What is royal jelly?
Royal jelly is a creamy white paste with a slightly sour taste. Unlike honey it is not made from nectar. It is secreted by glands in the heads of young worker bees, the hive's "nurses".
Every larva in the hive is fed royal jelly in its first days of life. Only the larva chosen to become a queen keeps receiving it for the rest of her life. The difference is dramatic: a queen lives for several years and, at the height of summer, lays up to about 2,500 eggs a day, while a summer worker lives only a few weeks.
How is it different from honey?
Honey is mostly sugars from nectar and keeps for years. Royal jelly contains water, proteins, sugars and fats, is very delicate, and must be kept refrigerated or frozen. The amounts are completely different too: royal jelly is taken in very small quantities.
How is it traditionally used?
Traditionally, royal jelly is used as a dietary supplement to support vitality and general wellbeing. It is sold fresh in the fridge, frozen, dried in capsules, or mixed into honey. Research on its effects is still limited, so we recommend it only on a personal basis.
Frequently asked questions
How should royal jelly be stored?
Keep fresh royal jelly in the fridge for short periods, or in the freezer for longer. Outside the cold it spoils quickly.
Can royal jelly be taken with honey?
Yes, it is one of the most common ways to soften its sour taste. We are happy to explain in our first conversation what amount suits you.
Sensitive to bees or bee products? Talk to us before using them.