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Info and updates from the world of honey bees

Eating Bee Pollen: A Primer

5/26/2016

3 Comments

 
PictureRed, orange, yellow, white, green, just an example of the many different colors of bee pollen you can find.
This question comes up a lot when we’re at an event selling bee pollen: How do I eat it? It’s something everyone has thought when they first learn about bee pollen. We know we sure did. But what we asked ourselves and what people ask us isn’t how they should literally eat bee pollen, we all know how to chew. Wrapped up in that one question are actually a few questions:
  • How much do you eat?
  • ​What does it taste like? Does it taste good enough to eat alone or is it going to make other food taste weird? Which leads to…
  • What are good foods to combine it with?

So, we decided to address bee pollen in this post and give ideas on ways to eat bee pollen with, what it tastes like, and the benefits of eating bee pollen.


What is bee pollen?

​Bee pollen is simply the pollen collected from flowers that honey bees visit on their pollinating trips. Bees collect the pollen on their furry little bodies and store the pollen in two pollen sacs or baskets (technically called corbicula) on either side of their two rear legs that are meant specifically to carry pollen. Bees bring the pollen back to the hive and store it in the cells of the beeswax to use as a food source.

What we eat is the fresh pollen straight off the flowers, but the bees do a little bit more to the pollen to make it ready for them to eat. When the bees get back into the hive with the pollen they deposit the pollen into cells of the honeycomb and mix in nectar and digestive fluids.

Note: Since bee pollen is food for honey bees, it is important that beekeepers act responsibly and ONLY collect bee pollen from the honey bees when the bees have plenty pollen stored in the hive for food resources.
​


What does bee pollen taste like?

Texture         
Bee pollen has a very soft, powdery texture that easily breaks up on the tongue and breaks down and blends well when mixed into foods.


Flavor         
Bee pollen has a somewhat sweet flavor, although it is not very similar to the sweetness level of honey.


What’re the benefits of eating bee pollen?

Fights allergies         
People swear by bee pollen to help fight seasonal allergies and we are some of those people. The idea goes that eating bee pollen helps to build up your immunity to local allergens by giving yourself a small dose of the thing that you’re allergic to, similar to vaccines.


Super nutritious           
Bee pollen is considered a “superfood” due to its high content of concentrated of protein, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.  Bee pollen varies depending on the range of flowers available in a hives’ pollinating area, but according to a number of sources, bee pollen can contain the following:
​
  • Protein (~20% of its make up)
  • Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, C, D, E, K
  • Minerals and trace minerals: potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, nickel, silicon, titanium, zinc, and selenium
  • All essential amino acids (20) plus 2 non-essential amino acids
  • More than 100 enzymes
  • ~8 flavonoids

​(Sources: the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations http://www.fao.org/docrep/w0076e/w0076e10.htm and Savannah Bee Company http://savannahbee.com/blog/what-is-bee-pollen/)


What should I eat bee pollen with?

​Bee pollen can be sprinkled on and/or stirred into a lot of different types of foods. Here are a few idea:
  • Oatmeal or cereal
  • Smoothies
  • Yogurt or ice cream (natural sprinkles!)
  • Salads
  • On toast or apple/ banana slices with peanut butter
  • Fruit salad
  • Soup
  • ...Or just by the spoonful (if this is too powdery for you, drizzle on some melted coconut oil or the like for a smoother trip down)
Picture

​How much should I use bee pollen?

​If taking bee pollen for seasonal allergies, start with a small amount of bee pollen granules and work your way up to about a couple teaspoons or half a tablespoon a day. If you just want to get the nutritional benefit of bee pollen, add as much or as little as you’d like.
Picture
Now, go enjoy some bee pollen!
3 Comments
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4/21/2018 23:51:30

Bee pollen is a holistic cure used all through the world. It is considered one of nature's most totally nourishing foods because it has about all nutrients required by people. Bee pollen can be used medicinally for a wide extend of conditions, from prostate health to skin conditions, and can help correct particular nutritional imbalances inside the body. Allergic reaction is additionally not the only reported risk from bee pollen products. In any case, a few people may be allergic to bee pollen, particularly those who have allergic rhinitis or regular allergies.

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10/14/2018 07:13:19

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12/12/2018 20:45:18

I have never seen a bee pollen before. I never thought that they could be eaten. I wonder how these bee pollen would taste. I am a huge fan of honey because of its natural sweetness. Maybe bee pollen tastes similar with honey. I hope that I could get some bee pollen on my hands really soon. I am looking forward to tasting it and try it on some dishes. I hope that you would share more about bee pollen!

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