For quite some time, the wellness community has been abuzz about the benefits of raw honey, but those benefits wouldn’t be possible without the nutritional value of the pollen that is contained within it. One of nature’s great wonders, bee pollen benefits your health in several amazing ways.
We’ll show you the 10 amazing, science backed, benefits in a moment. But before we do, let’s become a little bit more familiar with bee pollen.
What Is Bee Pollen?
In the natural course of a bee’s day, they buzz from flower to flower on various plants. From the another, which is the pollen producing part of the male reproductive system of the flower, bees pickup pollen. Besides fertilizing flowers with this pollen, they also carry it back to their hives. The pollen is stored in the honeycomb cells inside the hive. Those cells are covered with a layer of honey and wax, which is called bee bread. This bee bread is the main protein source for the bee colony.
Bee pollen is what is known as a apitherapeutic substance. This is because it combines chemical compounds that are produced by bees that have therapeutic uses in medicine. In fact, there are more than 250 useful substances found in bee pollen which have therapeutic and wellness benefits. It can vary from hive to hive and it depends upon the primary source of the pollen.
Nutrients in Bee Pollen
But the chemical composition of the nutrients contained in bee pollen is generally the below.
• Digestible carbohydrates 30%;
• Fructose and glucose 26%;
• Protein 13%;
• Essential amino acids (also a type of protein) 10%;
• Lipids and essential fatty acids 5%;
• Phenolic compounds and flavonoids 2%;
• Another 2% is divided between traces of vitamins and minerals.
Besides the carbohydrate, amino acids and fatty acids benefits found in bee pollen, the phenolic and flavonoids compounds are also critical elements in what makes bee pollen a powerful super-food. Among flavonoids occurring in bee pollen, there are mainly kaempferol, quercetin, and isorhamnetin. Also, among the phenolic acids, there is mainly chlorogenic acid. These compounds will show up in the studies cited below.
The nutritional attributes above lend a great deal of support to the 10 amazing bee pollen benefits in our list below. Often referred to as ambrosia, the food of the gods, bee pollen is truly nature’s wonder in your diet.
10 Amazing and Proven Bee Pollen Benefits
One of the most impressive bee pollen benefits is that it is an awesome antioxidant. According to studies out of Japan:
Enzymatic hydrolysates from bee bread are of benefit not only for the materials of health food diets, but also for in patients undergoing various diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and hypertension.
A separate Japanese study indicated that the ethanol extract shows potent anti-inflammatory activity in edema. So, you can add the reduction of inflammation to your list of bee pollen benefits.
Supports Liver Function
Another of the many bee pollen benefits is its support of liver function and potential to heal liver damage. Researchers in Turkey found that chestnut bee pollen reversed the condition of test subjects which had liver damage.
Boosting immunity is another item among the many bee pollen benefits. According to research from Portugal, bee pollen samples:
Exhibited antimicrobial activity, being Staphylococcus aureus the most sensitive and Candida glabrata the most resistant of the microorganisms studied.
Relieves Menopausal Symptoms
A study in Germany indicated that another of the many bee pollen benefits comes in its relief of menopausal symptoms.
This study provided evidence that honey and bee pollen may improve the menopausal symptoms of breast cancer patients on antihormonal treatment.
Those who are trying to get pregnant will be happy to know that bee pollen benefits fertility as well. Research conducted in Egypt shows a significant effect of semen quality and overall fertility in subjects given bee pollen.
Spanish researchers point to the presence of the flavonoid, kaempferol, as providing significant support to the healing of wounds as well as other antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, which support it. So, wound healing is another of the amazing bee pollen benefits you need to consider.
Improves Cognitive Function
You should also be aware that another item among bee pollen benefits comes in the improvement of cognitive function. Polish researchers noted, as a result of patients treated with bee polen:
Increasing the physical fitness of the organism in excessive physical burden, affecting the central nervous system by improving brain functions, such as memory, learning, comprehending, thinking, and ability to concentration.
Treatment for Allergies
73% of patients with hay fever averaged a 75% improvement when given bee pollen orally. 78% of asthma patients averaged a 75% improvement in taking bee pollen orally. 17.8% of hay fever patients and 33.3% of asthma patients showed a complete, 100%, improvement with oral bee pollen-usually the sooner bee pollen treatment began pre-seasonally the greater the rate of healing.
This is what reports an article in Smith’s Bee Pollen Health Info. So, treatment for allergies is another on the list of bee pollen benefits.
Reduced Risk of Atherosclerosis
Your heart can also take advantage of one of the many bee pollen benefits. Studies in Poland also indicated that:
On patients who did not react on antiathersclerotic drug, Grofibrat (fenofibratum), pollen lowered the level of lipids and cholesterol from 20 to 30% and decreased the clumping of blood platelets for 30%.
A Note of Caution
Though one of the safety concerns for bee pollen is the potential for allergic reactions to pollen, which those prone to such allergies might have. Studies indicate, however, that allergic reaction which would have occurred with direct exposure to the pollen do not occur when taking bee pollen. To date there is no evidence that bee pollen has any adverse reactions with any specific prescription drugs.
Safe dosage for taking bee pollen as a supplement is 2 tablets twice daily with a composition of 6 mg royal jelly, 36 mg of bee pollen extract and 120 mg of pistil extract in each tablet. Bee pollen in raw honey and honey comb is generally safe in any amount. Remember that whenever you use any supplement used as a form of therapy you should consult a health care professional. This is in order to understand the full range of possible adverse reactions and side effects.
Wrapping It Up
There is plenty of solid, scientific evidence to suggest that bee pollen benefits a number of different areas wellness and potential health issues. This powerful ambrosia of the gods is certainly one of the more potent supplements you can add into your diet and fitness routine.
Give bee pollen a try today and then let us know about your own success stories in the comments section below.
Images from depositphotos.com.