Spanish Bee Pollen

Bee Pollen Granules are tiny, golden clusters collected from flowering plants and naturally dried for a crunchy texture and mildly sweet, floral flavor. They can be enjoyed on their own as a snack or sprinkled over yogurt, oatmeal, smoothies, or salads for added taste and texture.

Lightweight and shelf-stable, bee pollen granules are also a versatile topping for baked goods, smoothie bowls, and desserts. Their pleasant crunch and subtle sweetness make them an easy way to add variety and flavor to everyday meals.

Spanish Bee Pollen Granules

Z Natural Foods takes pride in offering our customers a diverse selection of functional foods and herbs from around the globe, in their most versatile forms. Our Spanish bee pollen granules are no exception.

While the market is flooded with a wide variety of bee pollen products, the unique attributes and versatility of Spanish bee pollen stand out in an impressive lineup of competitors.

Our Spanish bee pollen has a wide range of uses and endless potential for creativity. Indeed, modern technology has enabled us to obtain highly concentrated, unique bee products. However, sometimes, the beauty, subtlety, and straightforward simplicity of old-fashioned beekeeping practices passed down over many generations provide the most well-balanced flavor profile and nutritional complexities.

While the flavor profile of bee pollen primarily depends on the flowers the bees pollinate, Spanish bee pollen is typically known for its sweet and floral characteristics with earthy undertones and a silky smooth texture. Our mission is to provide customers with great-tasting, highly functional foods with endless applications in their most versatile form, supporting a variety of lifestyles.

We proudly introduce the newest member of our diverse line of functional foods: Z Natural Foods Spanish Bee Pollen Granules.

Fun and interesting facts about Bee Pollen Granules 

1. Spanish bee pollen is world-renowned for its exceptional quality and organoleptic properties (properties perceived by the human senses), due to Spain’s rich and diverse flora.
2. Each variety of pollen has a slightly different color, which tells a story about its geographic and botanical origins.
3. While the most common colors are orange or yellow, typically derived from rockroses and holm oaks, Spanish bee pollen can present as purple due to some of its botanical origin in echium.
4. Bee pollen does contain all nine essential amino acids and up to 22 total amino acids, depending on its botanical origin.
5. Pollen contains approximately 22.7% protein on average, including 10.4% essential amino acids, which provide the necessary building blocks for muscle formation, hormone synthesis, and other vital bodily functions. However, its amino acid ratios are too diverse to be considered a consistent source of complete protein.
6. Seasons, plant source, and drying processhave a direct effect on the amino acid profile of bee pollen.
7. Each bee pollen granule is made up of millions of microscopic pollen grains bound by the nectar and saliva of working bees.
8. While each granule is packed with over 250 active compounds, it remains a low-calorie food, providing only 40 calories per tablespoon.
9. Bee pollens’ macronutrient breakdown is approximately 75% carbohydrates, 22% protein, and 3% fat.
10. One teaspoon of bee pollen requires one bee to work for 8 hours a day for one month to collect. 
11. It has been stated that bee pollen cannot be synthesized in a lab and contains unidentified substances, suggesting that bees may add something proprietary.
12. Bee pollen is considered a survival food as it contains all 22 essential nutrients required by the human body.
13. While the composition of bee pollen varies depending on the flower visited and the season of collection, it consistently provides a perfect balance of nutrients.
14. Bees ferment their pollen by adding salivary enzymes and nectar (also known as bee bread), making the complex proteins and starches more digestible.

What is Bee Pollen?

In simple terms, bee pollen is the male reproductive part of plants, collected by honeybees as they forage for nectar. The process that creates bee pollen is another example of the incredible acts of Mother Nature.

Bee pollen is produced through a three-step process.

Step one is foraging and collecting the material. 

1. Worker bees visit flowers to collect the nectar. In the process, their hairy bodies pick up fine, powdery pollen grains.
2. As they gather pollen, it mixes with nectar and salivary secretion from the bees’ glands. This process moistens the powder, helping to bind the grains together.
3. The bees use the stiff hair on their legs to brush the mixture onto their hind legs, where a special structure known as a pollen basket is located. This is where the mixture is compacted into small, sticky pellets.
4. The pollen basket is a concave area on the hind leg of certain female bees that holds the pollen they collect.

Step two is to bring the material back and store it in the hives.

1. When the forging bee returns to the hive, it unloads the pollen pellets into the empty honeycomb cells.
2. Then, the working bees use their heads to pack the material into the cell, creating a dense, layered substance.
3. Finally, the bees seal the top with a layer of honey.

The third step is fermenting the pollen into bee bread. 

