We do our best to look after our health. We exercise when ever we can, try to get our 5 to 10 fruit and vegetables a day, and many of us take a daily multivitamin. If you are looking for a natural and homeopathic form of receiving your recommended daily nutrients, try bee pollen supplements.
What are Bee Pollen Supplements?
Bee pollen supplements are exactly what they sound like – bee pollen! Bee pollen is gathered on a bee’s legs as the bee moves from flower blossom to flower blossom. The pollen is permeated with enzymes while it is present on the bee. Bee keepers then collect the bee pollen through a special grate that they set up in front of the bee hive. From there, the bee pollen is made into bee pollen supplements.
Bee pollen supplements contain all of the nutrients that we as human beings require on a daily basis, such as:
Proteins, fatty acids, carbohydrates
Vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin D and Vitamin E
Minerals such as zinc, iron, copper, calcium, potassium, manganese and magnesium
How can I Choose Good Bee Pollen Supplements?
Just as with your daily multivitamin, not all bee pollen supplements are created equal. There are some things you need to look out for when choosing bee pollen supplements, such as:
Make sure the bee pollen supplements are being manufactured in a pharmaceutical good manufacturing practices (otherwise known as a GMP) compliant facility. These companies follow the highest standards of manufacturing, thus guaranteeing that you are getting the best quality bee pollen supplements.
See how the bee pollen has been extracted. How the bee pollen has been obtained will help determine how well the bee pollen is absorbed into your body.
Bee pollen supplements come in a variety of forms: tablets, capsules, powders, liquids and granules. Several products on the market also contain bee pollen extracts such as creams and lotions. Choose supplements that are natural and that do not contain artificial dyes, flavors or any preservatives.
Bee pollen supplements that come in the form of granules are arguably the best kind of supplement you can find. When choosing bee pollen supplements that are in granules, be sure to find the pollen with the greatest diversity of colors. A variety of colors indicates a variety of different flowers’ pollen, which guarantees a greater range of vitamins and minerals.
How can I Increase the Absorption of Bee Pollen Supplements?
Some argue that if taken directly, only 2 to 7 percent of the bee pollen supplements you may be taking are absorbed into your body. To increase the amount of bee pollen that is absorbed into your body, Doctor Cherbuliez (president of the American Apitherapy Society and a practicing physician in Scarsdale, New York) recommends soaking pollen granules in water or a glass of orange juice for 10 to 12 hours before consumption. This helps break down the shell that you will find encasing the pollen, which also is what prevents the nutrients from being absorbed by our digestive system. He claims that if you do soak bee pollen granules in this manner, up to 90% of the nutrients within the bee pollen supplements will be absorbed.
