Vitamins and minerals are what the experts refer to as essential nutrients. We need these nutrients in small quantities, and without them we wouldn't be able to sustain life. We have to get most of our vitamins and minerals from foods or supplements. This is because the human body either does not produce enough of them, or it produces none at all. They are responsible for the healthy functioning of our bodies.
Royal jelly is a honey bee secretion that the nurse bees use to feed their queen. Royal bee jelly contains a rich variety of nutrients that can also benefit human health when taken as a dietary supplement. The short video below describes the role of essential vitamins and explains why we need them.
My Notes
Vitamins and minerals are essential to life. They perform hundreds of important, life sustaining roles inside the human body all the time. The sad fact is that far too many of us are lacking in these essential vitamins and minerals. It's not only because of poor diet and lifestyle choices that starve us of these either. Soil depletion means that the fruits and veggies of today are less nutritious than they ever used to be. The crops grown just a few decades ago were so much richer in vitamins and minerals. Modern day agricultural farming practices and the use of pesticides and herbicides have all contributed to the problem. This means we have to be forever mindful of our vitamin and mineral intake seeing as we cannot rely on diet alone. We used to be able to, but not so anymore.
Every single day a human body produces skin, muscle and bone. The rich red blood in your veins carries nutrients and oxygen to where they are needed most. Your body also has to send nerve signals along thousands of miles of pathways to the brain and other body parts. The only way it can perform these bodily functions is if gets the raw materials it desperately needs. These are the 30 essential vitamins, minerals, and dietary components. They're “essential” because the human body cannot manufacture them on its own. Or the few that it can manufacture, it can't produce in sufficient amounts.
Royal Jelly – a Powerhouse of Nutrition
The honeybee workers feed royal jelly (RJ) to their queen so that she can live long and grow big, healthy and strong. This really is food “fit for a queen.” In fact, the queen bee lives exclusively on RJ. When you look at its nutritional content, it's easy to see why it's so valuable. The United States Department of Agriculture state that one gram of Royal Jelly contains the following amounts of vitamins:
- Biotin – 0.9 to 3.7 mcg
- Folic Acid – 0.16 to 0.5 mcg
- Inositol – 78 to 150 mcg
- Vitamin B1 – 1.5 to 7.4 mcg
- Vitamin B2 – 5.3 to 10 mcg
- Vitamin B3 – 91 to 149 mcg
- Vitamin B5 – 65 to 200 mcg
- Vitamin B6 – 2.2 to 10.2 mcg
- Vitamin C – trace amounts
Royal Jelly is not just a vitamin powerhouse either. It also contains a host of other vital compounds that can benefit the health of humans. It is 12.3 percent protein and 5.5 percent fat. Carbohydrates are in there too, ranging from 12 – 15 percent. This really is a balanced, natural food.
Humans need essential minerals too. These are what help in bone and tooth formation. Minerals also help with blood coagulation and muscle contraction. The minerals in RJ include the following:
- Calcium
- Copper
- Iron
- Phosphorous
- Potassium
- Silicon
- Sulfur
Other health benefits found in royal jelly include:
- Natural hormones
- Essential sugars
- Nucleic acids
- Vegetable gelatin
- Gamma globulin
There are other fascinating nutrients too. In fact, scientists are yet to identify almost three percent of substances in RJ.
A scientific study on royal jelly with healthy volunteers showed some promising results. After a 6-month ingestion of RJ, there were improvements in the production of red blood cells. There were also improved glucose tolerance and mental health.
Nutr J. 2012 Sep 21;11:77. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-11-77.
Effect of royal jelly ingestion for six months on healthy volunteers.
Morita H, Ikeda T, Kajita K, Fujioka K, Mori I, Okada H, Uno Y, Ishizuka T.
How to Take Royal Jelly as a Supplement
RJ has become a popular dietary supplement in health circles. Because of this it's not too difficult to get hold of. There are numerous ways to take royal jelly, including:
- Fresh Frozen (the most natural form available)
- Powdered Concentrate
- Capsules
Summary
Royal jelly is without any question of doubt packed with essential vitamins, nutrients and other goodness. It's natural and safe to take in healthy individuals.