>Bees are unique little insects known for their sting, pollination, and their honey. That honey isn't just sweet, but is ripe with health benefits.
Why Are Bees Important?
Bees are insects that live in colonies, and tend to get very productive at certain times of the year. Their productivity as the primary pollinators of many different types of plants makes them
extremely valuable to humans. Per
saveourbees.com, bees are the primary pollinators of many different edible plants, whose foods we commonly eat, such as almonds and other nuts, apples, lemons and other fruits, as well as carrots and various other vegetables. There are too many to name; In fact, one in every three foods that make up our diet are pollinated by insects (most of them being bees)!
Additionally, we harvest various products from them that serve as foods, topical health creams, and supplements- more on that in the next section. These include honey, ginseng, and others. Like other animal products, bee products are extremely valuable and healthful. Without bees, we humans would have none of these products, nor would we have any of these essential foods that we have eaten for centuries.
Unfortunately, honeybees are in grave danger; The habitability of our land for bees has slowly declined for the last fifty years, per
saveourbees.com. One primary reason is the spread of the
varroa mite, introduced into the U.S. in the 1980s, which helps to wipe out entire colonies of bees. Other reasons include urbanization, pesticides, and other insect species hostile to bees.
4 Healthful Bee Products
1. Bee pollen. We generally think of "pollen" as an allergen, but there are different types of pollen. But bee pollen is very different from the pollen that comes from trees. Per
draxe.com, bee pollen is produced when bees collect pollen from plant anthers, and preserve and ferment it in their hives. This change leads to a product that humans harvest.
Bee pollen contains
about 250 substances , including amino acids, vitamins, and micro- and macro-nutrients, per
draxe.com. In fact, it is so chock-full of valuable substances that it has more protein by weight than any other animal food, including meat. Its beneficial make-up enables it to help fight inflammation, support the immune system, fight oxidative stress, and improve blood supply to nervous system tissue.
2. Honey. Honey is a sweetener whose primary ingredient is sugar. However, it is sugar that is far healthier than the processed sugars (i.e. corn syrup) that are added to most foods. Per
webmd.com, honey contains small amounts of zinc, iron, potassium, and antioxidants. For this reason, some experts believe raw honey can be useful in lessening inflammation. Additionally, raw local honey is thought to be helpful in preventing seasonal allergies because of the local bee pollen that it contains.
3. Ginseng royal jelly is a name for a product harvested from the Panax ginseng plant, combined with royal-jelly, a nutrient-rich food harvested from Queen honeybees, per
livestrong.com. Ginseng royal honey has a long traditional history as a remedy in Asia. One use is as a tool to manage blood sugar; Ginseng royal jelly has been shown helpful in reducing insulin resistance in diabetics. The science to further support this claim is underway.
It also possesses antibacterial properties and the potential to stimulate your immune system, which make it helpful in fighting off infection. It might also help in boosting energy and stamina in those with chronic fatigue.
4. Beeswax. Beeswax is produced by worker bees, and helps make up the structure of honeycombs, where bees produce their honey. Per
saveourbees.com, humans harvest beeswax and use it for a myriad of things. These include lip balm, various types of cream, and also candles and some household cleaning products.
