Bee bread – medicine to us, food to the bees. It is a very concentrated vitamin and mineral bomb the size of a single honeycomb cell. Enzymes give it its unique bread-like after-taste. How can it be beneficial to our health? In this post, you will learn more about the healing properties of bee bread.
For the heart and circulatory system
Even though bee bread is not registered on any list of medicinal substances, knowledge of its healing properties has been passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years. Some of this knowledge has already been confirmed by scientific research. Several decades ago, research determined that certain dosages of bee bread (one teaspoon per day for adults) helped increase haemoglobin levels in anaemia. A study conducted in 2010 demonstrated that 15 g of bee bread twice a day reduces cholesterol by as much as a third and helps combat atherosclerosis.
The healing properties of bee bread are beneficial to bees and people.
For the digestive system
The beneficial effects of bee bread on the digestive system had been discovered a while back. Honey and bee bread were used to treat diseases of the stomach and liver. Because it is rich in antioxidants, bee bread has a detoxifying effect. Consumption of bee bread cleanses the liver and stimulates its activity. In addition to this, chewing bee bread stimulates the secretion of stomach juices and should facilitate digestion and absorption of nutrients.
For disinfection
A study on honey and bee bread conducted in Lithuania by Vilma Baltrušaitytė et al. revealed that certain types of honey and bee bread can help combat staph infections of various origins. This study led to the conclusion that honey, as well as bee bread, can serve as a great anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial substance. It should be noted that not all forms of the products reduced populations of staphylococcus bacteria — thermally-processed and store-bought honey demonstrated no improvement in this regard. So, how products were kept before consumption should be taken into account before anyone starts playing the role of pharmacist.
Bee bread and its properties are described in more detail in our blog post Bee bread: benefits, properties and consumption.
So, even though most bee products have not officially been recognised as medicinal products, their sheer effectiveness has convinced many that tea sweetened with honey can really fight a cold, while bee bread should be consumed to prevent one. The medicinal properties of bee bread have not yet been exhausted and are not limited to those listed here, so try and taste a few crumbs of this sunshine, monitor how you feel and be sure to tell us about the benefits this ritual has brought you .
