 1 kg, ₱539 to ₱599 (Digital Dragon, Joyful Snacks) | The listing is titled with two brands. Frenary has FDA food records for other products, not a honey citron tea; “Selection by Landers” has honey citron records under Brandenburg Corp. One listing’s expiry field reads 15 Feb 2026, already past. | Not scored (brand and record do not line up) |
| Kkochsaem (KKOCHSAEM) and Ccotsaem honey teas, ₱402 to ₱685 | We found no FDA food record under either spelling. Several shops sell the same jars. | Not scored (no record found) |
| Nokchawon Honey Citron Tea 480 g, ₱436 (a shop with 15 ratings) and ₱942 to ₱961 (listings with no sales) | Nokchawon has a current FDA record (FR-4000015358765, Nextrade), but one shop has 15 ratings and the others no sales; the ₱942 and ₱961 prices are about double the ₱436 listing. | Not scored |
| Dooraeone Honey Citron Tea 1 kg, ₱529 (0 ratings) | The brand holds FDA records through Super Sierra, but this listing has no ratings. | Not scored |
| Grow Honey Citron & Ginger Tea 500 ml, ₱149 (3F Grow and buy-1-take-1 variants) | Ratings of 3.4 to 4.5 stars; 500 ml bottles rather than the Korean jar; no FDA record found for the name in our search. | Not scored |
| Ottogi jars at ₱224 to ₱246, including “EXP. 12.01.26” and “Immune Support” | Shops with 1 to 14 ratings; one jar is near or past its date; immune claims. | Not scored |
| Balance Grow Honey Citron & Ginger Tea 580 g, ₱411 (Puregold Price Club, Mall) | A Mall store, but the listing is the title only and the 580 g size is not on any record we found. | Not scored (thin listing) |
| Imported “Honey Citron Tea” sampler kits at ₱883 to ₱1,492 | Sampler or bundled listings with no sales. | Not scored |
Our picks
Best listing: composition matches the FDA record
1. Balance Grow Honey Citron Tea 1 kg (S&R Membership Shopping)
ShopeeLazada85/100
FDA food record
65% citron, 4% honey
16,883 ratings
₱359
| FDA status | “Honey Citron Tea (sliced citron 65%, honey 4%)” Balance Grow, FR-4000009888764 (valid to 31 Aug 2027) and FR-4000012403026 (valid to 2 Mar 2029), both held by importers (Rockport Patterson Market Supply, Super Sierra Market Supply). No advisory names this tea |
| Specifications stated | 65% sliced citron, 4% honey, product of Korea, serve with hot or cold water, consume upon opening, store in a sealed container in a cool, dry place |
| Claims | Taste description only; no health claim |
| Missing | The other 31% of the jar, sugar, calories, serving size and best-before date |
| Inconsistencies | Empty attribute list; “packaging may vary depending on the stock availability” |
| Seller | S&R Membership Shopping (Shopee Mall): joined 2019, 1.45M followers, 98% response; 4.9 stars from 16,883 ratings on this listing, 60K+ sold |
| Price | ₱359 for 1 kg, ₱35.90 per 100 g |
The two percentages on the listing (65% citron, 4% honey) are the same ones printed in the FDA food record, which is as close to a model-level match as imported jars get. It comes from a Mall store, it has the lowest price per 100 g of the five, and it has been rated by nearly 17,000 buyers.
It is a sweet citron preserve, not a plain tea: the listing accounts for 69% of the jar and does not say what the rest is or how much sugar a spoonful carries. The FDA record names the importers, not S&R, so we cannot say which importer’s stock S&R sells.
Why it scored well
- Composition matches the FDA record
- Mall store, 16,883 ratings
- Lowest price per 100 g of the five
Watch-outs
- Sugar, calories and serving size not stated
- Record names importers, not S&R
- Honey is only 4% of the jar
84/100
FDA food record
5% ginger extract
119,982 ratings
₱396
| FDA status | “Honey Citron & Ginger Tea (sliced citron 55%, ginger extract 5%, sundry honey 4%)” Balance Grow, FR-4000009887862 (valid to 15 Aug 2027) and FR-4000014497465 (valid to 17 Jul 2028), held by importers; no advisory names this tea |
| Specifications stated | 55% sliced citron, 5% ginger extract, 4% sundry honey, product of Korea, serve hot or cold, consume upon opening, store sealed in a cool, dry place |
| Claims | Taste description (“pungent and spicy aroma from ginger”); no health claim |
| Missing | The other 36% of the jar, sugar, calories, serving size and best-before date |
| Inconsistencies | “Volume = 1L” for a 1 kg jar; flavour “Honey”; the only variation is named “Honey Citron” |
| Seller | S&R Membership Shopping (Shopee Mall); 4.9 stars from 119,982 ratings on this listing, 400K+ sold, listed April 2021 |
| Price | ₱396 for 1 kg, ₱39.60 per 100 g |
The same Mall store, the same wording and the same kind of FDA match as the plain citron jar, with 5% ginger extract added. It is the most bought honey tea we found by a wide margin.
