Bee Pollen and weight loss

Bee Pollen and weight control:- Our body processes all nutrients and deals with them according to the type and quantity consumed. Consumption rates for calorie-bearing nutrients, coupled with the rate of our metabolism, will generally determine whether we build fat, maintain our body weight or loose weight.
However, we can help our body become more efficient in processing certain nutrient types and certain food groups. By supplementing our food intake with certain nutrient combinations, we can create an environment where we become more ecient at processing carbohydrates, fats and sugars, and can avoid under some circumstances the production of excessive body fat.
Pollen contains over 5,000 enzymes and co-enzymes, considerably more than is present in any other food. These enzymes are necessary in the body for digestive function and immune function. The enzymes present in bee pollen are considered important in creating a chemical balance in the metabolism. This ‘balancing’ or ‘regulating’ function may be the key factor in bee pollen’s ability to assist in weight regulation.
When taking bee pollen as a diet supplement, it is best consumed an hour or so before meals. Where body weight is normal, and there is no desire to loose weight, pollen may be consumed with, or directly following a meal.
Some important studies have been conducted into the role of bee pollen in helping to control body weight.
S. Blauer (Hippocrates Health Institute) “Bee pollen minimizes, reduces or eliminates the normal person’s cravings for heavy concentrated protein… [bee pollen] aids in the digestion of other food”
When investigating bee pollen’s role as a natural appetite suppressant, Dr. J. Chen and Dr. L. Chu (Aerospace Medicine &
Life Sciences), “… found the average daily food consumption in the Bee Pollen fed group was generally 15-20% less.” Ingesting bee pollen in supplement form can be a great way of assisting the body in processing and ‘burning’ carbohydrates and converting calories into energy.
Bee Pollen can also supplement nutritional intake in certain areas that are inadequately catered for by the foods that we eat – providing essential vitamins and minerals that are deficient in processed foods.
How is Bee Pollen processed for human consumption?:- The beehive is a remarkably efficient workplace constructed and operated in a way that has remained unchanged for millions of years. The beehive contains a brood chamber where the Queen bee lays her eggs. The brood chamber is the larger of several chambers within the beehive, the smaller chambers are where the worker bees store the honey and pollen.
The pollen is collected in “pollen traps”. In commercial hives, these traps are created by the beekeeper and consist of mesh wire with small apertures which brush the legs of the bee as it enters the hive. The pollen granules then fall into a tray, which is removed by the beekeeper.
In most cases, little or no ‘processing’ is performed on the pollen after it is removed from the hive in its granulated state. It is purged or sifted of any foreign particles, and then packaged and generally frozen.
In its raw state it should be maintained frozen until it is ready for consumption, at which point the thawed bee pollen should be kept refrigerated until consumed.
A more convenient way of consuming pollen is in capsule form. Capsulated pollen if processed correctly, contains all of the nutritional content of the raw pollen but has a much longer shelf-life, typically 3 or 4 years.
Bee pollen has no regulatory status, it is considered a food and not a herb or vitamin supplement. There are no guidelines for effective daily dosages, but many people take upwards of 1000mg per day.
What is the difference between ‘domestic’ bee pollen and ‘imported’ bee pollen? – This is an important question.
Imported bee pollens, predominantly from China, are often purchased from unregulated facilities and may contain contaminants. In certain parts of China, beekeepers use lead-based paints to paint their beehives, and these ‘heavy metal’ contaminants may enter the pollen or other substances from the hive. In most cases, reputable manufacturers will use domestic bee pollen as it is in abundant supply.
Summary:-
Bee pollen is a nutritive power-house providing a vast array of potential benefits to our health. Termed a ‘super-food’ and labeled by ancient cultures as ‘The Food of the Gods’, bee pollen contains all of the essential nutrients to sustain life.
Valued by many for its energizing and stamina building function, it offers so much more than a quick energy-boosting tonic. Containing a high concentration of amino acids, the immune building properties of bee pollen are rivaled only by those of Royal Jelly and other products from the beehive. When the beehive products are combined, a special ‘synergy’ is formed which is far greater than the sum of the individual parts.