If you've ever wondered whether royal jelly protects against colds, the answer is that it neither prevents nor relieves them.
Properties of royal jelly
Royal jelly is often credited with the ability to protect us against colds, in addition to many other health benefits (physical tonic, improves intellectual vitality …). But the truth is that in practice, as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) points out, there is no scientific evidence to support all these properties.
- Healing power? What royal jelly could be effective for is to heal wounds. According to a study published in the journal Nature, one of its components (the protein defensin-1) accelerates its healing.
- Fresh or lyophilized? Freeze-dried is up to 3 times more concentrated than fresh, and it is easier to keep its properties intact.
If you consume it, keep in mind that it contains a lot of sugar
Quality studies are lacking
Dr. Joaquín San José, member of the SemFYC Health Promotion and Preventive Activities Program, adds in this regard that there are few studies, and those that exist are with few patients and, furthermore, with little follow-up time at the time of determine whether or not it helps prevent colds.
What can you do to prevent colds?
Dr. San José is forceful and affirms that the only thing that is really proven to work to prevent colds is washing your hands frequently, especially when you have a job where there is a lot of social contact.
- Zinc supplements. However, San José points out that zinc does seem to prevent colds and reduce their duration, although more studies are also necessary.
And what is royal jelly?
Royal jelly is a substance secreted by young worker bees from a honeycomb of honey bees. This substance serves as food for all the larvae during the first three days of life. And only the larvae of the royal cells that will give rise to a new queen are always fed this viscous substance of a soft yellow color and acid taste.
