Pollen

Bee pollen is a natural product with proven health-promoting properties. It is worth including it permanently in your diet due to the fact that it provides our body with many valuable vitamins, minerals and biologically active compounds, i.e. flavonoids. Scientific research confirms, among others its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. Pollen can also be a great nutrient for people who train intensively and during convalescence. It is also an ingredient of many skin care cosmetics, as well as those used to treat certain skin diseases.

How to use pollen?

Pollen available in granules for health-promoting purposes should be consumed 3 times a day, half an hour before a meal. It is best to mix it with water, milk, and add to coffee or tea. It can also be eaten with honey or added to yogurt. It is good to chew the granules thoroughly, which increases the absorption of valuable nutrients contained in pollen. Many people wonder if it can be ground. A mortar or a coffee grinder will help us with this. The ground form does not deteriorate the quality of the product. In this form, pollen does not lose its properties, and it is easier to use it for cosmetic purposes, e.g. preparing a home mask.

How many calories does pollen have?

It is a low-calorie product and therefore can be used in weight loss. With a low-calorie diet, it will minimize the risk of deficiency of protein, amino acids, iron, magnesium and B vitamins. Moreover, two teaspoons of pollen are only 40 calories and only 4g of sugar. People who care about the line can use it without remorse.

What are bee pollen?

Pollen is nothing more than male reproductive cells of various flowering plants collected by bees and transferred to the hive. It is stored in the cells of the comb, poured over with honey and covered with wax. In this form, it is used by bees to feed larvae in the initial stage of development (4-9 days). The food prepared in this way is called bee bread and it is the basic source of protein for the bee colony. It is nothing more than preserved pollen mixed with bee saliva and honey. How is pollen produced for food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical purposes? Specialized pollen traps are placed in the hives. A bee that enters the hive must pass through a structure that removes pollen from its legs. It falls into the lower container and in this form is dried at a temperature of about 40 degrees Celsius. What does it look like? They are small pollen balls stuck together with the saliva of collecting bees. Most often they come in different shades of yellow, but they can also come in orange, purple and even black. The highest value is pollen obtained from plants such as willow, poppy, clover, heather, mustard and fruit trees. The smell of pollen is very characteristic: honey-floral. It has a pleasant taste: sweet, bitter, and sometimes slightly burning.

How and where to store?

Pay attention to the packaging in which you buy granular pollen. It should be tight. Most often it is offered for sale in a jar or foil with a clip. At home, keep pollen in a cool and shaded place. Recommended storage temperature is around 5 degrees Celsius.

Bee pollen and drugs? Contraindications.

Many people with food allergies wonder if bee pollen is allergic. It rarely causes such reactions, but people allergic to pollen from flowers, trees and grasses should be especially careful when taking it. In such a situation, it is best to consult a doctor who will assess whether the use of pollen will be safe for an allergy sufferer. Can pollen be given to children? There are no contraindications, but it is best to introduce it to your toddler's diet only after 3 years of age. Previously, it should not be used due to the risk of allergy. We give the pollen to the child in small amounts and observe the body's reactions. If nothing happens, the dosage can be gradually increased to 2 teaspoons per day. It is not recommended for pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and people taking blood thinners to take pollen. Scientists point to the possible interaction of bee pollen with pharmaceuticals containing warfarin.

Bee pollen in clinical treatment

Scientific research shows that bee pollen has the ability to increase the physical, mental and immune resistance of the body. Therefore, it is used as an aid in the treatment of alcoholism and mental diseases (e.g. depression). It enhances the effect of pharmacological therapies.

What's in it?

Bee pollen is a real vitamin bomb. It contains B vitamins, vitamins C and E and provitamin A. The basic components of pollen are carbohydrates, protein and lipids. The percentage of individual components varies depending on many factors, such as: soil type, climatic conditions, plant species from which the pollen was obtained. Pollen is also a source of valuable fatty acids (saturated and unsaturated), which contribute to lowering blood cholesterol levels. It also contains polyphenolic compounds, i.e. flavonoids and phenolic acids. Scientific research will also detect the presence of peptide substances similar to growth hormone and gonadotropins in pollen (their function is to stimulate the sex glands to produce eggs and sperm). However, the content of these substances in bee pollen is small. Scientists emphasize that it can only have a positive effect on the cellular metabolism of the skin.

Bee pollen - properties

Scientific research shows that thanks to the content of flavonoids, bee pollen can strengthen and seal blood vessels. It also has a positive effect on the work of the heart. Therefore, pollen is used in the prevention of atherosclerotic diseases. Polyphenolic compounds contained in pollen show antioxidant activity. Regular use of pollen will help fight free radicals. However, this is not the end of its beneficial properties. What else does it help? Scientists note its anti-inflammatory and anti-swelling properties. It also protects the liver. In cosmetology, it is valued for its nourishing and anti-aging properties. Therefore, it is an ingredient of many shampoos and hair conditioners. Sulfuric amino acid (cysteine) contained in pollen can stimulate hair growth and strengthen its structure. The bee pollen hair mask is very easy to prepare and you can successfully make it at home. The base is a tablespoon of pollen ground in a mortar and 250 ml of water or milk. Another option is to mix the pollen with honey and egg. This mixture will nourish the hair, it is especially recommended when it is very dry.