Raw honey smathered on a warm & toasty waffle, then sprinkled with bee pollen. Isn’t it beautiful? Darn tasty, too. But should we really be gnawing on bee pollen?
The answer is “no” for a select group of highly sensitive people. Bee pollen could amplify their allergies and cause a massive reaction of volcanic proportions. But for most of us, bee pollen is safe and can actually ward off allergies symptoms. I’ll explain more about that in a sec. But first, let’s gaze into the other magic things about bee pollen…
WHAT IS BEE POLLEN?
It all starts with the pollen from flowers and other pollen-producing plants. Worker bees take this pollen and pack it into balls, which also mixes with honey, nectar and even the saliva of the bee. This is what makes it bee pollen. Each granule, or pellet, has its own unique “fingerprint”. No two are the same. Granules vary in color, size and shape.
Bee pollen cannot be reproduced in a lab. Synthesized bee pollen appears to be exactly the same as the real deal, but when bees are fed the man-made version, they die. There’s some kind of unknown, unidentifiable mystery ingredient in bee pollen that man cannot replicate.
BEE POLLEN BENEFITS
When I began consuming raw honey, this is when every single episode of seasonal allergy symptoms completely ceased. Raw honey is best, but a good organic raw honey
“Beehive foods are superior food sources. Based on its research, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has stated that bee pollen is the most nutritious food we can eat. It contains every nutrient required to sustain and support life in a pure, raw and unaltered form. Bee products can provide support for almost any ailment or desired health enhancement.” ~ via Envirobee
>> Composition of Pure Bee Pollen
Bee pollen is beneficial in treating allergies & asthma, contains anti-inflammatory, detox and immune-boosting properties. There’s also evidence that it may help chemotherapy patients in their recovery, while also aiding infertility & prostate problems.
HOW EAT BEE POLLEN
Take it slow — only a tiny nip at first to rule out the possibility of an allergic reaction. Try a few granules now and then over a period of time, then add more slowly. If you don’t have an adverse reaction, then by all means enjoy your been pollen. You can sprinkle it on your oatmeal, on salad or fruit, in smoothies, or on toast with peanut butter. Get creative! There really is no wrong way if you enjoy it.
>> How to Use Bee Pollen as a Superfood
Bee pollen granules appear hard and rocky, but actually have a soft, chalky texture when you bite into it. The taste is only slightly reminiscent of actual honey — it’s a little bit bitter. When added to hot foods the granules begin to melt, presenting with a tiny yellow smear where the granule has melted into the food.
You oughta be trying the stuff! Have you ever? If not, seek some out
I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to use caution with bee pollen. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my husband, son (3) and I all got sick. I was drinking tea that had bee pollen in it. I didn’t know my husband had given some to my son. Within minutes, his face started swelling. It eventually turned purple and his eyes stayed swollen shut for 36 hours. I had no idea he’d had the tea, so I totally freaked out, and flipped through the back of What to Expect When You’re Expecting to look at the illness chart and the first thing it listed that matched his symptoms with rubella. I was 8 months pregnant and my heart sank. Finally learned he’d had the tea, called the doctor, (of course it was a Saturday night) and he said to monitor him and if he had any trouble breathing to get the the ER right away. Thankfully, that was not the case, but I have never been so scared in my life to see such a violent reaction. If you have ANY suspicion that you may be allergic to bee pollen, please avoid this.
Donna recently posted..Vacation
Such a scary story, but I appreciate you sharing, Donna.
Same thing happpend to my son when he ate grapes. It is really scary. We had quercetin and Vit C on hand and he took those every hour til the swelling went down. Very good natural anti- histamines.
I just started consuming raw honey & love it. I started because my husband read something about it helping with allergies. Now, bee pollen, I haven’t tried, but I may now! 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
Kimberly recently posted..Journey to Wellness 12.4
woot! I’m stoked that you’re eating raw honey! Lemme know how it goes if you get on the bee pollen bandwagon.
Interesting! I had no idea that you could even eat bee pollen. I’ll have to look into this! My husband is allergic to bee venom–I wonder if there is a correlation with that or if an allergy to the pollen is completely separate. I’ll investigate!! –Lisa
The Dose of Reality recently posted..Walking The Walk
Oh dang, I’m sorry for your hub’s venom allergy.
Looking forward to your pollen investigation.
They say to avoid bee pollen if you are allergic to honey or bee stings! So your hubby should NOT take it.
I have never heard of this I would be so scared to try some but like you say take it slow to make sure you are not allergic or it causes a reaction.
Kita recently posted..Pinteresting Wednesday
It’s crazy because I started sprinkling about a teaspoon of the pollen onto my food before realized I should’ve first tested for an allergic reaction. I could totally be dead right now. Bloggin’ from heaven, yo.
Interesting! I’ve never heard of this before. I have heard of using raw honey to help with allergies. But apparently that only works if you get the raw honey from your location because it has the local allergens in it.
Lisa recently posted..Slow Cooker Mac n’ Cheese and a Scare
The closest I can get to local raw honey here is about 50 miles away — from the Amish peoples in Pennsylvania. They bring the honey and other foods to sell in a market about 3 miles from my house. The honey is working, so I guess 50 miles away is still local in my situation. 😉
This stuff is good! It is edible gold as far as i am concerned, and i’m out of it right now, and need to go get more.
mimi recently posted..Entertaining
Interesting…I know someone who has bees on the farm next to him and gets gifted fresh honey all the time. Since he’s been eating it his allergies have faded to near nothing. I woulg love to get local pollen. I am all for local honey in my tea, on toast and in my mead 🙂
Im glad to hear this from someone I trust. I mentioned it on the blog earlier this year but wasn’t aware of any firsthand experiences. My allergies are bad and I wanted to try this. Where do we get local honey from or the grains you mention?
Joi recently posted..Contracting Clients with Robinson and Associates, LLC
I’m taking bee pollen in the morning on empty stomach. I either sprinkle it on some yogurt in the evening and leave it in the fridge for the morning, or I dissolve it in warm water. It sure gives me some energy, but if I mix it with some honey it gets even better. However, the best combo is when you blend honey, propolis, and bee pollen. A teaspoon or two of this mixture will suffice for the whole day, plus not to mention the immunity raise you’ll get from it!
Nikolay @ OrganicPowerFoods.com recently posted..Organic Nutmeg by Jiva Organics
Hi Nikolay. Bee pollen and honey is definitely a great combo. Thank you for the tip on propolis. I’ll be looking that up!