Bee Pollen Benefits, Nutrition Facts and Usage

Bee pollen is a rich source of nutrients like protein, vitamins, carbohydrates, and minerals. It has been used as a natural remedy for various ailments by many cultures worldwide. In modern times, bee pollen supplements have become available to us from different sources such as honeycomb.

Did you know that bee pollen includes almost all nutrients necessary for human survival? As a result, the German Federal Board of Health has designated it as a medication.

Bee pollen is great for natural allergy treatment and is responsible for many of raw honey’s health benefits. It’s high in vitamins, minerals, proteins, lipids, fatty acids, enzymes, carotenoids, and bioflavonoids, making it an antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral agent that strengthens capillaries, decreases inflammation, boosts the immune system, and naturally lowers cholesterol.

Bee pollen has more protein and amino acids than any other animal source and more amino acids than an identical weight of eggs or beef. These are just a few of the many advantages of bee pollen.

What Is Pollen From Bees?

Pollen is collected from plant anthers, mixed with a little amount of salivary gland secretion or nectar, and placed in special baskets (called corbiculae) on the tibia of bees’ hind legs, termed pollen burdens.

Pollen is gathered and transported to the hive, where it’s packed into honeycomb cells. The collected pollen is then wrapped in a thin coating of honey and wax, resulting in “bee bread.” According to research, bee bread undergoes anaerobic fermentation and is preserved by the lactic acid produced. The bee colony’s primary source of protein is bee bread.

According to the most recent national statistics, one bee colony produces one to seven kilos of pollen each year. Therefore, the quantity of pollen harvested from one colony each day ranges from 50 to 250 grams.

When field bees return to their hives, pollen baskets are collected by special equipment known as pollen traps. To get into the hive, the bees must fight their way through the traps, losing half of the pollen basket and being sent back out to gather more pollen.

Pollen is a variety of colors, ranging from brilliant yellow to black. Bees acquire pollen from the same plant most of the time, although they may also collect pollen from various plants. Pollen grains vary in form, color, size, and weight depending on the plant species.

Because it comprises groupings of chemical compounds generated by bees and utilized for medical reasons, bee pollen is known as an apitherapeutic product. There are around 250 components in its makeup, including amino acids, lipids, vitamins, macro-and micronutrients, and flavonoids.

Nutritional Information

Bee pollen’s nutritional value comes from its high nutritional content. The following are the nutritional data for bee pollen:

• carbs that are 30% digestible
• Sugar content is 26%. (mainly fructose and glucose)
• The protein content is 23%. (including 10 percent of essential amino acids)
• lipids make up 5% (including essential fatty acids)
• phenolic compounds make about 2% of the whole (including flavonoids)
• Minerals make up 1.6% of the total (including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, silicon, and selenium)
• Water-soluble vitamins and acids account for 0.6 percent of the total (including B1, B2, B6, and C)
• Fat-soluble vitamins make about 0.1 percent of the total (including vitamins A, E, and D)

Benefits

Eating it provides several health advantages because of the broad spectrum of antioxidants, amino acids, and minerals in bee pollen. It’s utilized for medical and therapeutic reasons all over the globe.

1. It helps to reduce inflammation.

Bee pollen’s anti-inflammatory properties have been comparable to medications like naproxen, analgin, phenylbutazone, and indomethacin.

According to the researchers, it may be helpful in acute and chronic inflammatory disorders, early degenerative illnesses, and liver disease or toxicity. For example, when honeybee pollen was fed to rats with acetaminophen-induced liver necrosis, it showed strong anti-inflammatory activity, according to a 2010 research published in Pharmaceutical Biology.

Another research from 2010 looked at the anti-inflammatory properties of bee pollen bulk, water extract, and ethanol extract in rats using a carrageenan-induced paw edema model.

According to the findings, the bulk moderately reduced paw edema, but the water extract had essentially no inhibitory efficacy. Nevertheless, researchers believe that ethanol extract might be employed as a dietary supplement or a functional food because of its significant anti-inflammatory properties.

2. It has antioxidant properties.

Recent research has shown that enzymatic hydrolysates from bee pollen have been helpful for people who have cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension. In a 2005 study, the antioxidant qualities were examined, and researchers discovered that it possesses outstanding antioxidant activity.

They saw a lot of scavenging activity in response to active oxidative stress. According to the researchers, pollen’s inhibitory properties were even compared to those found in fermented foods, including natto, miso, cheese, and vinegar.

