Treasures of the hive: honey, propolis, royal jelly, pollen

The hive: a fascinating organisation

A bee colony is made up of tens of thousands of individuals, each with a specific role depending on its age. The youngest clean and feed, others build the comb or guard the entrance, and then they become foragers and fly out to collect nectar, pollen and resin. In high season, a worker bee lives for only a few weeks: every drop of honey is the result of a huge team effort.

Each hive product meets a need of the colony:

• honey is its food store;
• pollen is its source of protein;
• royal jelly feeds the young larvae and the queen;
• propolis is used to seal and protect the hive.

Respecting bees also means choosing products whose origin you know. It is something I pay attention to.

Honey: the gold of the hive

Bees make honey from flower nectar. They carry it, transform it and store it in the cells of the comb, where it thickens. Its colour, texture and taste depend on the flowers the bees have visited.

Forever Bee Honey is pure honey harvested in the mountains of Spain. There the bees forage on lavender, rosemary and orange blossom among others, which gives it a rich floral aroma with a slightly caramelised note.

How to use it every day:

• instead of sugar in yoghurt, fromage frais or a hot drink;
• in a lemon dressing, or to glaze roast vegetables;
• in your home baking, using a little less than the sugar in the recipe.

Tip: stir honey into a warm rather than boiling drink to keep its aromas. And remember that honey is still a sugary food, best enjoyed in moderation.

Has your honey hardened or turned cloudy? That is crystallisation, a natural process. To make it runny again, stand the bottle in warm water for a few minutes.

Propolis: the shield of the hive

Propolis is a resin bees collect from tree buds and bark. They mix it with wax and use it to seal cracks, varnish the inside of the hive and protect its entrance. Its name comes from Greek, meaning “in front of the city”.

At Forever, you will find it in several forms:

• as chewable tablets, with Forever Bee Propolis, almond-flavoured and combined with royal jelly: 2 tablets a day;
• in the bathroom, for example in Aloe Propolis Creme, a skincare cream combining 74.1% aloe vera, propolis, chamomile, allantoin and vitamins A and E.

For the tablets, the Forever product sheet states that they contain soya and are not recommended for women with a personal or family history of breast cancer. If in doubt, ask your doctor.

Royal jelly: how to take it?

Royal jelly is secreted by young nurse bees. All larvae receive it for their first few days, but only the future queen is fed on it throughout her life. It is the rarest product of the hive: a colony makes only small amounts.

Fresh royal jelly must be kept cold and has quite a sharp, tangy taste. That is why it is often found freeze-dried, in tablet form.

Forever Royal Jelly comes as sweet, orange-flavoured chewable tablets:

• 1 to 2 tablets a day, to chew;
• as a one-month course, which Forever suggests pairing with aloe vera gel drink;
• vegetarian and gluten-free.

As with any food supplement, do not exceed the recommended daily dose.

Pollen: the flowers' tiny pellets

As it forages, a bee gets covered in pollen. It packs it into small coloured pellets on its back legs and carries it back to the hive, where it feeds the colony. Depending on the flowers, the pellets are yellow, orange, brown or even purple.

You can eat pollen as granules, sprinkled over yoghurt or cereal, or as tablets for convenience. Its taste, both sweet and slightly bitter, varies with the flowers.

Forever Bee Pollen contains 86% pollen, 12% honey and a touch of royal jelly. The pollen is freeze-dried to keep it fresh:

• 3 tablets a day, with meals and a glass of water;
• do not use if the seal is broken or missing;
• not recommended for anyone allergic to bee products.

Bee products: precautions worth knowing

Natural does not mean suitable for everyone. Before you start, keep these points in mind:

• Allergies: if you are allergic to bee stings, pollen or bee products, avoid them.
• Babies: no honey before the age of one.
• Pregnancy, breastfeeding, current medication: ask a health professional before taking a supplement.
• Dose: stick to the dose shown and do not combine several products without advice.
• Storage: somewhere dry, away from heat and light.
• Origin: choose products whose origin and ingredients are clearly shown on the label.

And always remember: food supplements should not replace a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

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