I have no doubts that mother nature holds the secret to a long, healthy life. That said, you should know that I don’t believe in the Fountain of Youth and I certainly don‘t believe in any miracle cures or magical weight loss foods. Most available information comes from people with an agenda – to sell you their miracle. Do your research and don’t believe everything you hear. My best advice is to include a varied amount of healthy food in your diet and don’t be afraid to try new things. The Greek philosopher, Hippocrates, promoted the medical use of bee pollen over 2,000 years ago. Typically, I say anything that stands a test of time like that has to be legit. Alas, WebMD disagrees.

WebMD claims that the medical and nutritional use of bee pollen has no scientific back bone. Historical claims say differently. For centuries now, bee pollen’s been used for a variety of reasons: prostate health, menstrual relief and chemotherapy relief are only a handful of the claims. It’s also been recorded that bee pollen can be used for weight loss, stamina, longer life and to reverse the signs of aging. Some people use it as a cure for acne, depression and high blood pressure. Advocates claim that it’s the perfect super food because it contains all the vitamins and nutrients necessary for life.   Apparently, a study of mice fed only bee pollen, showed no signs of malnutrition, but, as can often be the case, I was unable to find a reliable source to confirm this study.

Bee pollen is widely available at many health food and supplement stores. It’s most often sold in it’s natural form, as tiny granules of pollen. I’ve been told of people in Hawaii who sprinkle a small amount over their breakfast fruit or cereal each morning. Not only do they find it tasty, but they use it in place of their daily multi-vitamin. However, if you’re allergic to flower pollen or bee stings, PLEASE CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR before consuming any amount of bee pollen. Some individuals may experience an allergic reaction. In serious cases it can even induce anaphylactic shock.

Nobody likes a skeptic but I have to wonder who to trust. Is bee pollen the secret? Would all my problems go away if I started adding it to my diet? It’s hard to say.