You may not think that bee pollen is a healthy food. After all, it’s simply pollen collected from flowers by bees and then mixed with their saliva to form granules. But this superfood is amazingly packed with a surprising amount of nutrients.

Bee pollen is rich in B vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, minerals and fatty acids. Thanks to this, bee pollen is able to help fill any nutritional deficiencies you may have. It may also be able to help soothe your digestion, relieve your respiratory problems and even balance your hormones.

If you still have doubts about what this superfood can do, here are 8 health benefits of bee pollen.

1. Fights inflammation

Bee pollen is rich in flavonoids, which are potent antioxidants that can inhibit the onset of inflammatory diseases. In addition, animal studies have shown that the ethanol alcohol extract of bee pollen has significant anti-inflammatory properties as well.

2. Eases allergies

For centuries, bee pollen has been used as a folk remedy against various health issues, particularly allergies. Today, research suggests that bee pollen acts on mast cells, which play important roles in both the early and late stages of allergic reactions.

3. Rich in protein

Bee pollen is rich in protein. In fact, it has a higher protein content than any animal source. Pound for pound, bee pollen also contains more amino acids than beef, cheese or eggs. This makes it a great source of protein and amino acids for vegetarians and vegans.

4. Helps fight cancer

Studies have shown that bee products, such as bee pollen, can help fight cancer by inhibiting tumor cell growth and killing cancer cells.

5. Fights bacteria

Research shows that bee pollen has antibacterial properties. In particular, studies have found that bee pollen contains an antibiotic element that’s effective against salmonella and other harmful bacteria.

Clinical studies also show that bee pollen’s cellulose and fiber content contribute to its antibacterial properties.

6. Boosts metabolism and energy

Your muscle protein synthesis and metabolism slow down when you’re deficient in protein. Bee pollen, as we’ve already established, is rich in bioavailable protein in the form of amino acids, which help your metabolism work more efficiently.

Bee pollen also promotes healthy muscle protein recovery. One animal study found that rats fed a fresh, pollen-enriched diet showed a significant increase in muscle mass.

7. Helps clear up skin

Bee pollen can help rejuvenate your complexion by soothing and renewing your skin. Beyond that, studies show that bee pollen may also help clear up acne.

8. Increases fertility in women

In nature, bee pollen is one of the queen bee’s favorite foods, and for good reason. This nutrient-rich compound actually helps boost fertility in women.

Studies show that bee pollen can help stimulate ovarian function when trying to conceive. In addition, bee pollen improves the ability of eggs to survive the incubation phase, increasing the odds of pregnancy.

Adding bee pollen to your diet

On top of having a plethora of health benefits, bee pollen is pretty easy to include in your diet. Just add a couple of teaspoons of bee pollen to your favorite smoothie or salad. You can also mix it with raw honey – another healthful bee product – and use it as a sweetener.

For something a bit more involved, you can try making some honey and bee pollen granola bars.

Ingredients:

• 2 cup oats
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cup raw almonds, sliced
• 1/4 cup flaxseed
• 3 Tablespoons coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup raw honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup bee pollen

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 350 F.
• In a large bowl, combine the oats, sliced almonds, flaxseed, coconut flakes, coconut sugar, cinnamon and salt. Toss until well combined.
• In a small bowl or pot, heat your coconut oil until melted. Once hot, remove from heat and whisk in your raw honey and vanilla extract.
• Pour the melted coconut oil mixture over your bowl of dried goods. Toss until everything is well coated.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread your granola into an even layer.
• Bake for 15 minutes, toss, then bake for another 10 minutes.
• Remove your granola from the oven, sprinkle it with bee pollen and toss one more time.
• Take a new sheet of parchment paper and lay it over the granola, pressing it gently into the baking sheet. Let cool completely.
• Once cooled, break the granola into pieces.

Bee pollen is a surprisingly versatile superfood that can provide you with many health benefits. Try adding it to your daily cooking routine so that you can enjoy the benefits of this amazing bee product.

Sources:

Blog.PaleoHacks.com

ScienceDirect.com 1

BMCComplementMedTherapies.BioMedCentral.com

ScienceDirect.com 2

MDPI.com

PubMed.NCBI.NLM.gov

OnlineLibrary.Wiley.com