What Is Bee Pollen?

The Secrets of Bee Pollen Uncovered

Before you find yourself tempted to swat at that bee that has been buzzing around you this afternoon, stop and think about what that bee actually does for us.  That apple, those flowers, and even that chocolate bar you enjoyed for dessert are all thanks to bee pollen and pollination.

But that’s not all.  Not only is bee pollen the reason for so many fruits, vegetables and plantation we have outdoors, but the more we learn about bee pollen the more scientists recognize how beneficial bee pollen can be for our health.

What is in Bee Pollen?

Did you know that bee pollen actually has more than 96 nutrients in it?  Did you know that every single nutrient that is needed for us to live is contained within this finite dust?  Here’s a short list of the nutrients that can be found in bee pollen:

22 amino acids

B-Complex vitamins

Vitamin C

Folic acid

Polyunsaturated fatty acids

Enzymes

Carotene

Iron

Zinc

Calcium

Copper

Potassium

Magnesium

How can Bee Pollen Benefit Me?

Thanks to the numerous vitamins and minerals that bee pollen has to offer, taking approximately 35 grams of bee pollen every day can guarantee that your every nutritional need is being met.  When every nutritional need is being met, you are then able to enjoy the health benefits that come along with a healthier life style, such as:

Increased immunity.  Vitamins B, C, D, and E, as well as beta-carotene, calcium, selenium, proteins, magnesium, lecithin, cysteine and nucleic acids can all be found in bee pollen.  These have been proven to strengthen one’s immune system.

Become allergy-free!  Though pollen may be the cause for many of your sniffles and your red, itchy eyes, bee pollen can actually help you build up a resistance to allergens and prevent allergic reactions (such as hay fever).

Get Energized!  Many doctors and nutritionists believe that the long term use of bee pollen will also leave you with increased energy and improved endurance.

Reduce Stress.  Receiving the required amount of amino acids, fatty acids and vitamins help regulate your mood, thereby helping you cope and manage stress.  Plus, if you are feeling less fatigued and discover you have more energy, the exercise you’ll be able to take on will help you decompress and relax! 

Are there Any Side Effects I Should Know About?

If you are planning on taking bee pollen or any sort of bee pollen supplement, do be aware of any potential side effects, such as:

Coughing

Wheezing

Flushed Skin

Hives

Itchy/”Scratchy” throat

Anaphylactic shock

If you do have any history of pollen allergies, asthma, or bee sting allergies it is important to discuss the potential side effects with your health care practitioner.  Anaphylactic shock (which includes breathing problems, convulsions, and loss of consciousness) may also be a side effect.

When you do plan on taking a bee pollen supplement, do be sure to start with small doses so you can monitor your body’s reaction.  Should you notice no side effects, slowly increase the dose of bee pollen until you can be sure you do not have an allergy.

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.

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.

How Bee Pollen Nutrition Supplements can Help You

Looking for a new way to get the nutrition that your body needs?  Try bee pollen nutrition supplements.  Believe it or not, bee pollen supplements are just as – if not even more – complete than that multivitamin you have been taking.  Though many may frown upon the idea of taking a bee pollen nutrition supplement, chances are those people just do not know enough about the benefits of bee pollen.

First, it’s important to know what vitamins and minerals are part of a bee pollen nutrition supplement.  Bee pollen supplements contain a variety of different vitamins, which includes:

Vitamin A

Vitamin B

Vitamin C

Vitamin D

Vitamin E

Vitamin K

When it comes to bee pollen nutrition supplements, they are also amongst the best kind of supplement to take when it comes to offering you the amounts of minerals you need each day.  Some of the minerals that can be found in a bee pollen supplement include:

Zinc

Iron

Copper

Potassium

Calcium

Manganese

Magnesium

In addition to the above vitamins and minerals, bee pollen is also loaded with antioxidants which help fight off any free radicals, which in turn reduces the risk of cancer and helps combat the signs of aging.

Though the actual composition of bee pollen varies slightly, generally all bee pollen is 24% protein, 27% carbs and 5% fat.

So what do these nutrients mean for you?  Not only do these supplements mean that you will be living a healthier lifestyle, but it also means that you will be combating illnesses better than ever.  Having a full compliment of nutrients strengthens your immune system and will keep you from falling ill.  The bee pollen nutrition contained with these supplements also helps people stave off long-term illnesses and diseases, control diabetes, and lose weight.

But that’s not all.  Did you know that taking a bee pollen supplement can also boost your sex drive AND your fertility at the same time (yes, this applies to both men and women)?  You’ll feel more energized, less depressed, and taking on a bee pollen nutrition plan will also help you fight any pollen-related allergies in the future.

Not all bee pollen supplements are as good as the other, however.  Many commercial bee pollen supplements are frozen or heat dried, which may deplete the bee pollen of the essential enzymes that help improve our health.  The form of bee pollen also makes a difference of its quality and the amount of benefits you will enjoy from it.  If a bee pollen nutrition supplement comes in a:

Capsule

Tablet

Liquid

…then it may not be as easily absorbed into the body as if you were to take it in its purest state:  a raw granule.

Raw bee pollen can be found in a couple of ways:  online or through a bee keeper.  Trying to hunt down a bee keeper may seem like a complex task, but a quick call to your local Chamber of Commerce will offer you a name or two of the closest bee keepers in your area.  Give them a ring and see if they sell raw pollen.  When online, be sure to compare prices, quantities, and quality of the products any company offers.  Once you find a company that sells bee pollen nutrition products, begin researching the product and try to find customer reviews.

NOTE:  Before starting any new bee pollen nutrition routine, be sure to discuss the supplement with your health care practitioner to learn about the benefits and potential side effects.

