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| Photo Credit: SXC |
I just love our local honey producers and all the wonderful things they create from the honey-making process including beeswax lip balms and decorative candles, to whipped honey spreads and beeswax lotion bars.
Bee Pollen is Edible
Then I spotted the bottle of bee pollen. What? You can eat bee pollen?
The seller explained its great for people with outdoor allergies to eat locally produced bee pollen to help build up a resistance to local allergens. Also, bee pollen is chock full of vitamins.
So, I had to investigate. According to the Los Angeles County Beekeepers Association bee pollen is a natural:
- anti-inflammatory food
- boosts the immune system
- contains complete proteins
I've been adding the small granules to my yogurt, cereal and smoothies. Bee pollen has a distinctly earthy flavor with a hint of sweetness. It doesn't remind me of honey at all.
Discovering Bee Bread
Recently I was chatting about bee pollen on Twitter, and the friendly folks at Bee Healthy Farms in Missouri asked if I wanted to try its Api-Nuggetz Organic Bee Bread product. Sure! They claim the bread is nature's superfood made from wildflower pollen collected by wild bees.
According to the company's website:
"Bee bread contains practically all the essential amino acids for humans - (phenylalanine, leucine, valine, isoleucine, arginine, histidine, lysine, methionine, proline, threonine, tryptophan), vitamins - (A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C, E, biotin, folic acid, rutin) and minerals - (calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, sodium). The major components of pollen are proteins, amino acid, lipids (fats, oils or their derivatives) and sugars. Enzymes (proteins) are also present but some, like glucose oxidase, have been added by the bees. This enzyme is therefore more abundant in bee bread than in fresh pollen pellets."
So, how was the bee bread? First of all, it's not bread, as in a loaf or a roll. The product resembles small pebbles, ranging in size from a small pea to a raisin. The pieces are made from a blend of wildflower pollen, honey and nectar.
The instructions say to chew the bread thoroughly or let it dissolve in your mouth. They feel like chewing a soft jelly bean initially, then they dissolve easily. The first flavor I noticed was a hint of orange. Then a hint of chamomile. Bee bread is definitely more sweet than bee pollen alone and has a more palatable flavor. Interestingly, each nugget had a slightly different flavor. I suppose that depends on where the pollen was sourced.
Have you ever eaten bee pollen or bee bread? Tell me about your experiences in the comments below! And don't forget to sign up for email updates each time I add a new blog post. The sign-up box is in the left margin, at the top of this page!
Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!
Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living
Disclosure: The Api-Nuggetz Organic Bee Bread mentioned in this blog post was provided free of charge from Bee Healthy Farms for review purposes. No monetary compensation was sought or awarded in exchange for the review. All thoughts expressed on Whole Foods Living are solely my own. ~Angela
Recently I was chatting about bee pollen on Twitter, and the friendly folks at Bee Healthy Farms in Missouri asked if I wanted to try its Api-Nuggetz Organic Bee Bread product. Sure! They claim the bread is nature's superfood made from wildflower pollen collected by wild bees.
According to the company's website:
"Bee bread contains practically all the essential amino acids for humans - (phenylalanine, leucine, valine, isoleucine, arginine, histidine, lysine, methionine, proline, threonine, tryptophan), vitamins - (A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C, E, biotin, folic acid, rutin) and minerals - (calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, sodium). The major components of pollen are proteins, amino acid, lipids (fats, oils or their derivatives) and sugars. Enzymes (proteins) are also present but some, like glucose oxidase, have been added by the bees. This enzyme is therefore more abundant in bee bread than in fresh pollen pellets."
So, how was the bee bread? First of all, it's not bread, as in a loaf or a roll. The product resembles small pebbles, ranging in size from a small pea to a raisin. The pieces are made from a blend of wildflower pollen, honey and nectar.
The instructions say to chew the bread thoroughly or let it dissolve in your mouth. They feel like chewing a soft jelly bean initially, then they dissolve easily. The first flavor I noticed was a hint of orange. Then a hint of chamomile. Bee bread is definitely more sweet than bee pollen alone and has a more palatable flavor. Interestingly, each nugget had a slightly different flavor. I suppose that depends on where the pollen was sourced.
Have you ever eaten bee pollen or bee bread? Tell me about your experiences in the comments below! And don't forget to sign up for email updates each time I add a new blog post. The sign-up box is in the left margin, at the top of this page!
Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!
Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living
Disclosure: The Api-Nuggetz Organic Bee Bread mentioned in this blog post was provided free of charge from Bee Healthy Farms for review purposes. No monetary compensation was sought or awarded in exchange for the review. All thoughts expressed on Whole Foods Living are solely my own. ~Angela
