- Make It Yourself Lavender Heart-Shaped Bath Bombs!
- 20 Things You Never Knew About “Down There”
- 12 Best Foods For Those Suffering From Arthritis Pain
- 12 Personal Hygiene Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes (Mom Never Told You About #4!)
- 15 Medicinal Plants And Herbs From The Cherokee People
- 12 Mind-Blowing Benefits Of Drinking Coconut Water During Pregnancy
- 12 Outstanding Winter Foods That Won’t Fatten You Up Like A Christmas Turkey
Royal Bee Jelly: Healthy or Hype?
Photo credit: bigstock.com
You have probably seen royal jelly, sometimes called royal bee jelly, advertised in everything from eye cream to shampoo and at the same time you have probably wondered, does it really work?
Royal jelly comes from the glands of worker bees. It’s what they feed the Queen bee and the bee larvae. It’s thick, white, and has been harvested for centuries for its healthy, rejuvenating compounds. In fact, queen bees are only fed royal jelly their entire lives and they live about 40 times longer than the worker bees, most likely due to the high nutritional content of royal jelly.
Now this doesn’t meant that consuming royal jelly will make you live 40 times longer than other humans, but it really is loaded with healthy nutrients and other life sustaining compounds.
No hype, but plenty of healthy goodness. Take a look at all the thing royal jelly can offer you.
1. Antibacterial
Like honey, royal jelly contains antibacterial compounds. One study done in July 1990 and published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, showed that one protein in royal jelly, unofficially called royalisin, contained numerous antimicrobial and antibacterial compounds. This made it very effective at dealing with low levels of certain types of bacterial cultures.
2. Natural Infertility Treatment
It’s not a coincidence that worker bees are infertile while the queen bee lays more than 2,000 eggs each day. Royal jelly stimulates the production of estrogen, which means that it can improve the sperm levels of men and stabilize the menstrual cycles of women. It can also increase the libido in both men and women. Read more about top foods for men’s sexual health.
Continue to Page 2
Photo credit: bigstock.com
3. Brain Health
One study demonstrated that royal jelly was able to stimulate the growth of neural cells and the glial cells in the brain. This means royal jelly could possibly be used one day to prevent diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
4. PMS Relief
Although there are no official studies in this area, but many women state that royal jelly relieves many PMS symptoms. Find out more natural remedies for PMS relief.
5. Promotes Beautiful Health
Although many people think of royal jelly as a health care supplement, it’s also used in many skin care products. This is because royal jelly contains gelatin and DNA, both of which aid in the production of collagen. Many people, especially women, like to apply royal jelly directly to their skin surface and allow it to nourish their skin cells naturally.
6. Nutrient Rich
As with all other bee products, such as pollen and honey, royal jelly has an impressive list of vitamins and minerals. One serving of royal jelly contains almost all of the B vitamins, 17 amino acids, including the 8 essential acids that your body cannot make on its own, iron and calcium, along with vitamin C, E, and A, all of which are vital antioxidants that can kill free radicals and protect us from not only premature aging, but from degenerative and chronic diseases as well. That is an awful lot of nutrition packed in one little bee!
Continue to Page 3
Photo credit: bigstock.com
7. Lowers Cholesterol Levels
Royal jelly can lower total serum cholesterol levels in those with even modestly elevated cholesterol levels, according to some studies.
8. Improves the Blood
One study published in November of 208 found that royal jelly improved both blood pressure and insulin resistance. Researchers gave rats that were suffering from both conditions royal jelly each day. After two months, all rats showed lower levels of insulin resistance and blood vessel constriction. This study was published in Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin.
9. Anti-Inflammatory Action
Royal jelly has been found to have anti-inflammatory action both when consumed internally and when applied topically.
SEE ALSO: 12 Beauty Benefits of Honey Infographic
10. Cancer Fighting Compounds
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine published one study in 2009 that showed that royal jelly can fight cancer by suppressing the blood supply to cancerous tumors. Japanese scientists tested several types of royal jelly on tissue cultures, and each type of royal jelly stopped the formation of blood vessels, especially those that contained the most caffeic acid. Royal jelly also contains fatty compounds that contain estrogenic effects, which means that royal jelly could be a treatment for cervical and breast cancer, according to a study that was published in PLoS One in December of 2010.
Royal jelly is at its best and strongest when bought fresh. Processed forms, such as those you get in capsule supplements, are often heated and processed, which kills the very enzymes and nutrients you are taking royal jelly for. If your health food store doesn’t stock fresh royal jelly, ask them to get it for you, or buy it online from a trusted source.
Sources:
Video:
