Bee pollen is an important source of food for bees, composed of grains of pollen collected by bees as they travel from flower to flower. Like honey, bee pollen is harvested and used by humans. While there are many health claims associated with the use of bee pollen, scientific support for its medicinal use is lacking. However, bee pollen has been shown to be dense in a range of essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, and has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a dietary supplement.
How It's Made
Bees, as they move from one flower to another, accumulate a dusting of pollen on their bodies. They use their legs to brush that pollen from their bodies into pollen baskets on their legs, adding a drop of saliva mixed with nectar to form the pollen dust into granules. These granules can contain millions of pollen particles. Beekeepers collect bee pollen for human consumption, with the use of specialized hive entrances that brush the pollen granules off the bees as they make their way inside.
Macronutrient Content
Nutritional content of bee pollen varies according to the types of pollen available in the home territory of the bees from which it is collected. Bee pollen typically contains approximately 55 percent carbohydrates, 40 percent protein, 5 percent fatty acids and around 16 calories per tsp.
Micronutrient Content
Bee pollen is rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients vital to human health. The pollen contains most B-complex vitamins as well as vitamins A, C, D, E and K. Minerals found in bee pollen include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, magnesium, copper, iodine, zinc and iron. Amino acids, such as leucine, lysine, tryptophan and cystine are present in bee pollen, as are a number of beneficial enzymes.
Bioavailability
While bee pollen is dense in nutrients, questions have been raised about the bioavailability of those nutrients when the pollen is consumed by humans. According to Vanderbilt University, a study done on two types of pollen found that they were not very useful, because unprocessed pollen is indigestible by humans.
Allergic Reactions
People with allergies to bee stings or venom should not use bee pollen supplements, as severe reactions are possible. Bee pollen can cause allergic reactions in people with pollen sensitivities. According to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, reactions can range from milder symptoms, such as itching, headaches, sneezing and inflammation to potentially life-threatening ones, such as anaphylactic shock. Other possible side effects include abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhea.
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