Bee Pollen Vegan, Non-vegan, or Ethically Harvested?

It is one of a controversial subject in a vegan industry. It is wildly known that honey is NOT vegan, as it is produced when bees digest nectar they have collected and then regurgitate it.

But how about Bee pollen?

Bee pollen is male seeds of flowers, that means it comes from a plant based source. It is an essential food for young bees and it takes a lot of effort to collect a small amount. Imagine this … a working bee has to work 8 hours a day for one month to collect just one teaspoon of bee pollen. One teaspoon dose contains over 2.5 billion grains of flowers. I thought I was working long hours but obviously not as hard as these amazing creatures! so from that point of view I understand most vegans do avoid any bee products. however if it can be harvested consciously in my opinion (fallen pollen in a tray collected with care and gratitude)

Bee pollen is a true superfood, containing almost all the nutrients us humans need and about 40 percent protein, mostly in a highly absorbable form. Chinese medicine regards bee pollen as an energy and nutritive tonic as well as many other cultures throughout the world

This is how I summarised in our superfood book at the cafe

Sometimes referred to as “nature’s most perfect food” bee pollen is a combination of flower pollen, nectar and the digestive juices of worker honey bees.

Bee pollen provides 96 nutrients including all known vitamins, from A to K, 28 minerals, 14 fatty acids, all 8 essential amino acids, several hormone-like compounds and all 22 known essential nutritional elements (plus other unknown yet to be identified). It contains 25-40 % protein in a highly bioavailable form and all the nutrients can be assimilated directly by the body.

Many studies have proven the natural antibiotic effects in bee pollen, including salmonella and other strains of colibacillus.

Scientists recently found that bee pollen showed a strong anti-estrogenic effect (it inhibited the natural estrogen 17 beta estradiol). Furthermore it caused no estrogenic activity or chromosome damage int he cells whatsoever.

They also found the ability to protect cells from the genotoxic effects of three common anti-cancer drugs _mytomicin C, bleomycin, and vincristine, which are used to kill cancer cells but also damage healthy DNA as well. (european journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2010 Jun 9)

Bee pollen is believed to help rejuvenate the body, stimulate organs and glands and enhance vitality. Many world class athletes have used Bee pollen to help to relieve brain fatigue and improve alertness and concentration,increase energy levels and enhance recovery.

Bee pollen is an excellent immune system builder and eliminate toxins from the body.

Possible Benefits

-May be effective in building, restoring, and maintaining the body’s cells
-May be useful in maintaining healthy blood pressure
-May assist in aiding in indigestion
-Containing thousands of enzymes and co-enzymes
-May be helpful in improving mental clarity and memory
-May help to relieve menstrual and menopausal symptoms
-May be beneficial for lowering high blood pressure
-May be helpful for improving concentration
-May be useful in treating arthritis
-Contains 15% lecithin, which may support the nervous system and brain
-May be effective in building resistance against allergies
-May help to increase energy and endurance
-May assist in promoting a strong immune system
-May help to eliminate toxins from the body
-May be effective in increasing alertness and well-being
-Traditionally used to treat constipation
-May helps to regulate sleep and promote normal sleeping patters
-May be effective in maintaining good heart health
-May be beneficial for reducing stress and anxiety
-May help to balance hormones
-May be effective in enhancing the libido
-May be beneficial in reducing cholesterol and triglyceride levels
-May help improve skin tone and overall skin health

Our Organic Bee Pollen Powder is responsibly and sustainably harvested from honeybees that come from wilderness areas located far away from human pollution in Canada. Worker bees are not “smoked” out, as some methods of pollen collection entail, and the pollen is not over-harvested or sprayed with chemicals.

I really wanted to get organic bee pollen as bee pollen is an air cleanness indicator and absorbs chemicals rapidly. i would love to get an organic bee pollen from Australia if possible. if you have any recommendation please let me know. And also i would love to know your view on bee products. No judgements here!

Warning: Bee Pollen is not recommended for those with pollen or bee allergies. Bee pollen should not be taken if you have had prior reactions to bee stings or bee pollen. In some cases, anaphylactic shock has been reported. If you have a history of any kind of anaphylactic shock from any allergic reaction, you should not use bee pollen. If you suffer from asthma, please consult your doctor before using bee pollen. Bee pollen contains allergens that may interact adversely with asthma.