Most people are aware that honey and beeswax come from beehives. But lesser known products from the beehive like pollen, propolis, royal jelly, even venom, are also popular. From a symphony of honey flavors and types to all manner of health giving and medicinal uses, the beehive is a regular bounty of flavors and nourishment.
Honey
Honey is best eaten raw, liquid, crystallized or in the comb. In a raw state it has been eaten as food or medicine, or included in a range of both edible and medical products, for thousands of years. Bees produce honey as food for the beehive, especially during winter months when nectar from flowers is not available, where it is kept in the honeycomb to ripen and mature. Each jar of honey is as unique as the combination of bees, flowers and weather that contributed to its creation. Raw honey will generally include other nutritious products from the hive such as pollen, beeswax and propolis. Most raw honeys will crystallize at room temperature. This is due to the forming of high quantities of sugars – a natural process that is not a sign of the honey becoming stale.
Pollen
There are 2 types of pollen – “fresh” pollen and fermented pollen (also known as bee bread). Both types are considered to be among the few ‘complete’ foods, meaning they contain all the nutrients necessary to sustain life. Pollen grains are essential for the reproduction of flowering plants. Bees transfer these grains to the stigma of other flowers (pollination) in the process of collecting nectar to make honey.
Beeswax
Beeswax is the second most popular product from the beehive, after honey. It is produced from the four pairs of wax glands from the underside of a bee’s wings and used to make the honeycomb from which much of a natural hive is constructed. Beeswax has the highest known melting point of any wax and doesn’t decompose over time, as shown by its being found in a complete state in tombs that are thousands of years old. On average a kilogram of beeswax will represent more than 50,000 hours of effort from the bees that create it. Although there are many uses for beeswax, the most common application is in the making of candles and cosmetics. It is also found in electronics, lubricants, leather conditioner, and of course furniture polish.
Propolis
Propolis is the substance bees manufacture to attach honeycombs and to make repairs to the structure of the hive. A kind of glue, it is made from a mixture of beeswax and resins, mostly from flowers and leaf buds. Propolis has been used as a wood preservative for centuries, notably in varnishes that characterize the tonal qualities of violins. In more modern times propolis has become a popular component in skincare products and cosmetics due to its reported benefits of skin tissue rejuvenation.
Medicinal use of propolis includes treatment for heart and circulation issues, respiratory conditions, dentistry, burn wounds, immune system disorders and many other applications. It is also considered a highly effective and natural food preservative.
Royal Jelly
Bees make royal jelly exclusively as food for the queen, both as larva and adult. It is fed directly to the queen rather than being made and stored, like honey. This is why it is such a rare and hard to harvest beehive product. Royal jelly is reputed to have all manner of both medicinal and anti-aging properties. Many devotees credit royal jelly with curing minor and chronic health problems and as a stimulant to enhance immune response and general physical function.
Venom
Bee venom is extracted from bees, mostly to manufacture an antidote for bee sting allergy and sensitivity. It is also reported to offer relief from pain caused by arthritis and bee sting therapy is used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis.
Products from the Beehive are Sustainable
We can be grateful to bees for providing us with so many treasures from their hives. And we can also rest assured that the products they offer us are usually either surplus to their needs or quickly replenishable – making beehive products truly environmentally friendly.
Here’s what we’ve got for you:
- The Widest Range of South African Raw Honeys
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