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 Referred to as the 'Food of
the Gods', bee pollen is a superbly nutritious
product and is used world-wide as an energy boosting
supplement.
Bee Pollen is the male seed of
flowers, created in the stamen within the blossom of the
plant.
Honeybees collect the pollen
and during the collection process it is combined with
secretions from the bee, as it is worked from the stamen
of the plant. The bee uses it’s tongue and mandibles
to collect the pollen, it then brushes the pollen from
around it’s mouth area using it's forelegs and moves
the now sticky substance towards it's second pair of
legs. The worker bee assembles a mass of pollen, all of
which has been mixed with the bee secretion and moved to
storage on the bees body and legs. When the bee has
collected sufficient pollen it returns to the beehive to
deposit the load.
What is the chemical
composition of bee pollen?:- Because of the plant
origin of bee pollen the actual chemical composition of
will vary depending on location and season. Regardless
of regional and seasonal variations, the product is very
rich in B Vitamins 1,2,3,5,6 and B 12, contains Vitamin
C, A and E along with Carotenoids and Folic acid.
Bee pollen also includes
collagen and lecithin. Lecithin is associated with the
dissolution of body fats and is an effective constituent
of bee pollen that can help with weight loss and weight
control.
Bee pollen contains all of the
essential components of life. The percentage of
rejuvenating elements in bee pollen remarkably exceeds
those present in brewer's yeast and wheat germ.
Examinations of the origin of
collected pollen indicate that the honeybees only
collect pollens which are rich in nitrogenous matter
(amino acids), leaving lesser quality pollen behind.
Around 20% of bee pollen is
composed of amino acids and proteins, and it is
extremely rich in Rutin.
It is a rich source of
minerals, including magnesium, calcium, copper,
manganese and more.
Bee Pollen and our health:-
A
complete food in every sense of the word, extensive
tests have concluded that life can be sustained on an
exclusive diet of bee pollen and water alone.
Research from the Royal
Society of Naturalists stated:- "The nutritional
tests supervised by the station at Bures on hundreds of
mice have demonstrated that pollen is a complete food,
that it is possible to let several generations be born
and live without the least sign of distress, while
nourishing them exclusively on bee pollen".
The list of potential benefits
to health is simply vast. Here are some of the more
common associated health benefits of bee pollen:
Bee pollen as a dietary
supplement may help us in many ways. Bee pollen is taken
by many people to supplement the nutrients that are
deficient in our diet, nutrients which are important not
just for raw energy, but also for their ability to
remove harmful ‘free-radicals’ or toxins from our
body.
Clinical tests have proven bee
pollen to be effective in combating the effects of hay
fever and other airborne allergens. In a clinical test,
bee pollen was given to individuals suffering from hay
fever allergies. It was given over a period and was
found to desensitize people from the effects of hay
fever and other allergies.
Bee pollen may help with many
conditions including obesity. Its ability to act as an
appetite suppressant and also a general craving
suppressant, makes it popular amongst people looking to
loose weight or even quit smoking.
Many athletes around the world
attribute their successes in large to using bee pollen
as an effective energy/stamina supplement. Muhammad Ali
contributes his success to bee pollen and many Olympic
athletes have used pollen during training.
Steve Reddick - GOLD MEDALIST
on the US Relay Team at the Montreal Games 1976 says:
"It gives me a lot more energy too. I used to take
honey but this Bee Pollen is far better. I take 3 pills
a day"
Taking bee pollen may also
help reduce the effects of stress and aid digestive
system function.
Dr. Carlson Wade in his book
'About Pollen' states: "Bee pollen contains a
gonadotrophic hormone similar to the pituitary hormone,
gonadotrophin, which functions as a sex gland stimulant.
The healing, rejuvenating and disease-fighting effects
of this total nutrient are hard to believe, yet are
fully documented. Aging, digestive upsets, prostate
diseases, sore throats, acne, fatigue, sexual problems,
allergies and a host of other problems have been
successfully treated by the use of bee pollen".
Pollen has been taken for
centuries to assist in body system regulation and to
provide a tonic for reproductive systems, male and
female. Providing energy and stamina, it is also
considered to assist in alleviating infertility and
impotence, particularly when combined with honey and
royal jelly.
A note on bee pollen and
prostate disorders:- Clinical research suggests that
bee pollen can reduce prostrate enlargement and painful
symptoms associated with prostate disease.
Dallas Clouatre, Ph.D. is a researcher and author of ‘Flower
Pollen for Prostate Health’. In his book he reports
that controlled bee pollen consumption among men with
prostate problems results in significant improvement and
alleviation of symptoms. Specifically, "less
nighttime urination, improved bladder emptying, and
reduced prostate discomfort".