What You need to Know about Bee Pollen Side Effects

Before introducing any sort of new food or chemical into your body, it is always best to do a bit of homework and find out just exactly how that item is going to affect your overall well being.  If you are thinking of or are already taking a bee pollen supplement, it is important familiarize yourself with both the good and the potentially bad bee pollen side effects you may experience. 

The Good Bee Pollen Side Effects

The benefits of bee pollen supplements are astounding.  First, let’s look at the vast amount of nutrients that are contained within bee pollen.

Vitamins:  Vitamin A, Vitamin B1 Thiamin, Vitamin B2 Riboflavin, Vitamin B3 Nancin, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6 Pyridoxin, Vitamin B12, Pantotheic acid, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin F, Vitamin H, Vitamin K, Vitamin PP, Choline, Inositol, Folic acid, and Rutin.

Mineral Content:  Titanium, Silica, Boron, Selenium, Molybdenum, Manganese, Magnesium, Chlorine, Sodium, Sulfur, Zinc, Iodine, Copper, Iron, Potassium, Phosphorus, and Calcium.

Other nutrients:  Carbohydrates, Amino acid, Fatty acids, Fats, Enzymes and Co-Enzymes.

Bee pollen has a lot to boast about.  It contains 11 enzymes and co-enzymes, 11 carbohydrates, 14 fatty acids, 22 amino acids, 18 vitamins, 25 minerals and is 25% proteins.  Not only that, but it also has up to 59 trace elements and minerals that are not contained in most vitamin and mineral dietary supplements today.

Now to the good side effects.  Apart from your health improving substantially, you will find that:

You have an increased libido (the sex drive will improve in both men AND women)

You will age better and stay youthful longer

You will have an increase in energy levels

You will have an increased metabolism (which, of course, can help one lose weight a lot faster!)

You will see a decrease in your cholesterol levels

If you are a man, bee pollen will help you prevent a number of prostrate problems

If you are a woman, you will notice your menstrual symptoms decrease in intensity or completely disappear

You can actually cure your allergies to airborne allergens by taking what is often considered an airborne allergen – bee pollen!

There are studies that also have some inclination to suggesting that bee pollen can help treat and even cure asthma, liver diseases, kidney diseases, and some forms of heart disease.

The Bad Bee Pollen Side Effects

With any “good”, there’s always a flipside to the coin.  First and foremost, if you have ever had a bad reaction to bee pollen or bee venom (such as a bee sting) in the past, be particularly wary if you choose to use a bee pollen supplement.  Be sure to discuss its usage thoroughly with your doctor before starting to take it.

Those with asthma should also use extreme caution and discuss taking a bee pollen supplement of any kind with their doctor.  If you have suffered from an anaphylactic shock before (the swelling of the throat to the point you cannot breathe, convulsions and loss of consciousness) then it is recommend that you do NOT supplement your diet with bee pollen.

Whether or not you have suffered from any bad bee pollen side effects, it is always a good idea to use caution and begin taking bee pollen supplements in small doses to start off with.  This will help you determine whether or not you will suffer from bad bee pollen side effects, or if you will be able to enjoy the vast amount of wonderful bee pollen side effects that this super food has to offer.

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.

What You need to Know about Bees Pollen

When we think of a honey bee’s pollen, we tend to think of buzzing insects and flowers.  We think of allergies and runny noses and endless sneezes.  As bee’s pollen is explored and dissected further, we are also finding that bees pollen is incredibly healthy and good for us too.

Where does a Bee’s Pollen come from?

A bee’s pollen comes from the ever so tiny male seed particle that you can find on almost every flower blossom around the world.  It is a dusty substance that collects on a bee’s legs as they buzz to every different flower blossom.  As it is collected, the bees produce enzymes which are then infused into that pollen.

To collect the pollen for human consumption, bee keepers will create a grate that they then place over the hive or honeycomb. The grate will “brush” the bees pollen from their legs and can then be collected by the bee keeper several times a week.  The bee’s pollen is typically stored in a frozen state until it is ready for human consumption.

What is In Bees Pollen?

Would you believe that there are over 96 nutrients in that dusty substance?  Or how about how bees pollen actually has each and every nutrient that we as human beings need to survive?  Bee’s pollen is becoming all the rage since it is a natural supplement that human beings can take that guarantees that we are meeting our daily nutritional needs.

Bee’s pollen is made up of 3.5% ash, 48.5% carbohydrates, 9.9% fatty acids, 14.2% fiber and 21.2% protein – all nutrients that are essential to our health, and in healthy quantities.  In addition to this, you will also find:

Retinol (vitamin A)

Thiamine (vitamin B1)

Riboflavin (vitamin B2)

Pyridoxine (vitamin B6)

Pantothenic Acid (part of the B-complex vitamins)

Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C)

Tocopherol (vitamin E)

Nicotinic Acid (nicotinamide)

NOTE:  The best way to ensure that you are receiving all nutrients from bees pollen is to mix the bees pollen supplement you are taking.  Plan on taking not only a local bees pollen supplement (such as if you went to a bee keeper to obtain your bees pollen supplement), but also a bees pollen from another part of the continent or area of the world.

What Can Bees Pollen Do for Me?

Apart from bee’s pollen helping keep us in tip top shape, you can enjoy these other benefits from a bee pollen supplement too:

Weight Control

Reduced cholesterol

Resistance to allergies

Increased energy

Increased fertility for both men and women

Restoration of sexual desire 

Relieves a number of prostrate issues

Alleviates menstrual cramps

Alleviates headaches (migraines in particular)

Quickens the healing of wounds

Gets the digestive tract back ON track

Helps cure depression and chronic fatigue

Before taking a bees pollen supplement, be sure to discuss the benefits and potential side effects (such as a flair up of allergies or asthma) with a nutritionist, natural health practitioner or with your doctor for further information.