The Buzz on Bee Pollen
Bee pollen is one of the most complete, nutritionally valuable substances on our planet, and is considered to be one of natures most perfect foods. Pollen, the tiny seeds on the stamen of flower blossoms, is collected by honeybees as they search for nectar. Nectar and special enzymes are secreted by the bees into the flower pollen, thereby creating bee pollen, which is then gathered from the entrance of beehives.
The health benefits of bee pollen are considerable: Ingesting bee pollen can help people lose weight, increase energy levels and endurance, strengthen the immune system, slow aging, improve digestion and sexual functioning, relieve allergy and asthma symptoms, and help prevent illnesses such as cancer.
Bee pollen is available in health food stores as a supplement and can be taken in powdered form, tablets, granules, and capsules. Capsules usually also contain other substances such as royal jelly and honey. Royal jelly, so named because it is the only food fed to the queen bee, is also available as fresh liquid or freeze-dried powder. Fresh royal jelly can be kept refrigerated for about one year; freeze-dried can be kept at room temperature for about three years. Since royal jelly enables the queen bee to live about thirty times longer than worker bees, people buy it not only for its health benefits but also to enhance appearance and to delay aging.
|