3. Protects the liver against toxicity

Chestnut bee pollen protects hepatocytes from oxidative stress and accelerates the recovery of liver damage induced by toxicity, according to a 2013 research published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

One group of rats with carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage was given two different amounts of chestnut bee pollen orally (200–400 milligrams per kilogram per day). In contrast, the other was given silibinin, a flavonoids-containing medicine.

When rats were given silibinin, the researchers discovered that both therapies restored liver damage, but silibinin caused considerable weight loss and mortality owing to severe diarrhea. According to these studies, pollen seems to be a safe alternative to silibinin in the treatment of liver damage and may be used as part of a liver cleanse.

4. Immune System Booster

Pollen from bees is antibacterial and antiviral. The biological actives of eight commercial bee pollen obtained from the market were tested in a 2014 research published in Food and Chemical Toxicology.

Antimicrobial activity was found in all of the samples. However, Candida glabrata was the most vulnerable to pollen, whereas Staphylococcus aureus was the most resistant.

Pollen from bees may potentially be a natural allergy reliever. The impact of bee pollen on mast cell activation, which plays a crucial role in allergy disorders, was studied in research done in Japan in 2008.

The researchers conducted in vivo and in vitro tests. They discovered that bee pollen has anti-allergic properties due to its capacity to block mast cell activation, which is critical in allergic responses’ early and late stages.

5. It may be used as a dietary supplement.

Pollen has been shown in animal experiments to be a useful dietary supplement. For example, according to studies, pollen-fed mice and rats had greater vitamin C and magnesium levels in their thymus, heart muscle, and skeletal muscles.

After pollen eating, they had a higher hemoglobin content and a more significant number of red blood cells. In addition, experimental animals have lived longer thanks to pollen from bees.

The effects of bee pollen on 40 New Zealand white rabbits were investigated in a research published in the Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition. The rabbits were split into four groups, each receiving the identical commercial diet. A water solution containing no pollen or 100, 200, or 300 mg of bee pollen per kilogram of body weight was administered to each group. From October to February and May to September, female rabbits were mated with non-treated male rabbits.

Each season, 80 weaned bunnies were taken from the control group’s females and put into the same four groups to begin treatment. Female rabbits given 200 milligrams of bee pollen improved their body weight, conception rate, milk output, and litter size.

It also enhanced blood chemistry profiles. In addition, the same amount of pollen significantly boosted young rabbits’ growth and survival rate until weaning.

Similar pollen health advantages were discovered in a 1994 research involving pregnant rats and fetal development. According to this animal research, bee pollen has a high nutritional content and may be used to supplement nutritionally deficient animals.

According to researchers, it may be beneficial when given to youngsters who lack appetite or are experiencing developmental delays. It may also benefit malnourished children and adults, particularly before and after surgery, while recovering from alcohol addiction or when they are under physical or emotional stress.

6. Menopausal Symptoms are Reduced

In a 2015 research done in Germany, both honey and bee pollen honey were shown to relieve menopausal symptoms in breast cancer patients receiving antihormonal therapy. Over two-thirds of the participants who finished the research said their symptoms had improved.

Bee pollen and honey, according to researchers, might be given to women who have failed to react to existing treatments for postmenopausal symptoms. They also point out that flavonoids in honey and pollen have been shown to protect against breast cancer, implying that these products should be used by women experiencing menopausal symptoms and issues, whether or not they have a history of breast cancer.

7. Assists in Stress Reduction

The nutrition facts and tonic characteristics of bee pollen boost mental ability and strengthen the nervous system, which may be affected by stress. As a result, it is one of the most powerful natural stress relievers.

It may be especially beneficial to people low on energy, such as the elderly. Even tiny quantities of bee pollen taken over time have been demonstrated to increase mood and physical endurance, bolstering one’s will to live.

It also acts as a local analgesic, reducing pain caused by stress or injury.

8. Aids in the healing process

Bee pollen may be used as a topical ointment to speed up the healing process, and it’s particularly effective as a burn treatment. Kaempferol, found in pollen, slows enzyme activity after a burn and reduces inflammatory responses and edema.

Pollen, according to research, improves blood circulation in the arteries and moisturizes the skin. In addition, flavonoids in bee pollen have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, which reduce pain and inhibit platelet aggregation. Pollen’s antibacterial function also helps to prevent infection, enabling a cut or burn to heal fast.

Pollen is a good source of numerous vitamins and minerals, so it may make your skin seem younger and more radiant. In addition, it helps cleanse the body, decreases the appearance of wrinkles, and speeds up the healing process by stimulating blood flow to all skin cells.

