By Mariah Haddad
Honeybee pollen can be collected in farms, as shown above
(Photo: Stephanie Nahalka Hendrickson)
(Photo: Stephanie Nahalka Hendrickson)
The world depends on the honeybee to pollinate for not only its honey, but for our crops, livestock, and eco system. With all of these benefits, it is time to look into one of the most obvious of outputs of the honeybee: its pollen.
Bee pollen is an up and coming health food that is said to be responsible for improving endurance and vitality, adding weight during convalescence, fighting cravings and addictions, and building new blood.
“I started consuming bee pollen about three years ago,” said 43-year-old Avery Michaels. “I used to take several multivitamins and dietary supplements. Now all I take for my overall balance of health is one teaspoon of bee pollen with my yogurt.”
Michaels of West Seneca is one of the thousands of people who have hopped on the bee pollen train.
According to Food Matters, Bee pollen is richer in proteins than any animal source. It contains more amino acids than beef, eggs, or cheese of equal weight. These proteins are responsible for enhancing energy, boosting the your immune system, and supporting cardiovascular health.
Like bee honey, in small consumption bee pollen has been proven to reduce allergies, according to mindbodygreen.com. However, Dr. Bernard Sweeney, of Tri-County Health Care, advises to proceed with caution.
“Any time you are trying to treat allergies, it is important to contact your physician before proceeding. Bee pollen can cause serious allergic reactions that have the potential to be anaphylactic,” Sweeney said. “It is unsafe for pregnant woman and those who are breastfeeding. Absolutely contact your physician before you consumer bee pollen, or any supplement for that matter.”
Bee pollen is also used for skin benefits. It is loaded with “skin health” boosting substances including zinc, silica, and dozens of anti-oxidants and fatty acids, according to bee-pollen-buzz.com. It is also linked to anti-aging and treating dermatitis.
Bee pollen is sold at GNC, and can be found online. The average cost is about $20 per 15 ounces.
One teaspoon of bee pollen is equivalent to one honeybee working eight hours.
“Bee pollen is cheaper in a tablet form, however the compression of the pollen into a capsule can destroy the enzyme and vitamin C content,” said Timothy, who declined to give his last name, a Lockport GNC representative. “It is a raw food naturally. With raw foods, you get what you pay for. It is worth spending the extra $5 to get raw bee pollen, compared to a bee pollen complex.”