1. This final step is done through lactic acid fermentation.
2. The packed pollen, which is mixed with enzymes, nectar, and honey, naturally undergoes a fermentation process that breaks down the carbohydrates and lowers its pH level.
3. This fermentation process naturally enhances the nutritional value and preservation of pollen, making it more digestible for the bees.
4. It further allows for long-term storage without spoiling.
5. Once the pollen completes the fermentation process, it is known as bee bread, which is used to feed both adult bees and larvae.

The final parts of this process are how the beekeeper collects, processes, packs, and stores the pollen.

Collection of the pollen

1. The beekeeper prepares the hive by installing traps at the entrance and exit.
2. The traps are designed to collect the pollen but not obstruct the bees’ movement.
3. The scraps have small screens that scrape off the pollen from the hind leg sac.
4. During the high season, the beekeeper collects pollen every few days, which helps maintain a healthy hive and ensures that the bees can continue their foraging activities.
5. However, it is essential to understand that the pollen trap should not capture all the pollen, as the bees need some to sustain the colony and feed their larvae.

Processing and packing of the pollen

1. Once the pollen is collected, it undergoes the cleaning and drying process
2. The cleaning process is simply to remove any debris.
3. The drying process is performed using a low-temperature method or air-drying, which prevents mold and ensures freshness.
4. Once the drying process is complete, the pollen is packed in airtight containers and stored in cool, low-humidity conditions.

Spanish vs Other Bee Pollens: What is the difference?

We will never make the claim that all bee pollen products made outside of Spain are inferior to Spanish bee pollen. In fact, it is believed by the majority that to get the best of the beneficial impacts of “bee products” like honey, bee pollen, and bee propolis, it is most appropriate to use a locally (within 50 miles of your home) produced product. The primary reason is that bees pollinate the native flora of that specific area. It is this principle that makes bee products medicinal. However, it is also true that regardless of where the bee pollen comes from, all well-made bee pollen contains, in some variation, all 22 essential nutrients required by the human body.

That said, let’s discuss some of the wonderfully unique differences that Spanish bee pollen brings to the table over many others. Spanish bee pollen is renowned for its sweeter flavor profile, fresh aroma, and deep golden color. It is also believed that its nutritional and phyto-nutrient profile is influenced by the extremely diverse flora found in Spain, specifically plants like Cistus and Genista. Both of these plants are well-known for their high flavonoid content, abundant pollen production, and antimicrobial properties.

The following statements were made in a study titled “Botanical Origin of Galician Bee Pollen (Northwest Spain) for the Characterization of Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity.” The study focused on evaluating the influence of plant origin on total phenol and flavonoid contents, as well as antioxidant activity, measured by radical scavenging methods. In this study, the botanical characteristics of 31 bee pollen samples from Galicia (Northwest Spain) were analyzed; these samples have not been studied from this geographical area until now.

1. Bee pollen is considered a natural product, relevant for its nutritional and antioxidant properties.
2. Its composition varies widely depending on its botanical and geographical origins.
3. The multivariate statistical treatment revealed the contribution of specific pollen types in the extract of bee pollen to phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity.
4. The bee pollen samples with a higher presence of Castanea, Erica, Lythrum, and Campanula types indicated higher total phenol and flavonoid contents, as well as antioxidant activities, according to the principal component analysis.

Therefore, the following was concluded. “These results demonstrate the richness and botanical diversity in the pollen spectrum of bee pollen and enhance the possible beneficial nutraceutical properties of this beekeeping product.”

Bee Pollen: Superfood or Survival Food

While there are many people on the internet who claim that bee pollen is a survival food rather than a superfood, we are here to provide you with a few fun facts that disprove that theory. A superfood is a food rich in compounds considered beneficial to a person’s health. It contains a very high nutritional density and a meager calorie count. Superfoods are the most intensely researched category, with the aim of better understanding how their unique compounds can support well-being by potentially modulating specific mechanisms of action. The key characteristics of a survival food are as follows.

1. Long shelf life
2. Nutrient density
3. Portability
4. Ease of preparation to ensure individuals have access to food when fresh or conventional supplies are unavailable.

The one major factor that is essential to make something a survival food is CALORIES. That said, survival food must be high in calories to help sustain the energy needed to survive a situation. The act of surviving in a wilderness or other challenging situation requires a significant amount of physical activity, which burns calories at a rapid rate. Therefore, foods like fish, small game, nuts, roots, and tubers are much better choices. While nutrient-dense, bee pollen unfortunately provides only around 40 calories per tablespoon. Not to mention, it is a low-fat food. Therefore, because it is low in calories and fats, it is considered an insufficient energy source for survival purposes. The bottom line is that you can’t survive on bee pollen.

Is Bee Pollen Right For You?

