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Bees are incredibly important for our environment and provide us with many wonderful tools, like healing honey, propolis, and versatile wax. Among the lovely things bees provide is bee pollen; a concoction containing flower pollen, honey, enzymes, wax, nectar and even bee spit! Bee pollen is a precursor to “bee bread,” which bees make in the hive for their food. It may sound a tad gross, after all bee spit isn’t something I would order off a menu, but consuming bee pollen has many wonderful health benefits!
Bee pollen has been found to be antifungal, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective (liver protecting), anticancer immunostimulating, and local analgesic (pain relieving); wow! On top of all those wonderful actions, bee pollen also possesses amino acids (including 10% essential), fatty acids, vitamins, macro- and micronutrients, protein, minerals, enzymes, and many (250) other substances.
The plants bees obtain pollen from determines the nutrient profile (the percentages of each helpful substance) in the bee pollen created.
Bee pollen is a sweet treat full of nutrients and healing actions!
6 Benefits of Bee Pollen:
Because of bee pollen’s incredible nutrient profile and diverse healing actions, it possesses many health solutions for common conditions. Here is a closer look at some of those benefits.
1. Boosts Immunity and Kills Bacteria – Bee pollen has great antibiotic properties; due to the flavonoids and phenolic acids, it has been shown to be effective against pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella, Pseudomonas aeurgionsa, staph infections, and Candida fungi. Bee pollen’s adaptogenic properties also increase the immune system’s strength against infection.
2. Protects Against Heart Disease – Bee pollen has been shown to lower high blood lipids through antioxidants that protect lipids from oxidizing. Bee pollen also helps to lower high blood cholesterol (especially LDL), decrease the clumping of blood platelets, and improve cerebral blood flow.
3. Protects and Heals the Liver – Bee pollen has incredible detoxifying properties and has been shown to protect liver cells from damage caused by harmful toxins. Bee pollen also promotes the healing of liver tissue (from both toxic and post-traumatic damage).
4. Powerful Anti-inflammatory – Bee pollen can reduce inflammation and swelling. One study found that bee pollen extract decreased swelling in an animal’s injured paw by 75%. Studies have also found bee pollen’s anti-inflammatory activity to be comparable to anti-inflammatory drugs such as naproxen, analgin, and phenylbutazone. Because of it’s composition (including flavonoids, phenolic acids, and fatty acids), bee pollen is helpful for acute and chronic inflammatory conditions, as well as initial degenerative conditions, and cholestatic liver diseases.
5. Protects Against Chronic Disease – Bee pollen is full of antioxidants (including flavonoids, quercetin, and glutathione), which can protect the body from free radical damage. Free radicals are linked to chronic diseases, like cancer and diabetes. Besides protecting against free radicals, bee pollen has also been shown to inhibit the growth and spread of tumors, as well as to stimulate apoptosis (cell death) in prostate, colon, and leukemic cancers.
6. Improves Nutrient Utilization and Promotes Longevity – Animal studies have shown that adding bee pollen as a dietary supplement increased vitamin C and magnesium levels, improved hemoglobin content, and caused a greater number of red blood cells in the animals receiving bee pollen compared to the animals not. Bee pollen also increased the lifespan of the experimental animals. Bee pollen has a high nutritional value and has shown to work quickly to restore nutritional deficiencies in animals; it has been recommended for malnutrition, recovering individuals, post surgery patients, and people performing physically demanding jobs. Bee pollen’s adaptogenic properties have also shown to increase the body’s ability to perform when under excessive physical burden.
On top of these impressive benefits, bee pollen has anti-allergy properties (protects mast cells from releasing histamine), incredible wound healing abilities, works against cancer (improving the condition of patients and removing pain), boosts mental capacity, and strengthens the nervous system. Bee pollen really is a super-food!
Easy ways to incorporate bee pollen into your life
Bee pollen is very versatile and can be added to many different foods. We mostly like to add bee pollen to breakfast foods, like smoothies and oatmeal. Bee pollen can also be added to yogurt, muffins, used as a healthy sprinkle substitute, or just eaten plain. Adding bee pollen to foods is like a little party, it decorates and brighten things up while adding a subtly sweet boost of nutrients!
Where to find bee pollen
Bee pollen is fairly easy to find online, I like to buy bee pollen that is sustainable sourced and definitely from the U.S. If I find a good WA State local source I will add that information here. Currently, I enjoy using Greenbow’s bee pollen; they are a bee keeping company with a variety of U.S. sourced, organic bee products. Another company I like is Beekeeper’s Naturals; we use their propolis spray (for immune support and sore throats) regularly, and they also offer bee pollen.
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal with Bee Pollen
Ingredients:
2 3/4 Cups filtered Water
1 1/2 Cups Rolled Oats
Pinch of Salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 large (or 2 small) Apples, peeled and chopped into small squares
Brown Sugar (or sweetener of choice) to taste
Bee Pollen
Steps:
Place water, oats, and salt in a pot on the stove. Turn on medium-high heat and stir constantly while bringing to a boil. Once mixture is boiling, turn off heat and add cinnamon and apples; give it a stir and place a lid on top. Let sit for 8-10 minutes to thicken. After oatmeal has thickened up, remove the lid and add sugar (or syrup, honey, etc.) to taste. Top with butter, if desired, and sprinkle with sweet bee pollen for a nutritious kick!
Honey Today:
Decorate your food with bee pollen and let that little splash of sunshine revive your body and bring a smile to your face.
