Yellow beeswax serves a dual function in vitamin supplements. On one hand, yellow beeswax can help improve the physical consistency of the vitamin supplement. On the other hand, yellow beeswax also offers several purported health benefits. However, clinical research has not confirmed these purported health benefits. Before taking any vitamin supplement with or without beeswax, you should always speak to a medical professional for more information.
What it is
Manufactured products use three main types of beeswax: yellow, white and absolute beeswax. Yellow beeswax comes directly out of the bees' honeycomb and is therefore the most natural form of beeswax. Manufacturers add bleach to yellow beeswax to produce white beeswax and alcohol to yellow beeswax to produce absolute beeswax. Each type of beeswax has specific practical applications in manufacturing. Vitamin supplement manufacturers use the natural yellow form of beeswax in supplements.
Health Benefits
Yellow Beeswax also has several purported health benefits. According to the "Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine," yellow beeswax may help lower your body's cholesterol levels and treat stomach ulcers. Additionally, yellow beeswax functions as an anti-inflammatory helping to prevent swelling both inside your body and on your skin. Because of this anti-inflammatory quality of beeswax, some herbalists believe yellow beeswax can benefit your stomach by treating ulcers, preventing diarrhea, and generally reducing inflammation in your digestive system. However, clinical research does not currently support these purported claims.
Processed Versus Not Processed
Yellow beeswax is the least processed type of beeswax. Additionally, according to "An A-Z Guide to Food Additives: Never Eat What You Can't Pronounce," yellow beeswax functions as a natural additive in the vitamin supplement that makes the supplement easier for your body to process. Therefore, yellow beeswax offers vitamin manufacturers an alternative to other highly processed synthetic products, which can make it more difficult for vitamins to be metabolized.
Getting the Consistency Right
Yellow beeswax also works as a binding agent for many vitamin supplements, especially vitamin supplements that come in pill or gel capsule forms. Yellow beeswax offers a smooth, thick texture, and provides the vitamin supplement with this same texture. Additionally, yellow beeswax helps minimize some of the more unpleasant aspects of taking vitamin products such as the gummy quality of chewable vitamins that stick to your teeth and make it difficult to fully consume the entire vitamin as intended.
References
- "A Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives"; Ruth Winter; 2009
- "Food Additives"; Christine Hoza Farlow; 2004
- "An A-Z Guide to Food Additives"; Deanna M. Minich Ph.D., C.N.; 2009
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