A worker bee leaves her hive and travels up to three miles to collect pollen and nectar from surrounding plant life. While nectar is used to make honey, the plant pollen collected is mixed with a small dose of the secretion from salivary glands or nectar and placed in “pollen baskets” on the bee’s hind leg to be used as a food source for the hive. It also happens to be a superfood for humans! It is abundant in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, flavonoids, fatty acids, and more nutrients. Keep reading to learn some fantastic benefits of bee pollen.
Potential benefits of bee pollen
For decades, researchers have been studying the effects of bee pollen consumption. They’ve found many remarkable advantages. Let’s look at five of them.
1. Bee pollen is anti-inflammatory
Inflammation can wreak havoc on the body. It’s a natural response to stressors in the environment. However, chronic inflammation for prolonged periods can lead to several disorders and diseases.
Many over-the-counter and prescription drugs may offer anti-inflammatory effects but have various side effects and contraindications. On the other hand, bee pollen is a natural anti-inflammatory that people often turn to for pain and inflammation relief. The phospholipids, flavonoids, and unsaturated fatty acids in bee pollen can help your body mitigate the inflammatory response and return to a state of ease.
2. Bee pollen is antimicrobial
Microbes aren’t all bad. Our bodies work harmoniously with many strains of bacteria, especially in our guts. On the other hand, some bacteria and viruses are responsible for infections and other illnesses. Bee pollen is a gentle and effective antidote to help clear unwanted microbes such as staphylococcus, e. coli, and salmonella from the body, promoting healing and better health.
3. Bee pollen helps lower cholesterol
High cholesterol is correlated with heart disease. Bee pollen successfully increases blood flow and lowers cholesterol, thus helping reverse or prevent heart disease. Amazingly, studies show that bee pollen – a natural approach – can sometimes be more effective than pharmaceutical cholesterol-lowering drugs without any of the side effects!
4. Bee pollen provides immune support
Bee pollen is full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support a robust immune system in several ways. It is antimicrobial – helping the body fight off pathogens – and can amplify your immune system’s response to infection.
Bee pollen may mitigate the histamine response. In other words, it can decrease the severity of allergies. Also among bee pollen’s immune-supporting potential is its ability to slow or stop the growth of some cancerous tumors.
5. Bee pollen improves liver health
Our livers are essential for clearing toxins from our bodies. Antioxidants in bee pollen have multiple positive effects on liver health. Studies have shown that it may help the liver more efficiently detox and heal. Liver health leads to better overall health.
How to use bee pollen safely
While bee pollen can be a beneficial health supplement, it’s essential to know how to use it safely. As with any powerful natural supplement, there are potential side effects to be aware of. These side effects may indicate an allergic reaction to bee pollen, a reaction with other medications, or a temporary adjustment reaction as your body gets used to pollen consumption.
Potential bee pollen side effects include the following:
- Headache
- Rash
- Sneezing
- Watery eyes
- Fever
If you experience these symptoms persistently or severely, you should stop taking bee pollen. Safe bee pollen use includes starting slow and listening to your body!
Here are a few bee pollen safety tips:
- If you’ve never tried bee pollen before, only consume a small amount at a time and gradually increase the amount over time
- To lessen any possible side effects, you may want to start taking bee pollen in a non-allergy season
- Taking bee pollen daily with or after a meal is a good idea
- Consult your doctor if you have questions or concerns about using bee pollen
Honey Acres bee pollen
Interested in seeing if bee pollen is a good fit into your healthy lifestyle? Try it for yourself! Bee pollen offers you anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, cholesterol-lowering, immune-supporting, and liver-assisting benefits. Our pure and high-quality Honey Acres Spanish Bee Pollen is available in our museum and on our website!
