[HiveMind]

After reading up on pollen and learning how healthy of a substance it is I've made up my mind to eat pollen every day. I bought a Sundance II pollen trap and as soon as we harvest our honey four weeks from now I'm going to put it on one of my hives for 2 weeks. Then I'll move it to a different hive for 2 weeks till I've collected 50 pounds or so. I'll store that in the mini freezer out in my wood shop. I don't have pollen allergies; I'm not trying to lose weight (I'm 5'9" 165lbs); and I've never been a health nut. But pollen as a complete food and it's purported myriad of other health benefits it seems like the most underrated super-food out there. I'd like to work up to eating a half a cup a day (maybe more, who knows).

I'm afraid over the past couple months I might be getting a little starry eyed about this pollen thing. Who here uses pollen as part of their regular diet year round? Any words of advice for me (other than starting with small quantities and working up over time)? Any thoughts are appreciated.

In case you still don't think I've gone all starry eyed I've got one last question that seems absurd to me but I don't know why it wouldn't be possible. Since pollen is more protein dense than meat and contains virtually all nutrients the human body needs... wait for it... Why couldn't a person be perfectly healthy living on pollen and water alone for years?

 

[johng]

My advice is to start off small, mix a little honey with it. You can also mix it in smooties, yogurt, or salads. Its defiantly different! Sort of nutty, earthy flavor. I've got to where I actually enjoy the taste but, it took some time to get use to it.

 

[DarkHorse]

I take it daily for seasonal allergies. I usually take about 1 to 1.5 teaspoons in the morning with water. im buying it now but with new hive im gonna look into capturing my own next year.

 

[csalt09]

I'd be interested in hearing peoples experience's with consuming pollen. We didn't evolve eating pollen in large amounts but it does sound like it would be benificial if we can digest it properly and utilize what's in it. Maybe ill get a pollen trap and see if I notice a difference.

 

[GaSteve]

Pollen is strong juju. IMO 1/2 cup per day is a HUGE amount. I eat a spoonful nearly every day sprinkled in a salad, smoothie, peanut butter sandwich, etc. I don't care for eating pollen by itself.

 

[Colobee]

I had a strong allergic reaction the first time I tried it. Taking it from my home hives I can be selective and avoid known problems. A little goes a looong way!

 

[Michael Bush]

It is often indigestible. You will have better luck getting nutrition from bee bread... you could make your own bee bread...

 

[HiveMind]

It is often indigestible. You will have better luck getting nutrition from bee bread... you could make your own bee bread...

From reading this study it seems to be highly digestible. But either way how would you make bee bread? Just mix 1 part pollen to 1 part honey?

Michael, can you point me to some reading material saying pollen is often indigestible?

 

[dfortune]

It is often indigestible. You will have better luck getting nutrition from bee bread... you could make your own bee bread...

On top of being indigestible, it also loses a lot of its nutritional value after just a few days, if not turned to bee bread first.

 

[dfortune]

>Just mix 1 part pollen to 1 part honey?

The bees add the honey and ferment it I believe, so theres more to it than just mixing it together I would think

 

[ForrestB]

From reading this study it seems to be highly digestible.

Strictly speaking, that is merely an article, not a study, and the only true study it references, was on the reduced incidence in female mice of mammary cancer. Everything else seemed to be anecdotal.

 

[dfortune]

Found this online. They claim bee bread is more digestable to humans, granted they're also selling it, so take it with a grain of salt.

Bee bread contains pollen processed by bee, honey, propolis, enzymes,
lipids, amino acids, trace elements, minerals, vitamins and friendly bacteria
(29 species) and it is along with honey the food of the larva. It is therefore a
valuable food for the bee and humans.
The pollen it contains is not the same as that we buy, as it is processed by
the bee so that it is more digestible for the spawn. It does this by breaking
the housing of pollen. So bee bread is much more digestible than pollen and
it is much better for those who have digestive problems.

 

[HiveMind]

Strictly speaking, that is merely an article, not a study, and the only true study it references, was on the reduced incidence in female mice of mammary cancer. Everything else seemed to be anecdotal.

I hadn't thought about the article in that light. Your statement does ring true now that I think about it. Glad I'm being set straight!

I found this article. Second half explains how to make bee bread from fresh pollen.

 

[sqkcrk]

After reading up on pollen and learning how healthy of a substance it is I've made up my mind to eat pollen every day.

Since pollen is more protein dense than meat and contains virtually all nutrients the human body needs... wait for it... Why couldn't a person be perfectly healthy living on pollen and water alone for years?

Why do some people seem to think that pollen is something people should eat? Did you know that your human body can't digest pollen?

"Since pollen is more dense"ly packed w/ pesticides, why would you want to eat it? And, besides, is anyone actually perfectly healthy?

 

[HiveMind]

Apparently bee bread is digestable. Also my apiary is in the middle of nothing but woods. So not likely to be carrying an insecticide load. I also run all TF. So no chemicals on the bees either.

Eating pollen is also interesting to me. Another field of learning.

 

[sqkcrk]

I guess it couldn't hurt. Only if you have expectations.

 

[HiveMind]

I guess it couldn't hurt. Only if you have expectations.

I don't really have any expectation. I'm just going to take the plunge and see what it does for me (if anything). If nothing else I will learn about making bee bread and will be knowledgeable about the fermentation process. Plus other areas I don't even know of now.

 

[sqkcrk]

"What should I expect?" Diahrea perhaps?

 

[HiveMind]

"What should I expect?" Diahrea perhaps?

Are you speaking from experience in this regard?

 

[jwcarlson]

After reading up on pollen and learning how healthy of a substance it is I've made up my mind to eat pollen every day. I bought a Sundance II pollen trap and as soon as we harvest our honey four weeks from now I'm going to put it on one of my hives for 2 weeks. Then I'll move it to a different hive for 2 weeks till I've collected 50 pounds or so. I'll store that in the mini freezer out in my wood shop. I don't have pollen allergies; I'm not trying to lose weight (I'm 5'9" 165lbs); and I've never been a health nut. But pollen as a complete food and it's purported myriad of other health benefits it seems like the most underrated super-food out there. I'd like to work up to eating a half a cup a day (maybe more, who knows).

I'm afraid over the past couple months I might be getting a little starry eyed about this pollen thing. Who here uses pollen as part of their regular diet year round? Any words of advice for me (other than starting with small quantities and working up over time)? Any thoughts are appreciated.

In case you still don't think I've gone all starry eyed I've got one last question that seems absurd to me but I don't know why it wouldn't be possible. Since pollen is more protein dense than meat and contains virtually all nutrients the human body needs... wait for it... Why couldn't a person be perfectly healthy living on pollen and water alone for years?

I don't really have any expectation. I'm just going to take the plunge and see what it does for me (if anything). If nothing else I will learn about making bee bread and will be knowledgeable about the fermentation process. Plus other areas I don't even know of now.

These two posts would seem to be at odds with one another. If you don't have expectations that is...