Antioxidants are natural bioactive substances that should be taken as supplements in addition to a healthy diet. Anatolian propolis, with its antioxidants 80 times more potent than pomegranate, is one of the easiest ways to incorporate antioxidants into our bodies. This blog post will discuss propolis and how to use it!
What is Propolis, and how do you use it?
Propolis is an entirely natural bee product that bees collect from the leaves, stems, and buds of plants. Bees use propolis to sterilize their hives. ‘Pro’ means before, and ‘polis’ means city. Therefore, propolis is used to indicate “protector of the city,” referring to the substance known as the guardian of the hive, the city of bees.
In its raw form, propolis is a sticky substance mixed with resin, used in the hive for various purposes such as sterilization, sealing cracks, and maintaining hive temperature on cold days.
Propolis is recommended to be consumed by both children and adults, especially to support the immune system. Propolis extract can be taken with foods such as water, milk, fruit juice, honey, molasses, yogurt, etc., to keep the immune system strong; it is suggested for adults to consume Anatolian propolis extract up to 20 drops daily and children up to 10 drops. It is beneficial to choose at least 10% Anatolian propolis extract that has standardized antioxidant, phenolic, and flavonoid levels and has been controlled for quality at every stage from hive to table, produced with a contracted beekeeping model, and certified with quality certificates such as ISO, GMP, BRC.
Benefits of Propolis
The features that make propolis so valuable for bees are undoubtedly equally beneficial for humans. The substances in propolis that show biological activity are called phenolics and flavonoids, also known as polyphenols. Thanks to its specific polyphenols, propolis carries antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic properties.
Scientific studies suggest that the human body cannot benefit from raw propolis mixed with beeswax; therefore, it needs to be extracted and separated from beeswax. When propolis is extracted, its bioavailability in the human body increases from 2% to 90%. Therefore, it is necessary to extract propolis with a solvent such as ethanol, glycol, or glycerol to turn it into a liquid or drops.
The antioxidant content of propolis extract may vary depending on the geography, extraction method, and the diversity of flowers and bees visited. The Anatolian region has 12,000 endemic species, approximately three times Europe’s plant diversity. Therefore, in terms of climate conditions and plant diversity, the Anatolian region is unique. Propolis obtained from this region is the most valuable propolis.
It is known that Anatolian propolis extract obtained from the Anatolian region has at least 15 different phenolic and flavonoid varieties. Anatolian propolis extract contains many valuable polyphenols, including caffeic acid phenethyl ester, galangin, resveratrol, quercetin, and caffeic acid.