It has the same blanks: no sugar, calories or serving size, and 36% of the jar unnamed. Five per cent ginger extract is the listing’s own figure; the listing does not say how strong the ginger taste is, so read the reviews if you want a spicy cup.
Why it scored well
- Composition matches the FDA record
- Most rated listing we found (119,982)
- Mall store
Watch-outs
- Sugar and calories not stated
- “Volume 1L” and wrong variation name
- Record names importers, not S&R
Only ranked listing with a full ingredient list
3. Ottogi Honey Citron Tea 1 kg (buy buy korean grocery store)
ShopeeLazada72/100
Exact FDA name
Ingredients listed
50% sugar in the pickle
₱555
| FDA status | “Honey Citron Tea 1KG” Ottogi, FR-4000010251157 (Royal Be Consumer Goods Trading, valid to 19 Dec 2029); also FR-4000011829375 (KPLS Global, valid to 24 Oct 2028) and FR-4000014416510 (Puregold Duty Free, valid to 2 Jun 2031). No advisory found |
| Specifications stated | Ingredients: citron pickle (citron 50%, sugar 50%), honey, sugar, fructose, citric acid, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, pectin, carrageenan; 3 to 4 tsp (20 g) in hot or cold water; product of Korea |
| Claims | “No color no artificial preservatives” |
| Missing | Honey share, calories, best-before date |
| Inconsistencies | “Weight = 140g” for 500 g and 1 kg jars; “Shelf Life = 3 Months”; suggests spreading it on bread |
| Seller | buy buy korean grocery store (regular shop): joined 2021, 45,231 followers, 27% response; 4.9 stars from 1,277 ratings on this listing, 4K+ sold |
| Price | ₱555 for the 1 kg variation, ₱55.50 per 100 g (500 g variation ₱298) |
The most informative label of the five: it lists every ingredient and shows that sugar is half of the citron pickle and is added again. That openness is the reason it ranks above the other regular-shop listings, and its product name matches an FDA record word for word.
It costs about 55% more per 100 g than the Balance Grow jar, and the shop answers only about a quarter of chats. The weight and shelf-life fields are wrong, so ask the shop for the best-before date on your jar.
Why it scored well
- Full ingredient list, including the sugar
- Product name matches the FDA record
- 1,277 ratings, 4K+ sold
Watch-outs
- ₱55.50 per 100 g
- Store response rate 27%
- Weight and shelf-life fields wrong
Registered brand; thin and confused listing
4. Ottogi Honey Ginger Tea 500 g (Itzy Mart)
ShopeeLazada56/100
Exact FDA name
No ingredient list
341 ratings
₱310
| FDA status | “Honey Ginger Tea” Ottogi, FR-4000011829447 (KPLS Global Philippines, valid to 8 Jan 2029) and FR-4000014490132 (Puregold Duty Free, valid to 10 Jun 2031). No advisory found. The “Healing Time Ginger” variation on the same listing has no matching record in our search |
| Specifications stated | Product of Korea, “honey” as ingredient, shelf life 12 months, 500 g and 1 kg variations |
| Claims | “Traditionally used to treat cold symptoms, stimulate digestion, blood circulation, and even said to enhance skin complexion” |
| Missing | Ingredient list, serving size, calories, best-before date |
| Inconsistencies | The description is for honey citron tea, not ginger; “Volume = 500ml”; “Flavour = Honey Citron”; one listing sells citron, ginger and “Healing Time” teas |
| Seller | Itzy Mart (regular shop): joined 2021, 12,634 followers, 68% response; 5.0 stars from 341 ratings on this listing, 1,000+ sold |
| Price | ₱310 for 500 g, ₱62.00 per 100 g (1 kg ₱539) |
The ginger-only option outside the Balance Grow jar, and the Ottogi name matches two current FDA records. It is rated 5.0 by 341 buyers.
The listing itself says almost nothing about what is in the jar. The text is about citron tea, not ginger, and it repeats a traditional-use claim that no one on the listing backs up. It is the most expensive per 100 g of the five.
Why it scored well
- Product name matches the FDA record
- 341 ratings, 5.0 stars
- Ginger-only option; registered brand
Watch-outs
- No ingredient list or serving size
- Text describes a different product
- Highest price per 100 g
50/100
FDA food record
Nine flavours
Past expiry field
₱379
| FDA status | “Honey Citron Tea” Cholocwon, FR-4000015433615 (AM.PM24 Corporation, valid to 17 Dec 2028) and “Honey Citron Tea Marmalade” FR-4000012005163 (Vatra Global Synergy, valid to 5 Dec 2028). No advisory found |
| Specifications stated | Korea, 1 kg, 24-month shelf life, flavours from quince to aloe at ₱362 to ₱431 |
| Claims | For ginger: “reduces blood pressure, lowers cholesterol, relief from nausea and indigestion”; for grapefruit: “prevents adult diseases”; for lemon: “an old remedy for curing a cold or sore throat” |
| Missing | Ingredients, sugar, calories, serving size |
| Inconsistencies | “Expiry Date = 10/30/2025”, already past on the check date; “Flavour = Honey Grapefruit Tea” on a citron listing; “Gluten Free, GMO Free” with no ingredient list |
| Seller | Purple K-Mart (regular shop): joined October 2022, 7,131 followers, 73% response; 4.8 stars from 109 ratings on this listing, 700 sold |
| Price | ₱379 for 1 kg citron, ₱37.90 per 100 g |
A recognised Korean brand with current FDA records, sold at the second-lowest price per 100 g. It is here because it is registered and cheap, not because the listing is good.
