Royal jelly is one such by-product. It's secreted from glands within the hypopharynx of employee bees as food for bee larvae. All larvae are fed this for some days. However, if the bee colony's queen has fallen sick or has died and a replacement queen is required, the staff can choose several female larvae, move them to specially constructed "queen cells" inside the hive, and feed these larvae copious amounts of royal jelly over a longer amount of time.
This enhanced diet triggers the event of a totally different morphology in these potential queens-to-be: namely, the expansion of fully developed ovaries required to get eggs. As a result of a queen bee is the sole bee within the hive capable of laying eggs, the queen is critical for the colony's survival.
Beekeepers collect royal jelly from these queen cells when the queen larvae are about four days old. These cells are the only places within the hive where it is obtainable in generous amounts; in fact, more of it is fed to these queen larvae than they can ever consume, thus, through careful management, beekeepers can harvest royal jelly without disturbing the life of the hive. Some beekeepers can harvest up to five hundred grams of royal jelly from a single hive in one five-six month season; the natural jelly must be kept cool, as it is perishable.
How is royal jelly useful as a food supplement for humans? The composition is regarding sixty five p.c water, 12 percent proteins (largely in the form of amino acids), eleven % simple sugars (monosaccharides), and five % fatty acids. Royal jelly additionally contains quantities of B-complicated vitamins (such as pantothenic acid and pyridoxine), vitamin C, trace minerals, enzymes, and antibiotic components. It does not contain the big selection of nutrients found in bee pollen -- the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K are entirely absent, as an example -- however still contains a rich assortment of nutrients necessary for life.
Varied studies have advised that consuming royal jelly as a food supplement could help lower cholesterol, and heal wounds as an anti-inflammatory and antibiotic substance. Different studies have shown that it stimulates the growth of glial cells and neural stem cells within the brain, and could conjointly inhibit the vascularization of tumors. Much of this analysis is preliminary only; further testing should be done to draw more conclusive results. (And no studies have shown that royal jelly will trigger the identical end in humans that it does in female bee larvae: enhanced fertility!)
As a result of royal jelly may be a natural product, there are not any side effects, however some individuals might expertise allergic reactions; if you're allergic to bee stings, for example, it might trigger the same reaction. If you are asthmatic, pregnant, or breast feeding, do not take it, and don't feed it to small children. If doubtful, discuss with a health care practitioner.
Usually, it's sold in health food stores in capsule form. Typically it's freeze-dried, which removes the water content but leaves all the nutrients intact. Freeze-dried royal jelly contains a longer shelf-life than natural, and does not require refrigeration.
Source : www.goarticles.com/article/Royal-Jelly/4418059/
