What is bee pollen? Contrary to popular beliefs, bee pollen is not exactly the same as ordinary pollen from flowers. It is a bee product made unintentionally by bees as they go about their nectar hunting activities.
The compound consists of a mixture of flower pollen, nectar and bee saliva. With this wide range of diverse ingredients, the resulting bee pollen is rich in all sorts of good stuff from anti-oxidants and vitamins to proteins and flavonoids.
Bee pollen has numerous health benefits and is as a result
worthy of its title as a superfood.
Among its most
important perks are improved liver function, detoxification and
anti-inflammatory effects. In order to enjoy these and many other benefits, you
can consume it in different forms including tablets, capsules and powders.
1. Figure out whether
you are allergic or not
If you are allergic to raw pollen, it might not be a good idea to dive right into the bee pollen superfood trend. For the most part, the different composition of bee pollen makes it significantly less allergenic than ordinary pollen.
However, it does not hurt to confirm. You can easily do this by trying a small amount of the substance. If you are sensitive, you will experience mild symptoms including an itchy throat, a runny nose, tearing and other common signs of allergies.
If this happens, do not lose hope. Scientists
have proven that you can slowly build up tolerance through continuous exposure
of small doses.
2. Find your ideal dose
by starting small
This applies whether or not you are sensitive. The product has varying levels of effect on different people. This is especially the case with effects on cognitive function including alertness and energy boosts.
Finding your ideal dose ensures that you truly get to enjoy the full benefits of bee pollen without overdoing it. To do this, start with the lowest possible daily dose and slowly increase it until you experience the results you are expecting.
However, it is important to ensure that you do not exceed the
recommended daily dose.
3. Pre-soak the pollen
if you have digestive issues
Pre-soaking involves leaving the bee pollen in water for up to 12 hours before consuming it. It has been shown to significantly increase the ease and efficiency with which the digestive system breaks down and absorbs the compound.
However, this isn’t
really necessary for everyone. It is particularly useful for people with
problems with digestion including conditions like Irritable Bowel, Colitis and
chronic indigestion.
4. Work it into your
daily meal schedule
With bee pollen, timing is not really a huge factor when it comes to consumption. However, most enthusiasts are still at a loss of when to take the product. To put it simply, you can take it pretty much whenever you wish.
However, if you are a
stickler for rules and schedules then you can simply include it in your main
meals. Mix it in with your breakfast cereal. Add it to your lunch smoothie. Or
even have it as a healthy dessert after dinner. This order also helps ensure
that you are consistent in your consumption for long term benefits.
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