7 Bee Bread Benefits (With Recipe Ideas)

Bee bread is fermented bee pollen that is full of minerals and vitamins. It is a natural superfood that is simple and tasty to add into meals and snacks.

The more I learn how to nourish my and my family’s bodies, the more I realise how narrow the aisles of conventional supermarkets are. At least where we live, we are hard pressed to find a bread that contains only flour, salt, and water – and that isn’t full of preservatives.

For vitamin C, we can choose from oranges grown in Spain or lemons grown in South Africa. And not elderberries or nettles, which grow wild in the local green spaces.

I only recently learned about the benefits of bee bread – which is a superfood full of minerals and vitamins.

What Is Bee Bread?

Bee bread is a combination of honey, bee saliva, and bee pollen that is fermented and used to feed the hive. While it might not sound appetising, it is widely considered a superfood due to the vast number of nutrients it contains. Bee bread is shaped like a small pellet due to being formed in the cells of honeycomb.

Watch The Video

Bee Bread Benefits

Bee Bread has a high nutritional value and contains many beneficial compounds. It is rich in proteins, omega fatty acids, and essential amino acids. The beneficial compounds in bee bread provide robust support to the immune system and are anti-inflammatory.

Other bee bread benefits can include:

• A rich source of nutrients – including minerals, vitamins, proteins, fatty acids and more.
• A natural sources for essential vitamins such as vitamin A, B, C, E, and K.
• A powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants are important because they protect against and combat cellular damage. This means they are helpful in reducing inflammation, fighting infections, and more.
• A natural immune support – bee bread has been to show that bee bread contains vast antimicrobial properties and can help prevent or reduce the severity of colds, flus, and even bacterial infections.
• Reduces symptoms of menopause – participants in a study looking at whether bee pollen was helpful in reducing menopausal symptoms in breast cancer patients reported “significant improvements”.
• Reduces stress – bee bread can increase blood flow and therefore reduce feelings of stress and tiredness
• Help reduce symptoms of allergies – like other bee produces, consuming bee bread, especially from bees in your local area, can help to reduce allergy symptoms.

FAQ

4 Ways To Eat Bee Bread

Raw Bee Bread Breakfast Bars

Ingredients

Medjool Dates

Oats

Nuts (whatever your like or have on hand)

Peanut Butter

Honey (or maple syrup)

Bee Bread

For complete measurements, see the printable recipe card below.

Instructions

Add oats, nuts, peanut butter, honey (or maple syrup), and dates into food processor and bliz until a ball begins to form.

Pour the mixture into a baking pan.

Sprinkle the bee bread on top and use you hands to mix the bee bread into the mixture.

Press the mixture flat in the pan with your fingers.

Use a knife to cut out the bars – this recipe should yield 8 bars.

Pop the tray into the freezer for about an hour to firm up the mixture.

Remove from the freezer and break the bars apart.

These bars will last about 2 weeks in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. They can be left at room temperature but will become soft and more difficult to eat.

Homemade Bee Bread Granola

Ingredients

Oats

Coconut Oil

Maple Syrup (or honey)

Sourdough Discard (or mature starter)

Bee Bread

Nuts & Seeds (I like to use cashews, almonds, walnuts, & sunflower seeds)

For complete measurements, see the printable recipe card below.

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 180 degrees Celsius.

Add the oats, maple syrup or honey, and coconut oil to a large stockpot.

Heat on low until everything the oat are completely covered in melted coconut oil and maple syrup or honey, and turn off the heat.

To the stock pot, pour in the sourdough discard or mature starter, nuts and seeds of your choice. Use a spoon to stir everything together.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and pour a thin layer of granola onto one or many large baking tray(s). Use multiple baking trays to avoid over-crowding.

Put the baking tray(s) into the oven for 35-40 minutes. I like to stir the granola every 20 minutes or so, to ensure it’s baked evenly on all sides.

Once it’s golden brown, remove the granola and allow it to cool completely.

Use a spoon to break it apart. Sprinkle the bee bread overtop of the baked granola.

Store in a glass container.

Bee Bread Date Balls

Ingredients

Medjool Dates

Nuts (of your choice)

Peanut Butter

Bee Bread

For complete measurements, see the printable recipe card below.

Instructions

Add medjool dates to your food processor and blitz until they come together.

Add the nuts and peanut butter into the food processor with the dates and blitz until the mixture holds together.

Sprinkle in the bee bread and use a wooden spoon to mix them in.

Using your hands or a spoon, roll the balls together.

Put the balls onto a plate and into the fridge for an hour or so to firm up. Enjoy!

As A Topping

• On yogurt
• On oats
• On salads
• In a trail mix

As A Beverage

Edinburgh Honey Company (where I bought my bee bread) suggests that you can dissolve a spoonful of bee bread in warm water (not hot or boiling – this would destroy the fermentation benefits).

You do this by pouring warm water overtop of the bee bread and using a spoon to dissolve it.

You can leave it sit overnight to maximise the absorption of the beneficial compounds and drink it in the morning.

Other Nourishment

Simple Sourdough Bagel Recipe

Cozy Sourdough Pumpkin Bread

Simple Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins

Healthy Sourdough Discard Banana Muffins

If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please consider giving it 5 stars. Find me on Instagram @documentingsimpleliving and show me what you’ve made!

I’m not a medical professional and do not intend to offer medical advice in any content I create. As always, do your own research and speak to your doctor or paediatricians.