Buy propolis: you should pay attention to this

Propolis is touted as a health booster. If you want to buy the bee resin, you should consider a few points in advance. We tell you what is important.

What is propolis and how healthy is it?

Propolis is a resinous material produced by honey bees. On the one hand poetry the bees use it to break their beehive, and on the other hand, the propolis also acts against bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms that have already entered. For this reason, bee resin is also of interest to humans: Folk and alternative medicine relies on its alleged antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antifungal effects.

The active ingredient mixture consists next to the resins of various trees, pollen, waxes, essential oils and the bees’ salivary secretions Minerals and Trace elements. Also amino acids, enzymes and Flavonoids included.

Depending on the region, propolis can have a different composition, which can also be recognized by its color: Sometimes it is yellow-brown, dark brown or even slightly greenish. The composition of the bee product is crucial for its health effects. Therefore it is difficult to make statements about the exact effect of propolis.

The Consumer advice center stresses, however, that none of the advertised effects of propolis have been proven in human studies. The allergic potential of bee resin is also problematic. Anyone who is allergic to bee or wasp stings should avoid propolis – as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women. Caution is also advised for pollen allergy sufferers.

Buy propolis: Pay attention to the dosage form

Propolis comes in a wide variety of forms, which also influence what purposes it is best suited for. There is propolis as:

• Tablets / capsules / powder: The internal consumption of propolis with these products is mostly aimed at a preventive effect, such as the Strengthening the immune system and to promote general health wellbeing.
• Homeopathic preparations: This includes propolis tincture, mother tincture, drops, dilutions and globules. Due to the way they are made, these preparations are the only propolis products with Drug status and therefore only available in pharmacies. They are applied individually depending on the complaint.
• Spray / ointment: Sprays and ointments are particularly suitable if you want to use propolis on the skin, for example to help with abrasions, eczema, fungi, skin irritations or skin problems such as acne. You can also use it as a spray to treat an inflamed mouth and throat.
• Cosmetics: Many cosmetic products such as shampoos or lip balm sticks are fortified with propolis. Shampoos are said to soothe an inflamed scalp and make lip care lips more supple.

The purity of propolis products

At Propolis tinctures it concerns the purest products: For the tincture the resin is dissolved in high percentage alcohol. The propolis is here in a concentrated form, which is why you should use tinctures with caution. For internal consumption of propolis tinctures, it is advisable to dilute them with water beforehand.

For children, such tinctures are not an option because of the alcohol. For them you should Propolis drops to grab. But even here you have to make sure that the drops are not dissolved in alcohol, because some manufacturers also offer their alcohol-containing tinctures as drops.

At Tablets, capsules, ointments and cosmetics you should definitely pay attention to the additives. Sometimes the propolis content is extremely low, while other questionable substances make up the “filler material”. It is always worth taking a look at the ingredients.

Buy propolis: quality and regionality

quality

High-quality propolis products contain no colorings, sugar or sugar substitutes, no artificial additives and none Glutamate.

Certified organic propolis is recommended, for example in Demeter-Quality. This is the best option not only for your health, but also for the bees. Because: In organic beekeeping, the bees are housed in dwellings made of natural materials, the beehives are preferred to areas cultivated with oil and chemical-synthetic means to combat the Varroa mite is waived.

Regionality

In general, pay attention to the origin of the product, since it contains propolis Pyrrolizidine alkaloids can be burdened. The consumer advice center recommends avoiding propolis products from Australia, New Zealand, Spain, the Black Sea region and South America. You can also check with the manufacturer to see whether the product has been tested for pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

The sale of propolis is regulated differently depending on the federal state. Sometimes you can also buy the bee resin directly from beekeepers. There you can convince yourself of the quality firsthand. You can also ask directly about the keeping and location of the bee colonies. This is particularly important because the regionality also determines the effectiveness of the propolis. In addition, with the direct purchase you avoid long transport routes – and thus protect the environment.

Alternatively, you can purchase propolis products from health food stores, health food stores, or pharmacies.

To buy**: You can get propolis online at BioNaturel and Ecco Verde.

Read more on Techzle.com:

• 14 facts you should know about honey
• An overview of honey types: you should know these
• Manuka honey: this is how the “super honey” from New Zealand works