Today we are going to explore the many super food products we get from the bees! Everyone is familiar with honey as a good way to sweeten up your tea, but many are not aware of the powerful medicinal benefits honey contains. And honey isn't the only thing we need to be thanking the bees for; we are also going to explore the benefits of the other, lesser known bee products: bee pollen, propolis, and royal jelly.
Why choose raw honey?
The case for wild foods.
When I say we should be using the benefits of honey in our diet, what I really mean is raw, unpasteurized honey. Most honey products we find in the store have been heated to the point where all the enzymes are killed, leaving it to become no more than glorified sugar water. Other products are cut with things like refined sugar, or high fructose corn syrup. When we choose raw, unpasteurized bee products, we are adding wild foods back into our diet. Wild foods (especially those of the local variety) reawaken our instincts and reconnect us to planet earth. Whether you feel this as a spiritual pull, or just want to nourish yourself with the best stuff possible, it makes sense that eating foods that are naturally designed by nature are good for our mind, body, and soul. Wouldn't you rather eat a product that makes you feel more vibrant and connected? The more we can get away from packaged "food products" and closer to a wild food diet, the better off we'll be.
Not only do raw bee products benefit our health, they are also essential to a large portion of our food supply. If you are a regular consumer of almonds or almond milk, it is damn near essential to start supporting the bees, bee products, and sustainable bee keeping practices. Bees pollinate many of the food that appears on our plates such as apples, oranges, lemons, limes, almonds, cucumbers, carrots, avocados, and many more.
Unfortunately, due to unsustainable farm practices, deforestation, and global warming, we are loosing the bees at a startling rate. An epidemic called colony collapse disorder is sorely affecting the bee population, killing off hives who have been exposed to harmful pesticides. This is why it is so important to support your local beekeepers exhibiting sustainable farm practices, and keeping the discipline of bee keeping alive. Once you learn the staggering benefit of all the bee products mentioned below, I think this will quickly become a no brainer!
What are the benefits of using bee products in our day to day life?
Let's start with Raw Honey:
Raw honey is the energy source of the hive (the carbs). Honey is made from floral nectars and is the most recognizable and widely used bee product. Honey is not only a great way to naturally sweeten our food, it is also anti viral/bacterial/fungal/& inflammatory. Because of this, it boosts the immune system, and helps fight off colds, flus, and wicked coughs. Honey helps reduce allergic reactions as well by lowering histamine levels in the body. For the best allergy relieving results, try to find local honey, as it will contain pollen from the plants specific to your area, providing your body with the tools to fight off allergies to those plants. Due to it's naturally high enzyme content, it can improve digestion as well. It fights stomach ulcers and canker sores. It can also be used topically to dress wounds, fight infection, and calm inflammation caused from acne, eczema, and dermatitis. Raw honey should be your go to sweetener for your homemade hot beverages. Just a spoonful of this good stuff will soothe the throat during cold and flu season and make coughs disappear. It's also a great carrier of choice for many herbal recipes. Although many of the raw enzymes are killed during the heating process, it's still a great alternative in many baked goods as well when compared to refined sugar.
Honey also never goes bad. NEVER. They have found edible honey in Egyptian tombs! And the ancient Egyptians were one of the first recorded civilizations to use honey! It will start to crystallize as time goes on, but it is still good. If you desire a smoother texture, just place the jar in a tub of warm water to adjust the consistency.
If I had to pick one superfood to take with me to a deserted island? Let's see...a high calorie source that is anti viral/bacterial/fungal/& inflammatory that I can also use topically to heal cuts, wounds, and sunburns, that never goes bad?! I'm going with honey all the way.
When I would not recommend honey:
If you are someone who is struggling with high blood sugar, honey may not be the best option for you. Since honey is a highly concentrated sugar, it will raise your blood sugar, but it is still a far better option than refined white sugar. If you do have blood sugar issues, or are insulin resistant, try exploring the other bee products mentioned below.
Raw honey should also not be fed to infants or children under one years old as they do not have a fully developed digestive tract equipped to handle the enzymes raw honey contains.
