How to Choose the Best Bee Pollen Supplements

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.

Discovering Bee Pollen Health Benefits

Who isn’t looking for a way to improve their health these days?  We all tend to gravitate towards the low-fat and no-fat foods, the “no transfats” and “no MSG” meals, and several of us hold a year-long gym membership (which, when it comes to people like me, is very seldom used).

Forget the crash diets.  Forget the costly memberships to the fitness club.  You can improve your health today by taking advantage of bee pollen health benefits.

Who Takes Advantage of Bee Pollen Health Benefits?

More people than you may think!  Taking bee pollen to improve one’s health isn’t a new concept, either.  For thousands of years the Chinese have practiced using bee pollen to both improve health and to cure a number of ailments.  Only recently has Western medicine caught on to and begun learning about the bee pollen health benefits.

What are the Bee Pollen Health Benefits?

The bee pollen health benefits are numerous, given that bee pollen is packed with a multitude of nutrients, including:

Vitamin A

B-Complex Vitamins

Vitamin C

Vitamin D

Vitamin E

Vitamin F

Vitamin H

Vitamin K

Vitamin PP

Folic Acid

Choline

Rutin

Inositol

Calcium

Iron

Zinc

Phospherous

Potassium

Copper

Selenium

Iodine

Sulfur

Sodium

Titanium

Amino Acid

Carbohydrates

Fatty Acids

Enzymes

Fats

In total, there are 11 enzymes and co-enzymes, 11 carbohydrates, 14 fatty acids, 18 vitamins, 22 amino acids, 25 minerals and 59 trace elements.  With so many nutrients packed into these tiny granules, it is no wonder that those who take bee pollen enjoy these bee pollen health benefits:

Weight Loss and Weight Control

An increase in vitality, stamina and energy levels

A better immune system

Allergy and Asthma relief

Increased sexual drive (for men and women)

Improved digestion

Anti-aging Properties

Helps prevent cancer and other diseases

Soothes menstrual cramping

Helps speed up the wound healing process

Combats fatigue and depression

Gradually helps one build up a resistance to other airborne pollens (fewer allergies!)

How should I Begin Taking Bee Pollen?

To enjoy the bee pollen health benefits, it is important to first speak to your doctor or nutritionist about any potential side effects.  Those who have proven to be allergic to bee venom or have suffered from asthma attacks are particularly prone to having adverse reactions to bee pollen.  Anyone who has suffered from an anaphylactic shock are also at a greater risk of suffering from another shock if they take bee pollen supplements.

As with any supplement you take, the idea is to start off slowly.  Begin by taking a fifth of the recommended dosage (the recommended dosage is 1 tablespoon of raw granules or 3500mg capsules) and constantly monitor your sensitivity to bee pollen.  If you suffer from allergies, it is recommended that you begin taking the bee pollen in January if you have allergic flare ups in June.  Try to begin taking the bee pollen supplement 6 months before your expected allergic reaction.  The longer your immune system has to adapt and adjust to bee pollen the better the results.

Why Natural Bee Pollen is Better for Your Health

You have heard about how great bee pollen supplements are for you.  You’ve heard about how bee pollen contains all of the essential nutrients required to sustain human life.  But all because natural bee pollen may start off as having up to 97 essential nutrients packed within its fine dust doesn’t mean that the bee pollen you buy in the store necessarily offers the same amount of  benefits for your health.

It is important to recognize that not all bee pollen supplements are created equal.  Many bee pollen supplements undergo several treatments: processing, coloring, dyeing, added preservatives, heating, freezing, grinding crushing… each one of these treatments only further kills off the nutrients that are naturally contained within a natural bee pollen. Because of this, it is essential that you do seek out a natural bee pollen that has been left in its most natural state: a bee pollen granule.

Sure, you will find bee pollen tablets and pills and powders and liquids and several other commercial products that claim to have bee pollen in them.  But read the back of the package: Do you see any dyes?  Coloring?  What sort of manufacturing or processing has that so-called natural bee pollen been through?  If the bee pollen is not in a granule form and is on a store shelf, you know there must be preservatives in there.  Seek out bagged and bottled natural bee pollen granules that offer a diversity of color.

There are two sources that I find offer easily accessible and good quality natural bee pollen:  a bee keeper, or an online bee pollen or natural health store.  Bee keepers are wonderful as you can actually inspect the natural bee pollen right then and there and see the area the bee pollen is coming from (if you are trying to buy bee pollen that may be organic, this is a great route to take).  The drawback to a bee keeper is that the different types of flowers that a bee has collected pollen from may be lessened.  This means that the pollen you are buying may not have as many nutrients in it.

