Have you ever wondered what bee pollen is?

Many times this question comes up from our customers at the farmer's markets too. It's surprising that many people don't know about it at all, as one of the oldest “superfood” consumed by humans for 1000s of years. Our ancestors ate bee pollen for many reasons like for its nutritious value or holistic benefits, but often for its fertility boosting and aphrodisiac effect.

So, let me start at the beginning, what Bee Pollen is?

Have you ever seen a honey bee in your garden visiting flowers after flowers? Whether you noticed, occasionally they carrying something on their legs, it’s like a yellowish ball. This is actually pollen, collected from the visited flowers. Bees are not making honey from pollen, they store it separately in the comb cells and they feed the little bees and the hive population with it. They form a so-called bee bread made a mixture of pollen, honey and bees secretions.
You could ask the question, how the beekeeper gets the pollen of the bee’s legs???
Well, this is a very time-consuming job. They need a little brush and when they catch the bee they need to brush the bee legs carefully…it will come off… OK…OK… I am just joking. There is a much-sophisticated way to get the little pollen balls without disturbing the bee’s life at all. The beekeeper attaches a small box fitted with a screen in the doorway of a hive to allow the bees to enter through a small hole while harmlessly pushing off the pollen granules from their legs. Beekeepers are careful to collect only a small amount from any given hive, so as not to deprive the bees of this food source.

Why is bee pollen good for you?

Bee pollen is approximately 40% protein, considered one of nature's most completely nourishing foods. It contains nearly all nutrients required by humans. About half of its protein is in the form of free amino acids that are ready to be used directly by the body contains many elements that products of animal origin do not possess. Bee pollen is richer in proteins than any animal source. It contains more amino acids than beef, eggs, or cheese of equal weight.

Bee pollen can be used medicinally for a wide range of conditions, from prostate health to skin conditions, and can help correct specific nutritional imbalances within the body.

Here We have 10 reasons to introduce bee pollen to your daily diet!

1. Treating Allergies – Pollen generally reduces the presence of histamine, ameliorating many allergies. Medical studies show the result that 94 percent of his patients were completely free from allergy symptoms once treated with oral feedings of pollen. Everything from allergies to sinus problems to asthma was illuminated, confirming that bee pollen is very effective against a wide range of respiratory diseases.

2. Immune System - Pollen is good for the intestinal flora and supports the immune system, rich in antioxidants that protect the cells from the damaging oxidation. According to holistic health experts, bee pollen has antibiotic properties that can help protect the body against viruses.

3. Energy Booster – The wide range of nutrients in bee pollen makes it a great natural energizer. The carbohydrates, protein and B vitamins can help keep you going all day by enhancing stamina and fighting off fatigue.

4. Respiratory System - Bee pollen is high in antioxidants that can have an anti-inflammatory effect on the lungs, preventing the onset of asthma.

5. Skincare - Bee pollen is used to treat inflammatory conditions and common skin irritations like psoriasis or eczema. The vitamins and amino acids protect the skin also aid the regeneration of cells.

6. Digestive System - In addition to the minerals, protein and vitamins, bee pollen has enzymes that can help digestive health. Enzymes assist your body in extracting all the nutrients from the food you eat.

7. Supports the Cardiovascular System - Bee Pollen contains large amounts of rutin; an antioxidant bioflavonoid that helps strengthen blood vessels assists with circulatory problems, and corrects cholesterol levels. Could help in the prevention of heart attack and stroke.

8. Supporting Fertility - Bee pollen stimulates ovarian function due to its nutrients and therefore may be used to assist in accelerating pregnancy. It is traditionally considered as a great aphrodisiac!

9. Weight loss –It can help inhibiting cravings by suppressing impulses. Because bee pollen crashes cravings, it may be useful for healthy weight loss. Due to its high nutritional value can be a healthy additive to your diet plan. Bee pollen can make you fill full for longer.

10. Prostate Aid – Due to its anti-inflammatory effect, men who suffer from benign prostate hyperplasia can find relief by using bee pollen to stop frequent urges to urinate.

How Should Bee Pollen Be Consumed?

Bee pollen acts faster and more effective when taken as part of a meal especially with fruit, which lets it gently perform a little cleansing of the intestinal flora. It can be added to your favourite breakfast smoothie or simply spread it over your yoghurt or cereal, granola. I wouldn’t recommend it to add it to hot porridge during cooking because the high heat can damage its nutrients.

Risks of consuming Bee Pollen.

Bee Pollen can be safely consumed by most people. However, for people suffering allergy or asthma, it is advised to start taking bee pollen in very small amounts, like a few granules day by day and increase the amount gradually.

Bee Pollen and honey are not advised for infants under 1 year of age.

Recipe

Immune Booster Berry Smoothie

- 200g frozen berry mix (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries)
- 2 teaspoons of Bee Pollen
- Half a Banana
- 100 ml Natural yoghurt
- 100 ml Milk or almond milk
- Tablespoon of Raw Acacia Honey
Add this seeds for extra nutrients:
- 20g Chia seeds
- 20g flax seeds
- 20g pumpkin seeds

I hope you enjoyed this blog post, if you have any questions or just want to add something, please comment below and start the conversation.