How to Take Bee Pollen

Before I get into how to take bee pollen, you need to know first off that it comes in three forms - granules, tablets and capsules . These are the main forms in which bee pollen is commercially available. The best way to take it and how much to take will depend on you.

Now, I've been taking it by the tablespoon daily since I was a child, so I know I can tolerate it very well and I won't be having an adverse reaction.

Tolerance Test

1) Place one raw bee pollen kernel under your tongue.

2) Let it dissolve completely. It is absorbing rapidly through what is called your mucous membrane directly into your blood stream.

3) If you experience no reaction, place two granules under your tongue.

4) Continue increasing the number of granules under your tongue until you feel confident that you will not experience an allergic reaction.

Sensitive?

There are some experts out there who feel that with continued exposure, you'll develop a tolerance or re-balancing of your immune system and over time will be able to tolerate pollen very well. As always, if you feel weird or unsure, check with your doctor first.

In fact, my husband experienced this exact phenomenon first hand. When he began taking bee pollen, he would develop within seconds an itchy throat and mild allergy symptoms.

We simply cut back his dose and slowly upped it until he experienced none of these symptoms at all. Now, he takes several table spoons a day of pollen!

If you've purchased capsules you may be wondering how in the world you're going to be able to test your tolerance. Well, there is a way! Most bee pollen supplements come in a capsule form.

These capsules are usually made of gelatin and simply twist open. Dump a small amount of the pollen into juice, water or right into your mouth. Follow the procedure I talked about above.

If you've managed to find a fully sealed gelatin capsule (these are rare), you'll simply have to cut it open with scissors or a knife to test your tolerance. Whatever you do, I recommend you test your tolerance if you are new to taking pollen. Allergic reactions are no fun!

If you've purchased tablets and want to test your sensitivity to pollen, simply cut a small piece of the tablet away and use that. All tablets are held together using binders. That is what keeps them from falling apart in the bottle. Don't worry, a sharp knife will be sufficient in separating the tablet.

How to Take Bee Pollen....and When!

Bee pollen can be mixed in literally anything. I mix it in cereal, granola, yogurt and even apple sauce. My favorite way to ingest bee pollen is to blend it into my morning protein smoothie with fruit, a greens drink and my Essential Fatty Acid blend.

Some people prefer to simply chew their bee pollen and swallow. While at first it has a rather different taste for most, it really does grow on you and is quite palatable. In my opinion, this is the best way to ingest your pollen as your digestive system has a chance to really start breaking down the outer pollen shell and releasing the valuable nutrients inside.

Ultimately, it is up to you how you consume your pollen. It is extremely versatile and can be chewed, blended, mixed or simply swallowed. The most important thing is to make it a part of your daily nutrition so find out what works best for you and stick to it!

A Word of Caution