Bee Pollen:
If honey is the energy source for the hive, then bee pollen is the building blocks. It is the protein source bees need to survive and thrive. Bee pollen is a complete food source, containing all essential amino acids, fats (including essential fatty acids), vitamins, minerals, and 11 different enzymes that assist in assimilation and digestion. Adding a teaspoon of bee pollen to your meals is a great way to get in a multi vitamin to help with nutrient deficiency. It is high in antioxidants, which fight oxidative stress and free radical cell damage. It is high in many B vitamins and folic acid, which provide us with boosted energy, strength, and endurance, making it a great supplement to use in your exercise routine. The best part about bee pollen is that it is predigested by the bees, so it is a bioavailable food source. This means that it is easy for our body to access and use all the benefits.
Propolis:
Propolis is the medicine of the hive. It is made from plant and tree resin, and used to protect the baby bees from infection. The bees line the hive's entrances with propolis, so they can "disinfect" as they fly in and out. They also use it to seal cracks in the hive, and even to embalm dead invaders! Once embalmed, the corpse is disinfected, and cannot infect the hive as it decomposes. Propolis is sometimes know as "nature's anti-biotic," because it is anti viral/fungal/microbial/bacterial/& inflammatory. It helps stave off sickness and soothes sore throats. Like bee pollen, it fights oxidative stress in the body, and similar to honey can heal wounds and infections topically. It also contains vitamins A, C, E, and B, plus amino acids and bioflavonoids. If you're goal is to strengthen the immune system, then propolis is the medicine for you.
Royal Jelly:
Royal jelly is the true superfood of the hive. It is a combination of honey and pollen, which forms a thick, milky substance that is fed to young bees, and later exclusively to the queen bee. Royal jelly contains acetylcholine, a powerful neurotransmitter that clears brain fog, improves memory, focus, concentration, and may reduce the affects of Alzheimer's Disease. Royal jelly is also used to balance hormones and boost fertility. The many benefits of royal jelly are still being explored, but one thing is for sure, it is definitely food worthy of a queen.
Where can you find bee products and what to look for?
The best way to buy bee products is by supporting your local bee keepers. Most counties have a local bee keeping association where you can find more information about how to contact people who sell bee products. Once you contact a local bee keeper, it is important to make sure that they are using sustainable methods.
Here are some questions to ask your bee keeper:
- Do you use any anti-biotics on your bees?
- Do you use pesticides in the hive? This is often done to protect the bees from mites, but is not a sustainable, healthy practice.
- Do you ever feed your bees a pollen substitute (anything like soy, sugar water, or high fructose corn syrup) to get them producing more honey?
- Do you leave enough bee products in the hive for the bees to thrive?
- What is the surrounding land around the hive like? Is it full of natural vegetation and pesticide free crops, or are the bees pollinating GMO pesticide ridden crops?
- Do you heat and pasteurize your honey, or does it remain raw when sold?
Once you have the answers to these questions, you can decide if this person's hive is a viable source for you and your family. If you would prefer to buy your honey online or in the store, do your research on the company you are buying from. Beekeeper's Naturals is a great company that sells a variety of bee products, while also fighting to end unsustainable bee keeping practices specifically in the realm of pesticide use.
Why organic isn't necessarily organic:
If you are buying in the store, and see a product labelled with the organic stamp of approval, it is important to note that although the apiary (location where bees are kept) may be certified organic, the areas in which the bees pollinate may not be. Bees can travel up to a five mile radius in order to pollinate, and if those five miles exist outside the property of the bee keeper, it's very possible the bees are pollinating crops that are not raised organically. Instead of looking for organic labels exclusively, try to find products that are pesticide tested instead.
What can you do to help the bees?
Aside from supporting bee keepers by using sustainably raised bee products, we can also support the bees by planting flowers and plants in our yard for the bees to pollinate. It's also important to promote awareness about the amazing benefits of the bees and their products by continuing to educate yourself, and others. Please share this blog post with someone you think would benefit from these amazing superfoods and continue to spread the word!
To your health,
The Homemade Sage
References for this post:
Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future by David Wolfe
Bees: Nature's Little Lifesavers with Carly Stein on The Lifestylist Podcast
The Health Benefits of Bee Products with Carly Stein on Revolution Health Radio