TIP:  To find a local bee keeper, check out bee keepers in your area through an Internet search or visit your Chamber of Commerce.

Buying natural bee pollen online allows you to easily compare prices, quantities and review the company to check out the quality of the natural bee pollen they are selling.  The drawback of course is that you cannot actually physically inspect what you are buying before purchasing.  Again, be sure to perform an Internet search on the company and seek out any reviews or customer complaints.  Many online natural bee pollen companies also have a customer service line you can call with any queries or concerns you may have before buying their product.

It is important to recognize that buying natural bee pollen means that it has a much shorter storage life, so buy natural bee pollen in small yet frequent quantities to ensure that you always have a fresh supply at hand.

Why Choose YS Bee Pollen Products?

After deciding that I wanted to switch from my daily multivitamin to a bee pollen supplement, I wanted to find a company I knew I could trust.  I wanted to know that the bee pollen supplements I were buying would be of the best quality and completely organic.  That’s when I decided on YS bee pollen supplements.

Reason #1: The History

YS bee pollen supplements are backed by 4 generations of bee keeping experience.  The commitment that these four generations of bee keepers put into a product they trusted and knew was beneficial for all became the company YS Organic Bee Farms, which officially launched in 1995.  The fact that their products offered Certified Organic Honey that was USDA and NOP approved helped convince me that this company was one to be trusted.

I knew that good quality bee pollen should come from several different sources and areas so as to obtain the most nutrients.  YS bee pollen comes from a number of beekeeping farms located in a number of areas, including:  Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Minnesota, Montana and North Dakota.

Not only can I find quality YS bee pollen products lined on many of the shelves of stores I frequently buy other products at (such as GNC and Whole Foods Markets) but they have also dedicated themselves to holding several “Organic Fairs” that have helped educate and teach people about the benefits of bee pollen dietary supplements.  

Reason #2: The Products

YS Bee Pollen products are not only organic, but they offer a wide range of quality supplements such as:

100% Certified Organic Honey (Raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized and unheated)

Several fresh royal jelly products (such as 100% pure and fresh royal jelly, royal jelly in honey, royal jelly and bee pollen in honey, and fresh royal jelly with bee pollen, propolis and ginseng in honey)

Fresh bee pollen products (such as fresh raw bee pollen granules, low moisture whole granule bee pollen, and bee pollen chewables with vitamin C)

Fresh propolis (in powder form, honey, as a spray, in capsules, and tinctures)

Honey (both raw and certified organic raw honey)

Where do I find YS Bee Pollen Products?

YS bee pollen products are not sold online, but YS bee pollen products and supplements are available in many stores in several different regions.  

NOTE:  You can contact the YS Organic Bee Farms to obtain information packages on their products and to familiarize yourself with their company.  

Last but not least, if you have any concerns about taking a YS bee pollen supplement, be sure to discuss it with your physician to see if this type of nutritional supplement is right for you.

Get Healthy with Fresh Bee Pollen

FACT: Fresh bee pollen is one of the most nutrient-rich foods that has ever been discovered.

FACT:  Fresh bee pollen has been used for centuries for both health and medicinal purposes.

FACT:  Almost anyone can enjoy fresh bee pollen!

Fresh bee pollen is the rawest form of bee pollen that you can possibly find.  But just how do we end up with bee pollen that is available for human consumption?

First, we have to understand where bee pollen comes from.  As we know, bees travel from flower to flower, gathering nectar to bring back to the hive. There can be hundreds or thousands of bees per hive.  As the bees seek out the very best nectar in these flowering plants, they are also actively seeking out the highest quality of bee pollen (which are called entomophile pollen grains, a pollen grain with a greater nutrient content than other type of pollen).  Bees collect fresh bee pollen on their legs, which they then usually bring back to the hive and use as a protein source.  Pollen also brushes off of the bees as they fly, which helps fertilize and propagate the growth of plants.

When it comes to bee pollen supplements for human consumption, the fresh bee pollen is collected outside of the bee hive before the bees disappear inside.  Fresh bee pollen can contain any where from 3 to 20% water content, so it is important that the water is carefully removed so as to leave the fragile elements of the fresh bee pollen undisturbed.  This helps ensure that you are truly enjoying as many health benefits from the bee pollen as possible.

