Bee Propolis
First a quick recap on bee propolis. This is a substance produced by the honey bee and used the seal the hive against predators and disease. It's made by collecting a sticky resinous substance collected from the buds and damaged bark of certain trees and mixing it with wax flakes, pollen and saliva.The benefits of this natural remedy have long been suspected and its antibiotic and anti fungal properties have been used to advantage by alternative medical practitioners through the ages. And recent research appears to have confirmed some of the rumored benefits of this product.
Royal Jelly
Another product of the hive is royal jelly, a rich creamy substance made by the worker bees and used in the feeding of the larvae. While the youngsters which are destined to become worker bees receive royal jelly in combination with other food sources, it's believed that when a new queen is needed, it will be feed exclusively on royal jelly. This is believed to trigger the mechanism which causes a your bee to develop into a queen.While many health benefits are claimed of royal jelly, very few if any have been substantiated by reliable research. It can't be disputed that this substance is high in nutrients and for that reason it is collected an sold as a dietary supplement but some of the claims of its proponents appear a little over the top. It's also used in a number of beauty products, but again most of the supposed benefits are yet to be proven.
It should also be noted that royal jelly can cause a severe reaction in some people and in extreme but rare cases has apparently been fatal.
Bee Pollen
This is another bee product used in alternative medicine and sold by some health food stores as a nutritional supplement. Because of the high levels of carbohydrate and protein, people have used it as a source of energy among things. However, none of these claims have yet been substantiated.Another use bee pollen has been put is as a treatment for hay fever with some people believing that it will help the body build up resistance to allergies. Once again, this has not yet been proven. In fact there are concerns that it can cause severe reactions in those with pollen allergies.
Honey
Honey is must commonly used as a sweetener and commonly as a substitute for ordinary sugar. But may have other health promoting properties. Honey is thought to have antiseptic and antibacterial properties, which probably explains its use as a home remedy for for sore throats and similar complaints.Research is currently underway into using honey as a treatment for a number of medical complaints, perhaps most notably as a alternative treatment for MRSA, of which some strains are resistant to drugs.
So as you can see from the discussion above, there is much more that comes from the hive than just bee propolis.
