Honeybees and health

Apitherapy is ‘bee medicine’, a form of alternative medicine that uses bee products to prevent and treat illnesses. Apitherapy is not well known in Australia however it is used in many other countries around the world. Bee products on the other hand are well known, some more than others yet all of them contain bioactive compounds that reduce oxidative stress – the beginnings of all chronic health disorders.

Honey

Honey is probably the most well-known product produced by honeybees. Raw honey is honey that has been extracted from the beehive and has not been heat treated. Heat treating or pasteurisation kills off the beneficial enzymes present in honey.

Honey contains water, carbohydrates (sugar and starch), lipids, amino acids, prebiotics, vitamins (B & C) and minerals (calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and zinc). Raw Honey also contains enzymes that improve digestion and absorption of minerals such as calcium (ref). The bioactive components of honey vary depending on the plants the bees have been visiting however some of the bioactive compounds include flavonoids that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anticancer properties as well as phenolic acids that are antioxidant, neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory (ref).

Did you know that honey may prevent the development Type 2 Diabetes?

Honey is composed of the sugars fructose and glucose. The fructose in honey is absorbed by the body at a much slower rate than the sucrose leading to a slower rise of blood sugar levels. The combination of fructose and glucose along with the bioactive compounds found in honey is believed to be the reason honey helps to lower blood sugar but the exact mechanism is not currently known. The antioxidants in honey also help to reduce oxidative stress, a key driver of Type 2 Diabetes (ref).

Honeybees

Bee pollen

Bee pollen is produced from the pollen collected by bees from the flowers they visit. Bee pollen like all bee products will vary in nutrient composition depending on the bees environment however it contains proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids, amino acids (bee pollen is a rich source of leucine, isoleucine, and valine—branched chain amino acids), fatty acids, vitamins (carotenoids, B, E, and folic acid), minerals as well as flavonoids and phenolic acids (ref).

Copper is one mineral found in bee pollen that makes it a valuable addition to your diet. Copper is an important trace mineral that is difficult to get in adequate amounts in the diet and is needed to recycle iron for use by the body, preventing it from being stored by the liver (and therefore not used).

When buying bee pollen, it is best to buy it fresh from a beekeeper. The quality reduces with age, and it can develop a stale taste. Add a tablespoon as a topping to yoghurt or to a smoothie to enjoy the benefits of bee pollen.

Bee pollen image

How you can help your local bee populations

When we use bee products, we are benefiting from the hard work of thousands of bees who have visited millions of flowers. We have a responsibility to give back to them by making our garden/balconies safe places for them.

Provide food

Planting some of their favourite plants provides food for them. Honeybees are mostly attracted to white, yellow, purple, and blue flowers and prefer flowers with wide blooms and open petals. Planting them in clumps in the garden or grouping pots together will help the bees to find them. Some great choices are; lavender, daisies, borage, sage, daffodils and nasturtiums. Australia native plants like tea tree, bottle brush and grevilleas are also loved by bees (ref).

Provide water

Not the first thing that springs to mind when thinking about what bees might need in a garden, but bees need water. Shallow dishes such as the trays that go under plant pots are perfect for bees. Add a few pebbles to give them something to perch on and refill often to ensure they have fresh water.

Say no to chemicals

It is very important not to spray chemicals in your garden – not only for the health of the bees but for your health also. Pesticides, herbicides and insecticides kill not only bees but other beneficial insects too.

Buy honey locally

Wherever you live in the world supporting your local beekeeper by buying their products is a great way to support honeybees. With Christmas around the corner (shit, really!) a big jar of raw honey or bee pollen would be a present I would be happy to get (heaps better than a present from that friend with a re-gift cupboard).

Caution

Children under the age of 1 should not be given honey as it may contain Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium that can lead to infant botulism. If you are allergic to bees or bee products don’t consume them.

Summary

Bee products have been prized for their health benefits since ancient times. The chemical make up and therefore the nutrient composition of bee products is determined by the environment the bees live in and consequently unable to be standardised. However, all bee products are functional foods, providing easily digestible sugars, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and enzymes that make them a valuable addition to your food and medicine cabinet.

The information provided on this website is for information purposes only and is not meant to be nor should be considered medical advice.