Why do you think queen bees might live longer than other female bees? The reason, of course, is not just because they hold the title of queen. In a hive where an average female bee lives for about three months, queen bees can live up to six years. In this article, we will tell you the secrets of the queen bee's long life!
Royal jelly, secreted by bees from their neck and mandible areas, is one of the valuable nutrients these adorable creatures bestow upon us, just like honey! However, there are many features that distinguish this nutrient from other bee products. These features make royal jelly extremely valuable for maintaining life in the hive as well as for human life.
Investigations into royal jelly reveal in more detail with each new study how rich and unique its formula is. Most importantly, royal jelly contains a type of natural fatty acid called 10-HDA, which has a multifaceted effect. It is possible to define this substance as the sole secret that makes queen bees strong and productive! If you're ready, let's open our 10-HDA file!
1. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ROYAL JELLY AND OTHER BEE PRODUCTS?
According to the information in the guide titled Royal Jelly from the Samsun Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Turkey, the characteristics that distinguish this nutrient from other bee products can be listed as follows:
- Consistency: Royal jelly is described as a flowing but pasty nutrient.
- Color: Royal jelly has a light beige and yellowish-whitish color. This aspect distinguishes royal jelly from honey.
- Smell and taste: The sharp phenolic smell and characteristic sour taste of royal jelly also set it apart from other bee products.
- Density: The density of royal jelly is approximately 1.1 g/cm3, and this substance is partially soluble in water.
- Resistance to flow: The viscosity (resistance to flow) of royal jelly varies according to water content and time. Royal jelly becomes more solid when kept at room temperature or in a refrigerator at 5°C.
- Content: Royal jelly contains 10-HDA major fatty acids not found in other products.
2. WHAT IS 10-HDA?
10-HDA, also known as queen bee acid, refers to the short-chain hydroxy major fatty acids found in royal jelly. According to an article published in the Mediterranean Agricultural Sciences journal, 10-HDA is one of the primary components that give royal jelly its unique properties. So much so that in this research, while highlighting the most important feature of royal jelly, it is emphasized that it is rich in short-chain hydroxy fatty acids not found in other bee products. The answer to the question of what the 10-HDA value in royal jelly is lies here! The 10-HDA value indicates how rich a royal jelly is in this major fatty acid.
The same study emphasizes that a high 10-HDA ratio makes royal jelly even more valuable. An research article published in the Turkish Journal of Health Sciences states that royal jelly is extremely rich in content besides 10-HDA. The article notes that royal jelly, which has a complex structure, contains amino acids, carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, flavonoids, and minerals.
3. WHY IS THE 10-HDA VALUE IMPORTANT?
The study by the Samsun Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry states that 10-HDA in royal jelly has protective activity against harmful microorganisms. The article in the Mediterranean Agricultural Sciences journal refers to various studies, sharing that 10-HDA has an effect that supports the ideal functioning of the body's systems. All this data reveals how rich a nutrient royal jelly is, while also emphasizing the importance of 10-HDA. Accordingly, the 10-HDA ratio is an indicator for efficient consumption of royal jelly, as well as a quality parameter.
4. WHAT ARE THE AVERAGE 10-HDA VALUES IN ROYAL JELLY PRODUCTS?
According to the International Royal Jelly Standard (ISO/DIS 12824 2016), the 10-HDA value of fresh royal jelly should be at least 1.4 percent. According to the article in the Mediterranean Agricultural Sciences journal, a study on fresh royal jelly produced in France showed that the 10-HDA ratio ranged from 1.4% to 3.7%. The same study states that the 10-HDA values of fresh royal jelly produced in Turkey range from 1% to 3.9%. The moisture content of fresh royal jelly produced in Turkey is stated to range from 62.6% to 73%.
5. WHAT DOES A HIGH 10-HDA VALUE MEAN?
According to the International Royal Jelly Standard, a high 10-HDA value indicates that the royal jelly is of good quality. A higher ratio also indicates that the royal jelly is fresh. Balparmak's Apitera Royal Jelly Capsule, produced using lyophilization technique, contains a minimum of 4.8% 10-HDA. The water content of the fresh royal jelly used in production is removed by freeze-drying. Thus, the amount of active ingredient in lyophilized royal jelly is higher. This makes one measure of lyophilized royal jelly equivalent to three measures of fresh royal jelly.
Fresh royal jelly that has not been dried cannot maintain its properties at room temperature. Therefore, fresh royal jelly must be stored in a deep freezer from the moment it is taken from the hive and only taken out in portions for consumption. When royal jelly is dried by lyophilization, it can maintain its nutritional values even at room temperature.
6. WHAT SHOULD THE 10-HDA REFERENCE VALUE OF ROYAL JELLY BE?
The International Royal Jelly Standard ISO/DIS 12824 2016, as we mentioned earlier, states that the 10-HDA value of fresh royal jelly should be a minimum of 1.4 percent. The 10-HDA ratio in Balparmak's royal jelly in capsule form is much higher due to its concentrated structure derived from powdered royal jelly. Moreover, there is no concern about spoilage at room temperature as long as it remains in its packaging! Therefore, you can feel completely at ease when purchasing and consuming Apitera Royal Jelly Capsule.
Now you know the secret to the queen bees' long life and their power to sustain the entire colony alone. By consuming Apitera Royal Jelly Capsule or other royal jelly-containing products from the series, you too can add value to your daily diet with this unique food! See you in another secret about the lives of bees!
References:
- Merve Keskin, Aslı Özkök, Fatma Yaylacı Karahalil, “What Should the 10-Hydroxy-2-Decenoic Acid (10-HDA) Content of Royal Jelly Be?”, Akdeniz University Faculty of Agriculture Mediterranean Agricultural Sciences, 2020 (online)
- Dr. Ali Korkmaz, Cahit Öztürk, “Royal Jelly”, Samsun Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, 2020 (online)
- Metem Uçar, “The Effect of Royal Jelly on Diabetes, Tumor Formation and Metabolic Syndrome”, Turkish Journal of Health Sciences, Volume 3 101-112, 2018 (online)
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İbrahim Yavuz, Fehmi Gürel, “Chemical Properties of Royal Jellies Offered for Sale in Turkey”, Akdeniz University Faculty of Agriculture Mediterranean Agricultural Sciences, 2017 (online)
