Bee pitch (propolis) - bees' greatest weapon against micro-organisms and intruders

Bee pitch has long been considered one of the strongest natural antibiotics. It is an extremely powerful biologically active substance that prevents the multiplication of many micro-organisms and has been protecting bees for centuries, and now it's protecting you too!

What is bee pitch?

It is a mixture of wax and a variety of bioactive substances produced by bees in their glands. Propolis is used by bees to seal the hive's cavities and is placed where there is a high risk of intruders. In the world of bees, pitch is feared by many micro-organisms and even some of their enemies. Our ancestors, noticing these properties of bee pitch, began to use it extensively to protect themselves against micro-organisms dangerous to humans.

Bee pitch has been used medicinally for many years. It is a natural product created by bees and contains a wide range of beneficial substances that bees collect from a wide variety of plants. Pitch is an amazing creation of bees, for which no scientists have been able to create an alternative. Propolis is rich in antibacterial properties and can help fight a wide range of infectious diseases.

Benefits of Propolis

The true benefits of bee pitch, as well as its composition, are still being investigated by scientists. One thing is for sure: if propolis helps bees to protect themselves from a wide range of diseases (not all of them, of course), it can help us too. Here's what the folk medicine experts say.

According to folk medicine, bee pitch has many beneficial properties:

• It helps relieve toothache and cure a wide range of oral diseases (you can place a piece on a tooth);
• Helps strengthen the immune system;
• Contributes to the killing of bacteria and viruses in the body;
• Relieves sore throats and coughs;
• Helps stop bleeding - promotes tissue regeneration after injury;
• Lowers blood pressure;
• Provides energy and long-lasting endurance;
• Enhances the action of antibiotics and other antiviral and antifungal drugs;
• Eliminates bad odours.

To find out more about propolis, read our blog post "What is propolis (bee pitch), what are its benefits for us and how to use it".

Although bee products are usually considered sweet, propolis may surprise you. It has a very pleasant smell, but a bitter, pungent taste, which, like wax, does not chew.

How to use propolis

Propolis can be chewed like chewing gum - the longer the better. However, it is best absorbed in the form of infusions, extracts, dissolved in various solvents (most commonly medicinal alcohol). We have described three simple recipes in our blog post "How to prepare bee pitch extract".

Storage conditions for bee pitch

Store in a cool, dark place.

Propolis has helped bees defend themselves against a wide range of pests for many years. Now we can use it to help ourselves and be healthier, fresher, more energetic and happier!

The scientific sources we used:

1. Anjum SI, Ullah A, Khan KA, Attaullah M, Khan H, Ali H, Bashir MA, Tahir M, Ansari MJ, Ghramh HA, Adgaba N, Dash CK. Composition and functional properties of propolis (bee glue): A review. Saudi J Biol Sci. 2019 Nov;26(7):1695-1703. doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2018.08.013. Epub 2018 Aug 17. PMID: 31762646; PMCID: PMC6864204.