The text is a copy-and-paste of marketing lines for nine flavours, including blood-pressure and disease claims no shop can make for a jam-like tea. The expiry attribute is in the past, so ask the shop for the date on the jar you will receive. Only 109 buyers rated it.
Why it scored well
- Brand has current FDA records
- ₱37.90 per 100 g
- Citron listed alongside ginger, lemon and others
Watch-outs
- Disease claims copied from other flavours
- Expiry attribute already past
- No ingredient list; 109 ratings
How to choose a honey citron or ginger tea
- Look for the exact product name in the FDA verification portal, such as “Honey Citron Tea” with the brand. Imported jars are registered under the importer.
- Read the percentages. A listing that states citron, ginger and honey shares tells you more than “honey citron tea”. Honey is 4% in the two best-documented jars.
- Treat it as a sweet drink. Sugar is a main ingredient. A 20 g spoonful (Ottogi’s serving) is a sweet drink mix; if you watch your sugar, ask your doctor or dietitian.
- Compare price per 100 g, not per jar. Here it ranges from ₱35.90 to ₱62.00.
- Check the best-before date. Two listings carried an expiry field in the past. Ask the shop for the date on your jar and check it on arrival.
- Ignore disease claims. A jar of fruit preserve does not treat blood pressure, cholesterol or colds. Ginger tea is a hot drink, not a medicine.
- Store it sealed, in a cool place, and use a clean spoon. Follow the jar’s own instructions once opened (general guidance).
- Skip jars with no FDA record or no ratings, and listings that sell several unrelated flavours under one text.
How we researched this guide
We searched the Shopee affiliate offer list and Shopee search for honey citron tea, honey ginger tea and the main brands (Balance Grow, Ottogi, Nokchawon, Cholocwon, Kkochsaem, Frenary, Dooraeone) on October 30, 2026. We identified each shop (Mall status, year joined, followers, ratings, response rate), read the full listings and looked each brand up in the FDA Philippines verification portal, including advisories. We scored five with our published rubric: provenance and registration (25), disclosure (20), claims (20), consistency (10), seller record (15) and value (10). Because imported jars are registered under the importer, a match on brand and product name scores below a registration held by the seller. We did not taste or test any product.
The portal returns only the first matches for a word, so a brand we list as “not found” may be registered under a name we did not try; ask the shop for the registration number. Composition figures are the sellers’ and the importers’ own. This is general information, not medical advice. This guide has not yet been reviewed by our health content reviewer, and we have not checked the Shopee affiliate programme’s rules for this category.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best honey citron tea in the Philippines?
Of the five we could match to an FDA Philippines food record, Balance Grow Honey Citron Tea from S&R (85/100, ₱359 a kilo) has the best listing, and the Honey Citron & Ginger version (84/100, ₱396) is the most reviewed.
Is honey citron tea actually tea?
No. It is a sweet preserve of sliced citron (yuja) with sugar and honey that you dissolve in hot or cold water. The listings call it tea.
How much honey is in it?
Where the listing says, 4%: both Balance Grow teas list 4% honey. The other listings give no honey figure.
Is honey citron tea high in sugar?
It is sweet. The Ottogi label lists sugar and fructose, and its citron pickle is half sugar. No listing gives grams of sugar per serving, so we cannot give a number.
Can honey ginger tea cure a cold or lower blood pressure?
No jar or listing can support that. Some listings repeat such claims; we ignored them. Ask your doctor about a cold or blood pressure.
Is it FDA registered?
The brands we ranked each have current food records in the FDA Philippines portal, held by importers. FDA Philippines registers food; it does not approve it as a remedy.
How many servings are in a 1 kg jar?
Ottogi gives a 20 g serving, which is about 50 per kilo; one Frenary listing says the same. Balance Grow's listings give no serving size.
Why not rank Frenary or Kkochsaem?
The Frenary listing we saw mixes two brand names, and we found no FDA food record for Kkochsaem or Ccotsaem. They may be registered under a name we did not try; ask the shop for the number.
Is the S&R listing the same jar as in the store?
The listing says "packaging may vary depending on the stock availability". The FDA records name importers, not S&R, so ask S&R which importer's stock you will get.
How long does an opened jar last?
The listings disagree: Ottogi's attribute says 3 months for one listing and 12 months for another. Follow the jar's label and keep it sealed and cool.
Can children have honey citron tea?
Honey should not be given to babies under one year. For children and for anyone watching sugar, ask your doctor or dietitian (general guidance).
Can I make it hot and cold?
Yes, the listings say to stir 20 g (about 3 to 4 teaspoons) into hot or cold water; adjust to taste.
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