In the hive, royal jelly is, as its name suggests, the exceptional food: it is reserved for the queen, who will be fed it all her life, as well as for larvae less than 3 days old. This white, gelatinous, milk-like substance is secreted by the glands of young foster bees.
The queen is fed exclusively on royal jelly and can live up to 50 times longer than a worker, i.e. 5 to 6 years. Please note, the queen is not idle, she lays her whole life at an incredible rate (2000 to 3000 eggs per day). Royal jelly is therefore a nutritious bomb.
The composition of royal jelly
It is extremely rich in nutrients, especially proteins and amino acids. It also contains all of the 8 vital amino acids that the body cannot synthesize by itself. It is also the richest natural food in vitamin B5, often called the energy vitamin.
It also contains all the vitamins important for our health. Here's a quick reminder on vitamins.
Vitamins A: affect vision and immunity
All B vitamins:
- vitamin B1: energy production and transmission of nerve impulses
- vitamin B2: role of antioxidant
- vitamin B3: makes hormones and messengers in the brain
- vitamin B5: involved in energy production, stress response, transmission of nerve impulses
- vitamin B6: it fixes magnesium and plays a role in the response to stress and recycles homocysteine, a toxic substance when it accumulates in the arteries and the brain
- vitamin B8: helps meet protein needs, synthesize brain chemical messengers and nucleic acids for DNA and RNA
- vitamin B9: aide à subvenir aux besoins en protéines, à synthétiser des messagers chimiques du cerveau et des acides nucléiques pour l’ADN et l’ARN
- vitamin B12: it is necessary for red blood cells and nerve cells
- Vitamins C: it is involved in defense against viral and bacterial infections, protection of the wall of blood vessels, assimilation of iron, antioxidant action and scarring. It allows the assimilation of iron
Vitamins D: it intervenes in the regulation of the metabolism of calcium and helps the bones to remain solid and rigid
Vitamins E: it is an antioxidant. It protects from oxidation
Vitamins K: involved in coagulation, bone mineralization and cell growth
Royal jelly is a very good source of minerals: iron, phosphorus, copper...
Trace elements and fatty acids.
The virtues of royal jelly
Looking at the effects of royal jelly on bees, we tell ourselves that this substance is magic. Whether a larva is fed royal jelly or not gives an individual morphologically and physiologically very different. By anthropomorphism, it has since been attributed incredible virtues of longevity and sexual vigor. Its known properties come from studies in vitro or on the animal model, but there have been very few large-scale studies on humans. These properties, although they are of great interest and possibilities for new research, should be put into perspective.
General stimulant
In general, royal jelly has a positive effect on form and morale. It is exhilarating.
Fight against stress
It is also an excellent intellectual stimulant to recommend for example to students during exams or the elderly who have memory problems. It also helps to combat stress.
Help against cognitive decline
Daily use of royal jelly as a cure to help improve cognitive abilities. You can associate it with Gingko Biloba for example. This benefit may be due in part to the presence of acetylcholine in royal jelly which plays a large role in nerve connections and to 10-HDA (a fatty acid only found in jelly), which plays a role in cell differentiation.
Antiviral
Energetic and nutritious, royal jelly strengthens the body's defenses, especially against infections, fatigue and cold. The royal jelly cure is therefore ideal before winter or in case of intense fatigue. It can be combined with propolis for a synergistic effect.
How to choose royal jelly?
Royal jelly has an acidic, pungent odor on the nose. Its taste, when consumed pure is sour and bitter. It is not a delicacy like honey, but you have to think of all the benefits it can bring to your health. Due to the high production cost of royal jelly, there are frauds in quality, denomination and origin.
Prefer origins labeled GRF
In France, to guarantee origin and quality, producers of royal jelly have created the GRF label (French royal jelly), in particular to stand out from the competition of production from imports. This charter establishes strict specifications and traceability, guaranteeing the French origin of the jelly, as well as production without artificial nourishment of the bees, cold storage from harvest, an unfrozen product, of optimal purity.
How to take royal jelly?
Make a royal jelly cure
We advise you to consume it as a cure for at least 21 days, every morning. It is important to have it well under the tongue so that it is insalivated and thereafter that the digestive juices of the stomach destroy its proteins to be well assimilated.
Contraindications
People allergic to honey, pollen and bee stings can potentially be allergic to royal jelly. It is also not recommended for people suffering from asthma or eczema.
People with hormone-dependent female cancer should not take royal jelly.