There are three common methods of drying fresh bee pollen:  freeze drying, heat drying, and air drying.  Freeze and heat drying are the methods that are used to dry fresh bee pollen most often as it is quick and easy.  The drawback, however, is that both freezing and heating up the bee pollen granules may very well be destroying the natural healthy enzymes, thus reducing the benefits of the pollen supplement.  Air drying, on the other hand, is certainly most preferred as this form of drying fresh bee pollen leaves the pollen undisturbed.  Air drying will take a longer amount of time, but the scope of health benefits that you will get from an air dried bee pollen supplement are insurmountable.

The packaging and the form of bee pollen also affects the integrity of the nutrients.  Fresh bee pollen which is allowed to air dry in its granule state and is consumed as such is the best way to gain the most health benefits.  A good idea is to soak the granules in water or juice to help break down the harder outer shell so your body can best absorb the vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and other important enzymes that are in a bee pollen supplement.

Many health food stores carry these air dried bee pollen supplements.  If you are looking for a raw and more organic fresh bee pollen to dry yourself, visit your local bee keeper and query about prices and availability.

Why Honey Bee Pollen is Good for You

Wondering what the “buzz” about honey bee pollen is all about?  Pollen is more than just an irritating dust that causes several people to suffer from mild to severe allergic reactions each spring.  Honey bee pollen is a “super food” that contains all of the nutrients we need to sustain our lives.  It is natural and safe for most people to take on a daily basis.  So just where can we find this honey bee pollen?

Where to Find Honey Bee Pollen

You can find honey bee pollen in a number of places these days.  You can purchase commercial bee pollen from almost any health food store.  Commercial honey bee pollen is often freeze- or heat dried so that its shelf-life is extended.  It is argued, however, that both the freeze and heat drying process of honey bee pollen kills off many of the beneficial enzymes, though very little research that proves or disproves this occurs

TIP:  If you are seeking a commercial brand of honey bee pollen, be sure that the company you purchase it from is a GMP (pharmaceutical good manufacturing practice) compliant facility.  These facilities must comply to the highest manufacturing standards.

Another option is to find a local bee keeper who offers bee pollen (you can locate a bee keeper by contacting your chamber of commerce).  Their honey bee pollen is 100% natural, though bear in mind that it needs to be refrigerated and bought in small quantities as bee pollen can “go bad” fairly quickly.  

TIP:  If you choose to visit a local bee keeper to check out their honey bee pollen, be sure that the pollen they offer has a variety of colors.  This ensures that you are receiving the maximum amount of nutrients from the pollen.

The most convenient way of purchasing honey bee pollen is to do so over the Internet.  Buying honey bee pollen over the internet allows you to compare prices, quantities, and the type of pollen you are interested in (i.e. raw pollen, freeze dried pollen or heat dried pollen).

What Forms can I Find Honey Bee Pollen In?

Honey bee pollen comes in an amazing amount of forms for you to use.  This includes:

Capsule

Tablets

Lotions and Creams

Liquid 

Powder

Granules

You can even find honey bee pollen in many natural honey products, including natural unpasteurized honey itself.

How can I Get the Most from my Bee Pollen Supplement?

To gain the most nutritional benefits from your honey bee pollen, buy it raw and in a granule form.  It is more costly this way, but the raw granules definitely offer the most nutrients at the best absorption rate possible.

To ensure that your body does absorb as much of the honey bee pollen as possible, take the granules and soak them in juice or water for up to 12 hours (the longer, the better).  This soak will break down the shell that you will find encasing the honey bee pollen which in turn allows you to absorb close to 90% of pollen (as opposed to the 7% that would be absorbed otherwise).

Bee Pollen Royal Jelly

Why Choose Bee Pollen Royal Jelly?

After surveying a group of ten people who were interested in bee pollen and supplementing their health with it, 9 of the 10 had no real idea what “royal jelly” was. Is it a moisturizer of some sort?  A brand name of bee pollen supplement?

Bee pollen royal jelly is a complex well-formulated substance that is used by young nurse bees as larva food.  This bee pollen royal jelly is secreted from the glands on the tops of the young nurse bee’s heads, and is then given to the young larvae for up to 3 days (the queen larvae, however, are given this nutrient-rich source for their entire life).  During the 3 days that the larvae are eating bee pollen royal jelly they grow 250 times their birth weight and quickly reach their full development.

The queen bee, however, grows 500 times in weight as she is fed the bee pollen royal jelly her entire life.  Other than also doubling the size of the average worker bee, the queen bee can live up to 6 years whereas the regular worker bee only lives a maximum of 40 days.  That’s quite the difference in a lifespan!

