HEALTH BENEFITS OF BEE POLLEN
Bee pollen has been extensively researched for its nutritional value and potential therapeutic benefits. Studies have shown bee pollen to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immune enhancing properties.
Bee pollen is a combination of flower pollen, bee salivary secretions and nectar. Flower pollen is the powdery substance produced by the anthers of flowering plants. It contains the male reproductive cells (sperm) necessary for the fertilization of other plants. Pollen grains are essentially the plant equivalent of sperm cells. They carry the genetic material needed to fertilize the female reproductive cells (eggs) in other flowers. Nectar is a viscus sugar rich liquid produced by plants in glands called nectaries. It is the sugar source for honey and is what attracts pollinators to plants.
Pollinators, such as bees, transfer pollen from the anther to the stigma which is the receptive part of the female reproductive organ. This is called cross-pollination. Pollination can also occur within the same flower without the action of a cross-pollinator (self-pollination).
Bee pollen contains over 250 bioactive compounds including proteins, amino acids, lipids, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and polyphenols. Bee pollen contains nearly all of the known vitamins, both water soluble and fat soluble with a higher amount of water soluble. Bee pollen has been shown to contain around 25 different minerals. Potassium is the most prominent mineral found in bee pollen with phosphorus being the second most followed by magnesium and calcium.
The average percent of protein in pollen is 22.7%. This includes 10.4% in essential amino acids such as tryptophan, phenylalanine, methionine, leucine, lysine, threonine, histidine, isoleucine, and valine. Essential amino acids are those that must be obtained from the diet as they are not synthesized by our bodies. Yet, they are very important to our health. These amino acids are vital to facilitating gene expression, cell signaling pathways, digestion, and nutrient absorption.
In addition to the essential amino acids listed above, bee pollen has been shown to have a wide range of non-essential amino acids. Non-essential doesn’t mean our body doesn’t need them. Non-essential means the body can internally make them as opposed to the essential aminos that must come from the diet. Bee pollen has been shown to have 25 different amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of all proteins in the body.
Nucleic acids (ribonucleic acid in particular) are present in high amounts in bee pollen. Nucleic acids are crucial to the proper function of all cells. They store and transmit genetic information. They are composed of nucleotides of which the two most important are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA).
Carbohydrates are present in bee pollen at around 30.8%. Lipids (fats) are present at around 5.1%. These are mostly the good and essential fats such as linoleic, and linoleic acids, phospholipids, and phytosterols. The phytosterol β-sitosterol is particularly abundant. β-sitosterol has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol by competing with it for absorption in the intestines. β-sitosterol has been shown to improve urinary flow in men experiencing frequent urination and/or weak stream. Studies have indicated β-sitosterol may inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells through apoptosis (cell death) of such cells.
Well-documented studies on animals have shown significant detoxifying action of bee pollen. When bee pollen was given to animals poisoned with liver damaging toxic substances, the pollen protected the liver from being damaged by these substances. Pollen has been shown to be highly anti-inflammatory on par with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The liver protecting ability of bee pollen is largely attributed to its rich content of antioxidants such as phenols and flavonoids.
Research has shown bee pollen to be cardio-protective largely because of its anti-oxidant properties. Studies have shown that bee pollen-enriched diets can help prevent atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the build up of plaque in the arterial system. Many studies have been done using bee pollen. These studies have show bee pollen to be helpful in providing a wide range of nutrients necessary to human health.
At Milk ‘N Honey we carry a variety of bee pollen products including both freeze dried and raw bee pollen. Adding bee pollen to your diet can be highly beneficial to your overall health.