Honeybee milk, as a health and wellness food, is loved by the public and has a growing consumer base, especially among the elderly. This is because honeybee milk has the effects of prolonging life, promoting health, and preventing and treating diseases, making it popular among the elderly. However, many consumers have insufficient knowledge about honeybee milk and easily fall into misconceptions about its consumption.
Misconception 1: Honeybee milk should be taken after meals
Modern scientific research has shown that the sugar content in honeybee milk accounts for about 10% of its total weight. The few grams of honeybee milk we consume each day are not enough to significantly affect blood sugar levels. On the contrary, honeybee milk contains various insulin-like substances that help regulate blood sugar levels and maintain them within the normal range. This is why it is beneficial for diabetic patients to take honeybee milk regularly.
Honeybee milk contains various active proteins and peptides with nitrogen, and taking them on an empty stomach can reduce the breakdown of these nutrients by stomach acid, facilitating their absorption into the bloodstream through the digestive system. Therefore, it is recommended to take honeybee milk on an empty stomach in the morning before breakfast and about 1 hour after dinner (on an empty stomach) or before bedtime (an additional dose at noon if necessary).
Misconception 2: Hormones in honeybee milk are harmful to the body
This misconception stems from a long-standing misunderstanding of hormones and hormone-like substances. In fact, modern science has shown that maintaining normal hormone levels in the body has various beneficial effects, such as promoting normal metabolism and regulating endocrine activities. When the body lacks necessary hormones, it can lead to metabolic disorders, disrupted endocrine activities, and symptoms such as mental fatigue, nervousness, and weakness.
Honeybee milk contains various hormones essential for the human body, and the proportion of these hormones is well-balanced and safe. They are different from artificially synthesized hormones and are natural and necessary for the body. Therefore, we can confidently consume honeybee milk, especially the elderly.
As people enter middle and old age, various physiological functions weaken, and the pituitary gland's ability to secrete hormones decreases. Taking honeybee milk during this age group can promote metabolism, regulate endocrine activities, improve sleep, enhance memory, maintain appetite, and increase energy.
Misconception 3: Adolescents should not take honeybee milk
Parents often prevent their children from taking honeybee milk mainly because they believe it contains sex hormones that can cause early puberty in adolescents. However, recent studies have shown that the amount of sex hormones in honeybee milk is extremely small, with only about 1 microgram per 100 grams of royal jelly. If adolescents take less than 1 gram of honeybee milk per day, the amount of sex hormones is negligible.
Of course, we do not advocate healthy adolescents to take honeybee milk. However, for weak and malnourished children, those with poor memory, anemia, and other conditions, taking honeybee milk in appropriate amounts and at appropriate times (a few hundred milligrams per day for adolescents, or as advised by a doctor) is not only harmless but also beneficial.
We have found that adolescents preparing for college entrance examinations can maintain sufficient energy and good memory by taking a small amount of honeybee milk during the preparation period.
Misconception 4: Honeybee milk can cure all diseases
There are still quite a few people who hold this view. I often find that some consumers are very fond of honeybee milk and rely solely on it when they feel unwell or have diseases. While honeybee milk can be used for nutritional health and disease prevention, we still recommend that patients take other appropriate medications when they have specific illnesses.
One of the best ways to take honeybee milk is to mix it with honey. Both are bee products and are compatible with each other. Honey also has the effects of nutritional health and disease prevention to some extent. The sweet aroma of honey can also cover up the unique taste of honeybee milk. Using them together is a perfect combination that benefits each other, and consumers generally find it easier to accept and complete the course of treatment.
After the explanations above, you should have a general understanding of honeybee milk and be able to avoid misconceptions about its consumption. Only when we have a correct understanding and knowledge of honeybee milk can we take it safely and confidently, maximizing its benefits for human health.
