What is Royal Jelly?

Royal Jelly is a thick creamy milky-white substance, that nurse bees aged between 5 & 15 days secrete from their hypo pharyngeal glands located on either side of their head. It is synthesized in the nurse bees body during digestion of bee pollen.

Royal Jelly is a very complex substance. Following is a broad chemical analysis:

Moisture 66.5%, protein 12.3%, lipids 5.5%, reducing substance 12.5%, minerals .8%, unidentified elements 2.8%. It also has been found to contain B-vitamins, thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamins A,C & E, biotin, inositol, folic acid, 20 amino acids, is rich in proteins, plus fatty acids, sugars, sterols, phosphorous compounds, acetyl choline. Acetyl choline is important in transmission of nerve messages.

Royal Jelly is also rich in nucleic acids, and a gelatin that is a precursor to collagen an anti-aging element and also has gamma globulin, an infection fighting immuno-stimulating factor. Decanoic acid a substance that has strong antibiotic activity against bacterial and fungal infestations has also been found in Royal Jelly.

Use in the Hive

During the first 3 days of larva development the worker bees are fed a diluted form of Royal Jelly mixed with honey. After this initial 3 days they are fed beebread only (mixture of honey and pollen). The Queen Be is fed Royal Jelly only. It is this amazing substance that transforms a worker egg into a Queen Bee. She matures sooner and is bigger with developed sex glands.

Benefits

The important element in Royal Jelly is pantothenic acid called the longevity factor, this B-vitamin helps process nutrients in the body and also helps arm the body against infection.

Arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries is a common problem today due to cholesterol. Royal Jelly helps reduce this. It has also been tested on patients with: senility, arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, anorexia nervosa and has been found to help in many of these and other neurological disorders.

In a lecture to the German Medical Assoc., Royal Jelly was summarized thus:

The effects of the active substances and nutrients contained in Royal Jelly take place throughout the body. This bitter-tasting substance helps normalize and regulate all functions of the body and with its blend of hormones, nutrients, enzymes, and biocatalysts, it revives and stimulates the functions of the cells and secretion glands, increases metabolism and stimulates the circulatory system.

Cancer: Experiments show that it may have the ability to inhibit the growth of leukaemia and cancerous tumours when it is used as an inoculation against these diseases.

Skin: Through tests and research it has been concluded that Royal Jelly, as a local application in face masks, creams, and lotions has an excellent effect at cellular level. In regular use, the skin becomes soft and wrinkles disappear. When used topically as a salve on radium treated skin, the damaged skin healed rapidly and symptoms disappeared.

Antiviral: In high concentrations, royal jelly and propolis have antiviral effects. In a study on 220 people it was found that a combination of the two plus honey had an obvious anti-viral effect against influenza and also against other viruses.

Aging: During the aging process bodily functions diminish. This can be slowed down with the use of royal jelly. It has been proven to be a first-rate therapeutic agent in this. The gamma-globulin and gelatinous collagen when injected assist blood chemical composition. NB Tests are still continuing in all aspects of its use, mostly in Europe!

Caution: One or two cases of contra-indications have been noted when taken internally by asthmatics. Caution is required if you suffer from asthma or are allergic to beestings.

Bibliography: “Activity of 10-hydroxydecenoic Acid from Royal Jelly Against Experimental Leukemia & Asciutic Tumors”. Nature, vol.183, May 1959; Clinical Value of royal Jelly and Propolis Against Viral Infections by Filipic B & M Likvar; Presence of Gamma Globulin in Injectable Royal Jelly & its Use in Revitalizing Processes, paper by Lamberti, JR & LG Cornejo.