Dr Clouatre also says that bee pollen helps relax smooth
muscle, making it easier to empty the bladder. It may
also act as an anti-inflammatory and decrease the
swelling of the prostate, resulting in a better urine
flow and reduced discomfort.
Dr. Clouatre comments that 80% of those people using
pollen find marked relief and that pollen may also
forestall future problems. "Patients often report
that they are no longer getting up at all during the
night and that they no longer have difficulty or
discomfort upon urination." Source includes BW
HealthWire, Nampa, Idaho June 9, 2000.
A Swedish study has also
concluded that bee pollen can significantly affect
inflammation and swelling of the prostate gland. Dn
Gosta Leander conducted a double-blind controlled study
of 93 patients in which a placebo was given to 43 men,
and bee pollen to the remaining 50. Forty-six men out of
the fifty who took the bee pollen were successfully
treated, while the control group did not experience any
significant improvement.
Many experts believe that the natural hormones contained
in bee pollen, along with a wide range of nutrients,
magnesium, essential fatty acids and zinc, help to
support the male urinary and reproductive systems. It is
generally considered that men over the age of thirty
could benefit from bee pollen’s ability to help
prevent the onset of prostate disorders.
Bee Pollen and weight
control:- Our body processes all nutrients and deals
with them according to the type and quantity consumed.
Consumption rates for calorie-bearing nutrients, coupled
with the rate of our metabolism, will generally
determine whether we build fat, maintain our body weight
or loose weight.
However, we can help our body
become more efficient in processing certain nutrient
types and certain food groups. By supplementing our food
intake with certain nutrient combinations, we can create
an environment where we become more efficient at
processing carbohydrates, fats and sugars, and can avoid
under some circumstances the production of excessive
body fat.
Pollen contains over 5,000
enzymes and co-enzymes, considerably more than is
present in any other food. These enzymes are necessary
in the body for digestive function and immune function.
The enzymes present in bee pollen are considered
important in creating a chemical balance in the
metabolism. This ‘balancing’ or ‘regulating’
function may be the key factor in bee pollen’s ability
to assist in weight regulation.
When taking bee pollen as a
diet supplement, it is best consumed an hour or so
before meals. Where body weight is normal, and there is
no desire to loose weight, pollen may be consumed with,
or directly following a meal.
Some important studies have
been conducted into the role of bee pollen in helping to
control body weight.
S. Blauer (Hippocrates Health Institute) "Bee
pollen minimizes, reduces or eliminates the normal
person's cravings for heavy concentrated protein... [bee
pollen] aids in the digestion of other food"
When investigating bee pollen’s role as a natural
appetite suppressant, Dr. J. Chen and Dr. L. Chu
(Aerospace Medicine & Life Sciences), "...
found the average daily food consumption in the Bee
Pollen fed group was generally 15-20% less."
Ingesting bee pollen in supplement form can be a great
way of assisting the body in processing and 'burning'
carbohydrates and converting calories into energy.
Bee Pollen can also supplement
nutritional intake in certain areas that are
inadequately catered for by the foods that we eat -
providing essential vitamins and minerals that are
deficient in processed foods.
How is Bee Pollen processed
for human consumption?:- The beehive is a remarkably
efficient workplace constructed and operated in a way
that has remained unchanged for millions of years. The
beehive contains a brood chamber where the Queen bee
lays her eggs. The brood chamber is the larger of
several chambers within the beehive, the smaller
chambers are where the worker bees store the honey and
pollen.
The pollen is collected in
"pollen traps". In commercial hives, these
traps are created by the beekeeper and consist of mesh
wire with small apertures which brush the legs of the
bee as it enters the hive. The pollen granules then fall
into a tray, which is removed by the beekeeper.
In most cases, little or no
‘processing’ is performed on the pollen after it is
removed from the hive in its granulated state. It is
purged or sifted of any foreign particles, and then
packaged and generally frozen.
In its raw state it should be
maintained frozen until it is ready for consumption, at
which point the thawed bee pollen should be kept
refrigerated until consumed.
A more convenient way of
consuming pollen is in capsule form. Capsulated pollen
if processed correctly, contains all of the nutritional
content of the raw pollen but has a much longer
shelf-life, typically 3 or 4 years.
Bee pollen has no regulatory
status, it is considered a food and not a herb or
vitamin supplement. There are no guidelines for
effective daily dosages, but many people take upwards of
1000mg per day.
Bee pollen
is a nutritive
power-house providing a vast array of potential benefits
to our health. Termed a ‘super-food’ and labeled by
ancient cultures as ‘The Food of the Gods’, bee
pollen contains all of the essential nutrients to
sustain life.
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