There will always be exceptions to what is considered generally safe for everyone. While most people tolerate foods created by bees quite reasonably, that does not mean you necessarily will. Therefore, if you are aware of any kind of allergies or sensitivity to bees, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should consult with a healthcare provider before consuming it. While there is no data specifically indicating the percentage of the population that is allergic to bee pollen, we do know that approximately 3% of the US population is allergic to bee stings. Finally, even if you are sure that you don’t have a bee pollen allergy, it is always best to start slow with only one granule.

Summary of Important Information

Z Natural Foods hand-picks specific ingredients for our customers based on three key concepts to provide the highest-quality product possible, supporting optimal well-being.

1. Versatility
2. History of safe and effective usage
3. Strong evidence of positive research outcomes in humans

Important summary points

• Bee Pollen, in simple terms, is the male reproductive part of plants, collected by honeybees as they forage for nectar.
• Bee pollen is produced through a three-step process.

1. Step one is foraging and collecting the material.
2. Step two is to bring the material back and store it in the hives.
3. The third step is fermenting the pollen into bee bread.

Spanish vs Other Bee Pollens: What is the difference?

1. Spanish bee pollen is renowned for its sweeter flavor profile, fresh aroma, and deep golden color.
2. It is believed that its nutritional and phyto-nutrient profile is influenced by the extremely diverse flora found in Spain, specifically plants like Cistus and Genista.
3. Both of these plants are well-known for their high flavonoid content, abundant pollen production, and antimicrobial properties.

Bee Pollen: Superfood or Survival Food

1. A superfood is a food rich in compounds considered beneficial to a person’s health.
2. It contains a very high nutritional density and a meager calorie count.
3. Superfoods are the most intensely researched category, with the aim of better understanding how their unique compounds can support well-being by potentially modulating specific mechanisms of action.
4. The key characteristics of a survival food are a long shelf life, nutrient density, portability, and ease of preparation.
5. The one major factor that is essential to make something a survival food is CALORIES.
6. Because it is low in calories and fats, it is considered an insufficient energy source for survival purposes.

Some research suggests that Bee Pollen may contain the following constituents:

1. Protein
2. Vitamins: Provitamin A (carotenoids), Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), Vitamin B12 (cyamococobalaminn), Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), Vitamin E, Vitamin H (biotin), Vitamin K, Choline, Inositol, Folic Acid, Pantothenic Acid, Rutin, Vitamin PP (nicotinamide)
3. Micro-Nutrients: Nucleosides, Guanine, Hexodecanol, Auxins, Xanthine, Alpha-Amino-Butyric Acid, Brassins, Hypoxalthine, Monoglycerides, Gibberellins, Crocetin, Diglycerides, Kinins, Zeaxanthin, Triglycerides, Vernine, Lycopene, Peutosaus
4. Minerals: Phosphorus, Copper, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese, Silica, Sulphur, Iodine-Chlorine, Boron-Molybdenum
5. Enzymes: Disstase, Phosphatase, Amylase, Catalase, Saccharase, Diaphorase, Pectase, Cozymase, Cytochrome Systems, Lactic Dehydrogenase, Succinic Dehydrogenase
6. Fatty Acids: C-6, C-8, C-10, C-12, C-14, C-16, C-15, C-18, C-22, C20, Oleic, Palmitic, Linoleic
7. Pigments: Xarmmepayll, Carotenes (Alpha & Beta Carotene)
8. Amino Acids: Tryptophan, Leucine, Lysine, Isoleucine, Methionine, Cystine, Threonine, Arginine, Phenylalanine, Histidine, Valine, Glutamic Acid, Tyrosine, Glycine, Serine, Proline, Alanine, Aspartic Acid, Hydroxyproline, Butyric Acid

Suggested Use: Start with a few grains per day and slowly work your way up to 1 to 2 teaspoons daily. We recommend refrigerating this product to maintain freshness.

Mixing suggestion: To increase flavor and nutritional profile, combine our organic extra-rich cacao and lucuma powders into a smoothie.

Botanical Name: Apis mellifera
Other Names: Buckwheat pollen, pine pollen, Pu Huang, honeybee pollen, Polen.

Parts Used: Pollen.
Ingredients: Raw Bee Pollen Granules.
Origin: Harvested in Spain. Packaged with care in Florida, USA.
Allergen Statement: Contains Bee Products.
Warning: Bee Pollen is not recommended for those with pollen or bee allergies. Bee pollen should not be taken if you have prior reactions to bee stings or pollen. In some cases, anaphylactic shock has been reported. You should not use bee pollen if you have a history of anaphylactic shock from any allergic reaction. If you have asthma, please consult your doctor before using bee pollen. Bee pollen contains allergens that may interact adversely with asthma.