Royal jelly was a superfood long before we coined the term. In fact, it’s one of the most important natural concoctions on the planet. Read on to discover why.
Human nutrition is a tricky science to follow. Doesn’t it seem like “the healthiest foods” are always changing? Luckily, bees don’t have to study nutrition labels or keep up with the times. Over millennia, Nature has built a diet for the bees that is pure, streamlined nutrition. One of the most fascinating parts of the bee diet is a gooey substance called royal jelly.
What’s the purpose of royal jelly? In a nutshell: Royal jelly builds strong bees and magically turns little bee peasants into queen bees. ✨ 👑
What Is Royal Jelly?
To understand how valuable royal jelly is to the hive, we’ll compare it to something you might not expect: breast milk. (Yeah we know bees don’t have breasts, bear with us.)
You know how they call human breast milk liquid gold? That’s because there’s literally nothing more nutritious for a growing baby to eat. It’s packed with protein, fat, and even antibodies from the mother designed to protect the baby from disease. It’s like a “being alive” starter pack.
Well, royal jelly is basically bee breast milk. Worker bees (specifically “nurse bees”) make it from their bodies to feed to all the tiny bee larvae and to the queen herself.
And Mother Nature, seeing as she depends on the bees, made royal jelly extra special.
What’s Going On Inside Royal Jelly?
Royal jelly is a fascinating substance produced by worker bees, and it's highly nutritious. And you may notice that most of the nutritional highlights of royal jelly are beneficial to people as well.
Here's what's going on inside it from a nutritional standpoint:
Protein: Royal jelly is high in proteins, including enzymes, which do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to digestion and breaking down nutrients. These proteins contribute to the growth and development of bee larvae.
Carbs: It contains sugars such as glucose and fructose, providing energy to the developing larvae. Carbohydrates are vital for fueling metabolic processes and supporting growth.
Fat: Royal jelly contains essential fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These fatty lipids are crucial for cell membrane structure, hormone production, and various physiological functions.
Vitamins: Royal jelly is rich in vitamins, particularly B vitamins such as B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), and B9 (folate). Talk about a great multi. These vitamins help with metabolism, energy production, and nervous system function.
Minerals: It contains minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and iron. These minerals are essential for various physiological processes, including muscle contraction, nerve transmission, and enzyme function.
Antioxidants: Royal jelly contains antioxidant compounds such as flavonoids and phenolic acids, which help protect cells from oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Antioxidants play a crucial role in maintaining cellular health and reducing the risk of chronic diseases.
Clearly, it takes a lot to grow a bee and help it fend off the diseases and chemicals that are rampant in his/her line of work.
Who Is Royal Jelly For?
Like we mentioned, royal jelly is fed to the bee larvae during their first few weeks of life. You know, while they’re all cocooned inside their cute little honeycomb prams.
Eventually, though, the nurse bees will begin weaning the brood—as the young are called—off of royal jelly and start feeding them other foods like pollen, honey, and a fun little mixture called bee bread.
That is, all of the baby bees but one.
When it is time to raise a new queen, one of the little larvae will be chosen. And the nurses will continue feeding her royal jelly. As she grows, those special enzymes will trigger developmental processes that turn her into a queen bee.
For example, unlike her bee sisters, her reproductive system will develop and come online. She’ll also be bigger and stronger than everyone else in the hive, including the male drones.
It’s royalty in a bottle, you might say. But the benefits don’t end with producing healthy and helpful bee populations. And it has direct benefits for humans as well!
Bee-fore You Go 🐝
Royal jelly isn’t just nourishment; it’s real-life alchemy within the hive. Royal jelly is a powerhouse blend of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. And it isn't just for bees! Now you have the chance to experience its wonders firsthand.
We invite you to explore Honey Garden's selection of royal jelly products. Whether it’s our raw honey infused with royal jelly (fantastic in tea or on toast), or in convenient capsules for that daily vitality boost and long-term health benefits, you can get Nature’s finest nutrition right on your doorstep.
Join us in celebrating the marvels of royal jelly—a testament to the wisdom and nurture of Mother Nature.