Pollen from bees for weight loss?

Pollen has been demonstrated to aid in the recovery of muscle protein and energy metabolism in aged rats subjected to severe food restriction, indicating that it may be used to prevent or treat malnutrition.

What about weight reduction, though? Is bee pollen good for your metabolism?

Pollen aids in hormone regulation and has metabolic activity since it contains amino acids that help break down fat cells in the body. We also know that pollen includes many necessary vitamins and minerals, which may assist individuals with bad eating habits in replenishing their bodies. You only need a modest quantity to get these nutrients, and one ounce of bee pollen is just approximately 90 calories.

Many companies sell bee pollen pills or supplements that promise to help you lose weight quickly, but there is little scientific evidence to support this claim. For example, the FDA recalled Zi Xiu Tang bee pollen capsules after discovering undeclared sibutramine and phenolphthalein, weight-loss medicines that are no longer used in the United States due to their potential to raise the risk of heart attack or stroke.

According to the FDA, customers and health care professionals have reported more than 50 adverse events linked to the use of contaminated bee pollen weight reduction products.

It’s challenging to call bee pollen a “wonder weight-loss product” without scientific data. However, we know that it may help with inflammation, energy, and a variety of vitamins and minerals. Pollen is also a valuable supplement since it can enhance skin health and speed up the healing process.

How to Make Use of

Purchase bee pollen from a reliable source or a trusted local beekeeper. Ascertain that the pollen is devoid of pesticides and that the bee colonies have not been chemically treated. Pollen from bees may be found at most health food shops and farmers’ markets, particularly now that beekeeping is becoming more popular.

Many individuals are unsure how to consume bee pollen. It’s relatively simple to consume bee pollen. When it’s ground and blended with meals, it’s the most popular method to utilize it.

Ground pollen may be blended in a 1:1 to 1:4 ratio with honey, cottage cheese, or yogurt to make a mixed pollen solution that can be consumed throughout the day. Take one teaspoon of mixed pollen three times a day to treat vitamin shortage, allergies, inflammation, stress, or disease.

Pollen grains from bees are also accessible. They’re great in yogurt, cereal, and baked goods. In addition, ground pollen may be made by blending granules, which can then be added to smoothies or sprinkled over salads.

Pollen grains or granules may be soaked in warm water for two to three hours. After that, they shatter, releasing their nutritious worth. Milk, fruit, and vegetable juices may also be used in this way. You may then consume the liquid or blend it into a smoothie to get the advantages of bee pollen.

Bee pollen is a terrific ingredient to our Secret Detox Drink because of its cleansing capabilities.

Side Effects and Risks

Depending on the amount, most individuals may safely ingest bee pollen by mouth for 30 to 60 days. After that, a lesser amount may be consumed with a bee pollen blend, which is considered safer.

The most serious safety issues are allergic responses to bee pollen, which might be a problem for sensitive persons. If you experience itching, swelling, shortness of breath, or light-headedness after swallowing pollen, you may have bee allergies or sensitivity to bee products; thus, stop using it until you see your doctor.

There is some worry that bee pollen may stimulate the uterus and endanger pregnancy. Thus, pregnant women should avoid it or use it under the supervision of a health care specialist.

People on blood thinners, such as warfarin, should avoid bee pollen.

Last Thoughts

• The nutritional value of bee pollen, which comprises vitamins, minerals, proteins, lipids, fatty acids, enzymes, carotenoids, and bioflavonoids, is particularly excellent.
• It possesses potent antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral qualities that help to improve capillaries, decrease inflammation, boost the immune system, and naturally lower cholesterol levels.
• Use bee pollen to increase your nutritional intake organically. It has been demonstrated to help prevent and correct malnutrition and poor nutrition in studies.
• Pollen granules or powdered pollen are available for purchase. Smoothies, yogurt, cottage cheese, cereal, baked goods, and salads are healthy options. Alternatively, infuse the nutrients in warm water and drink it to get a burst of vitamins and minerals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to take bee pollen?

A: The best way to take bee pollen is in capsules. They are easier for the body to absorb, and you can easily pop them open if needed.

How much bee pollen should I take a day?

A: The amount of bee pollen you take depends on the person and their needs. Some people may need more, while others might only need a few doses per day.

How do humans use bee pollen?

A: Bee pollen is a protein-rich food that can be used as an anti-aging treatment. Its also very popular in Chinese medicine, where it has been used to treat allergies and other health problems since ancient times.

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