Propolis Science
Propolis is a powerful natural antimicrobial compound that the bees use for a variety of reasons. Propolis has also been known to inhibit bacterial and fungal growth and to have antiviral properties that help keep the colony protected.
What is Propolis?
Propolis, also known as bee glue, is a resinous mixture that honeybees gather from sap and secretions from buds of certain trees and scrubs. Sap is vital to the wellbeing of the tree and functions to transport vital mineral nutrients and sugars to all living parts of the tree.
The word “propolis” comes from the Greek words, “pro” meaning defence and “polis”, meaning city or community. And that is exactly how bees use propolis, to protect the hive.
The use of Propolis as a natural remedy goes back to ancient times, with Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all used propolis medicinally. Hippocrates, referred to as the “Father of Medicine” recommended propolis as a treatment to a variety of ailments.
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The Benefits of Propolis for the Colony
Propolis is a powerful natural antimicrobial compound that the bees use for a variety of reasons such as sealing holes and small cracks, sometime the bees use it to seal up the entrance to the hive to make it more defendable and to prevent other insects and predators to enter. The propolis plays an important role in retaining the hive's internal temperature (35°C) and preventing weathering. Propolis may also be used to hardens the cell wall and contributes to an aseptic internal environment. Propolis has also been known to inhibit bacterial and fungal growth and to have antiviral properties that help keep the colony protected.
The Properties of Propolis
An increasing number of people from around the world are becoming aware of the powerful properties of propolis.
Used as a traditional health product for centuries, modern scientific research confirms that the protective properties of Propolis can provide significant support for human health. Propolis is being thoroughly researched in the scientific community and laboratory tests are showing it to have anti-microbial, immunostimulant effects and a role in dental care to name a few benefits.
When ingested, propolis has shown to help gastrointestinal system support a balanced Microbe composition in our gut. Given that the gut makes up 70% of the immune system, this property has been known to help our immune system manage bacterial and viral infections.
Propolis has also been used extensively to support the body’s wound repair. Apart from helping our immune system fight infection, it helps stimulates new cell growth and helps our defence systems to accelerate the cicatrisation of external wounds. Taken in its raw form, bee propolis has poor bioavailability, which means it is hard for the human body to absorb the nutrients. However, propolis extract is digested and absorbed more readily, making its numerous health benefits available to the body.
Antioxidants and Flavonoids
Propolis contains the polyphenols called flavonoids. Flavonoids are produced in plants as a form of protection. They are commonly found in foods thought to have antioxidant properties, including fruits, green tea, vegetables & red wine.
Flavonoids are plant compounds that are found in almost all fruits and vegetables but are more prolific in brightly coloured super foods, such as blueberries. spinach and apples. Flavonoids help regulate cellular activity and fight off free radicals that cause oxidative stress on your body. In simpler terms, they help your body function more efficiently while protecting it against everyday toxins and stressors. Flavonoids are also powerful antioxidant agents and can help your body fight off potentially harmful molecules that can be introduced to the body. It has been shown that including more flavonoids in your diet is a great way to help your body stay healthy and potentially decrease your risk of some chronic health conditions.
Antioxidants are produced naturally in our bodies, but we can boost this by including flavonoid rich foods into our diet such as dark chocolate, fruits berries and of course our propolis products.
Flavonoid Content Rating
To easily see the flavonoid content of each of our Propolis products, we developed the Flavonoid Content rating system. Each of our products has a number which represents the amount of active flavonoids per daily dose. This allows you to compare the potency of our Propolis products.
