Royal jelly is a fascinating product of the hive, often referred to as "bees' milk". Known for its nutritional properties and health benefits, it has been used for centuries in traditional medicine. But where does it come from, how do bees use it, and what are its benefits? Let's dive into the world of this natural treasure.
Where does Royal Jelly come from?
Royal jelly is a substance secreted by young nurse worker bees. These bees, aged 5 to 14 days, produce this jelly from their hypopharyngeal glands located in their heads. This substance, rich in nutrients, is intended to feed all the larvae in the hive during their first days of life, and it constitutes the exclusive diet of the queen throughout her existence.
How Bees Use Royal Jelly
In a bee colony, royal jelly plays a vital role in the development of the larvae. All larvae are fed this substance for the first three days of their lives. However, only larvae destined to become queens continue to be fed exclusively with royal jelly after these three days. This unique diet allows a larva to develop into a queen rather than a worker bee.
Royal jelly contains a high concentration of proteins, vitamins and essential fatty acids, which stimulate the rapid growth and longevity of the queen. As a result, a queen can live for several years, while worker bees only live for a few weeks or months. This demonstrates the nutritional power of royal jelly.
Harvesting Royal Jelly
Royal jelly is carefully harvested by beekeepers from the queen cells of the hive. Beekeepers trick the bees into producing multiple queen larvae by creating situations where the colony believes it needs to raise a new queen. Once the queen cells are full of royal jelly, beekeepers remove them to extract the jelly.
This harvest is a delicate and laborious process, because the amount of royal jelly produced by a colony is relatively small. On average, a hive can produce between 300 and 500 grams of royal jelly per year.
How to Consume Royal Jelly
Royal jelly is usually consumed as a dietary supplement, either pure or mixed with other ingredients such as honey.
It is best to consume it on an empty stomach, in the morning, to fully benefit from its revitalizing effects.
Conclusion
Royal jelly is an exceptional natural product, rich in nutrients and health benefits. From boosting your immune system to improving your energy and supporting your cognitive health, this treasure from the hive has a lot to offer. Carefully produced by bees and sustainably harvested by beekeepers, royal jelly is a true concentrate of vitality.
