Bees are magical creatures that provide beekeepers with several varieties of significant products for end-user utilization.

Among these significant products is the royal jelly, a product which is quite beneficial in several aspects not only for the bee population but also to humans and other animals as well.

What is Royal Jelly?

Royal jelly is thus a creamy white substance, secreted by worker honeybees, and rich in nutrients. As its name suggests, it is often used in the feeding of queen bee larvae and even adult queens.

The royal jelly usually triggers the proper development of queen bee morphology, including the fully developed ovaries needed for egg laying.

Similarly, there are also numerous claims that the royal jelly offers a wide range of health benefits to humans too given their composition and nutritional values. Its composition usually varies depending on the geographical location and sometimes the climatic conditions.

Nonetheless, the average composition of royal jelly is usually:

• Water – 60% to 70 %
• Proteins – 12% to 15%
• Sugars – 10% to 16%
• Fats – 3% to 6%
• Vitamins, Salts, and Amino acids – 2% to 3%

How the Royal Jelly is produced

The royal jelly is usually secreted from the glands in the hypopharynx (pharyngeal glands) of the worker honey bees as a thick and milky-looking substance and then fed to all larvae regardless of their sex.

It is thus special in the sense that it is usually the only determining factor facilitating the development of a queen bee from the colony’s pool of otherwise ordinary larvae. It’s quite significant to queen bee development and of all the superfoods, it is the most intriguing nutritionally.

The greater nutritional significance of the Royal Jelly comes down to the fact that the functional and anatomical differentiation of female larvae from the other larvae is usually completely dependent upon what food they are fed in their early developmental stages.

All the bees are usually identical while at their larval stage of development and as such, they all feed on the Royal Jelly for the first three days after hatching. The fertilized eggs often give rise to two categories of bees, small sexually immature female worker bees and large fertile Queen Bees.

As such, from the fourth day onwards, only the special larvae determined to become Queen Bees are then continued on the special Royal Jelly diet for the rest of their lives.

The remaining larvae to become worker bees are cut off completely from the Royal Jelly and subsequently fed regular honey and pollen.

This was quite a fascinating discovery by the apiculturists given that despite both being females, the only and major distinctive difference between the Queen and worker bees was their nutrition.

The Queen Bee and the worker bees usually differ in the fulfillment of their obligations. For instance, the Queen Bee is usually the mother of a quarter million bees, amazingly laying nearly over 2000 eggs in a single day.

This is usually more than twice her total weight with a long lifespan of over four to five years. Workers bees however despite being females, usually manage the day-to-day running of the colony and only lives for an average of 3 months or even less which is a considerably short life span.

The Benefits of the Royal Jelly

Royal Jelly has been popular in many cultures all over the world and throughout history from ancient times to modern society. Many traditions have often labeled it as ‘the fountain of youth and beauty’ given some of its claimed health benefits.

For instance, Royal Jelly has been associated with:

• Body rejuvenation and regeneration
• Inhibition of the aging process
• Maintaining a healthy skin tone
• Promotion of sexual vitality
• Alleviation of arthritis pain
• An antidepressant
• Wound healing, among others

These benefits are usually attributed to some of the nutrients and essential elements found within its composition in abundance. For instance;

• Vitamin B5 and other B vitamins coupled with potassium, magnesium, zinc, amino acid, calcium, iron, zinc, and manganese all aid in the rejuvenation and regeneration process.
• It is also a natural source of some of the essential nutrients, therefore, containing natural fat, proteins, carbohydrates, and vitamins, the second richest natural source of vitamin B5, which are healthy for consumption.
• Royal Jelly is also the richest source of acetylcholine, a significant fluid in nerve impulse regulation and thus enhanced clear thinking abilities. It is in this regard that it is usually applied to help those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

Other reported health benefits include;

• Royal Jelly helps in the fight against heart disease, including arteriosclerosis and angina.
• It is extremely effective in treating glandular and hormonal imbalances, like those caused by prostrate or menstrual problems.
• It also inhibits the development of cancerous tumors like transplantable APK leukemia and three lines of mouse ascetic tumors.
• Royal Jelly is a powerful energy supplement, with results compared to caffeine and no negative side effects registered.

Royal Jelly and Blood Sugar

Some studies published over the years have often attributed the Royal Jelly with insulin-like properties in the sense that, they concluded that it could be used to lower blood sugar levels and thus aid in the management of diabetes among affected individuals.

The theory was tested by a group of German doctors from the Justus-Liebig University Hospital in Germany whose experiments yielded positive results. Their experiment concluded that the Royal Jelly was able to significantly lower the serum sugar levels among their volunteers in just under 2 hours.

Nevertheless, more studies on the matter are still underway before being recommended as a proper treatment regimen for diabetes.

Top Rated Royal Jelly Samples

Royal Jelly being such a significant entity in the health sector, it is usually in high demand in the market and this has prompted several sellers and brands some of which are quality products while others are substandard. As such, some of the high-quality and most recommended samples in the market include;

• GREENBOW Organic Fresh Royal Jelly
• Stakich Fresh Royal Jelly
• Royal Jelly Gummies
• Manuka Health Royal Jelly

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is royal Jelly good for?

Royal Jelly is usually a hot commodity given the several health benefits associated with it. As such, after harvesting from the queen cells of the bee hives, it is usually packaged and sold as supplements for several ailments or incorporated in skin creams.

It enhances collagen production, eases premenstrual and postmenopausal symptoms, and aids in the healing of wounds among other benefits. Royal Jelly thus is good for improving the overall health of an individual.

Is royal jelly the same as honey?

They are usually different in several aspects from composition to taste and functionalities/applications. For instance, unlike sweet honey, royal jelly is usually naturally bitter and sour.

They are also secreted from the glands of worker bees for the sole purpose of feeding larvae and queens unlike honey used to feed other bees. Nevertheless, they are both usually used in managing a variety of health conditions.

Can you take royal jelly every day?

While possible, it is often recommended that you do so in a regulated and appropriate dosage.

As such, it is safe for most people to take up to 4.8 grams of royal jelly orally every day for up to one year without any complications.

However, those with asthma or prone to allergic reactions should seek medical guidance or refrain from use as it might lead to serious allergic reactions and health complications.

When is the best time to take royal jelly?

The most recommended schedule for taking royal jelly is usually a dose in the morning and another one in the afternoon.

It can also be taken once daily, and in this routine, it is usually preferred that you take it in the morning after getting up. You should note that with the caffeine-like properties of the royal jelly, taking it in the evening is usually not advised as it will probably raise the body’s energy resulting in insomnia.

Is royal jelly anti-aging?

The royal jelly is popular in the skincare sector as it accomplishes several tasks when used on the skin. It is thus known for its anti-aging properties, and antibacterial and wound healing effects among others. As such, after use, it will leave your skin rejuvenated and healthy.

What does royal jelly taste like?

This usually depends on an individual as several descriptions have often come forward. Nevertheless, most people have often noted that it has a distinctive aroma and a slightly spicy acidic-sweet taste.

Some also claim that it is somewhat astringent, slightly bitter, and dry and leaves an aftertaste in the mouth after taking some.

How does royal jelly help with weight loss?

Royal jelly is popular for its rich natural composition of nutrients and essential elements. One of the components of the royal jelly is lecithin which effectively lowers cholesterol levels in the body, improves liver function, and promotes healthy digestion. All these ensure healthy metabolism which aids in weight loss after prolonged utilization.