The Odd Goodness of Bee Pollen

Everyone knows that honey is what bees are all about, and we all love a bit of honey on a piece of toast in the morning.

But, have you heard off bee pollen – the under-appreciated second cousin to honey? It may not taste as good, but it may be even healthier!

What is Bee Pollen?

Flowers have male and female parts, the pollen is the male part of the flower – the seeds that are spread around to help the flower reproduce. Bees come and gather the dusty pollen, and they collect it into pollen “baskets” on their body. They cram a lot of pollen into the baskets, which compresses it and turns it into a granule. The granules of bee pollen are fed to their young, and it is the only source of food for the young bees.

But did you know that bee pollen is considered one of the most well-rounded foods in terms of nourishment – for humans as well as bees?! It has as much as 40% protein, all amino acids that your body can easily use. It has almost all of the nutrients that the human body needs, and it’s packaged in a form that your body can break down and absorb quickly.

Why It’s So Awesome

Aside from the amazingly high protein content, bee pollen has lots of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It’s loaded with B-complex vitamins and folic acid (needed by your body to make new cells), as well as rutin – a phytochemical that can help to fight heart attacks and strokes.

Bee pollen can:

• Strengthen your capillaries
• Regulate intestinal function
• Fight bacteria – such as salmonella
• Inhibit harmful bacteria growth
• Improve blood composition – lowering lipids and increasing red and white blood cells
• Delay the growth of mammary tumors
• Stimulate ovarian function
• Treat allergies – even pollen allergies and hay fever
• Boosts stamina and endurance
• Promote weight stabilization and control
• Eliminate cravings
• Dissolves and flushes fat out of the body
• and so much more…!

Bee pollen truly is one of the most amazing things in nature, and it’s worth adding to your diet. Just a spoonful of the odd-tasting granules a day will go a long way towards keeping you healthy!