Edible Bee Pollen – Safety Guidelines For Better Health All Round
If you are going to have granules as your edible bee pollen then this is a great idea provided you follow a few simple precautions. The first thing you will have to get used to is the taste. Some people describe this as rather chalky which is not surprising given that this is made of pollination dust from flowers and plants. It has variously been described as
- just sweet enough
- tangy
- earthy texture
- crunchy texture
- vaguely tastes of wild flowers (no surprise there!)
- rather bitter
Of course the taste will vary enormously as it does depend on which plants and flowers were used in the foraging and the harvesting process.
Digestion problems?
When you are taking edible bee pollen in granules, you will have to get used to the taste. Then there is the whole question of digestion because the outer casings can be indigestible. You will need to chew them a lot.
There is a theory that the outer casing actually prevents the valuable nutrients in getting into your GI tract. That is now hotly debated on the web. There are those that say that you have to soak the granules for up to twelve hours. Others say that this is not necessary. On the other hand people with intestinal problems such as IBS may well find that the raw unsoaked granules are rather hard to digest.
Adding bee pollen to cereals
The best way is to take raw granules on the go but many people like to add them to cereals, smoothies, yogurts and so on. In this way they are getting the best of both worlds and it can help you to get used to the taste.
Foraging and harvesting questions
Now the fact that your edible bee pollen does NOT taste rancid is certainly a good sign. That means that it has been properly harvested and that no moisture has gotten into it. It also means that it has been stored correctly . Refrigeration is recommended.
The right taste will also depend on how organic the whole harvesting process has been, the unpolluted environment, the beekeeping practices and a whole host of other factors.
Risks from moulds and mycotoxins
You also have to be aware that there is a risk of a certain type of mould or mycotoxin such as aflatoxin (carcinogen) getting into it. Actually this risk is there all the time as the FAO estimates that about 25% of the world’s fruit vegetables are affected by this type of nasty toxin so you cannot really escape. But if you choose really good quality bee pollen granules, you can.
There must be an easier way
Well, fortunately there is a much easier way to take bee pollen and that is to opt for the capsules form. If you choose the right ones from a reputable supplier then you can relax and forget about all the precautions that I have mentioned above and still get great health benefits.
The fact of the matter is that once you know that the pollen is harvested in a pure and safe environment and properly processed according to GMP standards, then you have nothing to worry about.
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