As scientists began discovering how beneficial bee pollen royal jelly was for bees, they began to look into how it can benefit humans.  It has been discovered that bee pollen royal jelly contains vast amounts of:

Vitamins

Proteins

Lipids

Hormones

Glucides

Enzymes & co-enzymes

Minerals

Biocatalysts

Royal jelly, in comparison to regular dry bee pollen, has 17 times as much pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5).  This water soluble vitamin is important for human growth, reproduction/fertility, and several other bodily processes related to our physiological functions.  Some people even use vitamin B5 for the treatment of their acne.  This is because of the healing and rejuvenating properties that are contained within bee pollen royal jelly.

Some other notable uses for bee pollen royal jelly include:

Fatigue

Anxiety

Asthenia

Anorexia

Insomnia

Bronchial asthma

Hepatitis

Pancreatitis

Arthritis

Gout

Artherosclerosis

Kidney diseases

Ovarian problem

Stomach ulcers

Anti-aging properties

Regenerating and stimulating one’s nervous system

Skin disorders

Healing of fractured bones

Promotion of fertility and sex drive

You can find bee pollen royal jelly in a couple of different forms.  It is typically sold in either a liquid or capsule form.  The liquid form has a honey base to it, and you can either take it directly or mix it into either a beverage (such as your favorite tea), in a meal replacement shake or a smoothie of any sort.  The most important thing to bear in mind when buying bee pollen royal jelly is that it is coming from a reputable source.  This will help ensure that it is pure and of the highest quality.  Reputable companies also tend not to use any sort of preservatives, chemicals, or additives so that it doesn’t detract from the health benefits of the bee pollen royal jelly.

NOTE:  Before beginning your royal jelly health regime, speak to your physician about any possible side effects such as allergies or asthma.

Bee Honey Pollen

Why Bee Honey Pollen is Better than your Multivitamin

When you are looking at the back of a multivitamin package, what are you looking for?  Vitamins?  Minerals?  Protein and calcium?  Manufactured multivitamins are undoubtedly beneficial for our health, but if you are seeking a healthier and an even better absorbed supplement to meet your daily nutritional requirements, you may want to try bee honey pollen supplements.

Is there a difference between honey bees and bees?

Yes!  There are approximately twenty-thousand known species of bees, only 7 of which are honey bees (with an estimated 44 subspecies of these bees).  There is evidence that honey bees and bee honey pollen have existed for over 14 million years thanks to an unearthed bee specimen in Nevada.

What makes bee honey pollen so special is that in recent years, there has been a notable decline in the honey bee populations. Some believe that it is due to changes in agricultural practice, while others seem to believe that the decline has something to do with the recent climate changes.  What ever the reason, honey bee pollen is growing in demand as the honey bees themselves disappear.

How do we get Bee Honey Pollen?

Honey bees gather nectar from flowering plants.  As they travel from blossom to blossom they collect pollen in their “pollen basket”.  From there, the pollen is carried back to the hive and is usually used as food.

When collecting bee honey pollen for human consumption, a specially created grate is placed in front of the honey comb or hive so that the bee pollen basket is “emptied” into a contraption which can then be collected by the bee keeper.  Bee keepers tend to collect the pollen every couple of days.

How can I take a Bee Pollen Supplement?

There are a number of ways:  As a pill, a powder, or you can have bee honey pollen infused directly into your honey! Having bee honey pollen on a daily basis will give you a full dietary compliment of:

Vitamins and minerals

Proteins

Phytochemical nutrients

How should I begin taking a Bee Pollen Supplement?

When you start your bee honey pollen supplement regime, it’s important that you start off slowly.  This will allow you to observe your body for any poor side effects, such as an allergic reaction.

Introducing bee honey pollen to your system may best be done by starting with taking a few of the pollen granules per day.  After a few days with no adverse side effects, increase the dosage slowly until you work up to a teaspoon of bee pollen a day.  If you would like to start by taking bee honey pollen in the honey form, start off by taking half a teaspoon a day and gradually work up to a tablespoon or two of honey per day.

Is there anything I should know about before taking Bee Honey Pollen?

If you have had any sort of allergic reaction to bee stings/bee venom in the past, be particularly wary if you plan to start a bee honey pollen nutritional regime. Those who have asthma or who have suffered from anaphylactic shock should be especially careful if taking a bee pollen supplement.  Be sure to discuss supplementing your diet with bee honey pollen before you begin so that you are aware of all of the potential side effects and how they may affect you.