A propolis preparation made with 20% honey from the Auvergne — the volcanic uplands of central France — from Apipharma. Resinous, bitter-edged and quite unlike a jar of ordinary honey.
What propolis is. Bees collect resin from tree buds and bark — poplar, above all, in Europe — and mix it with wax, pollen and their own enzymes to make a sticky brown material they use to seal cracks in the hive, smooth its interior surfaces and narrow its entrance against intruders. The Greek name says it exactly: pro polis, “before the city” — the substance at the gates of the hive. Bees also use it to entomb intruders too large to carry out; a mouse that gets into a hive and dies there is coated in propolis and effectively mummified, which keeps the colony from being poisoned by the decay.
What it contains. Resins, waxes, essential oils, pollen and a substantial load of flavonoids and phenolic acids — galangin, pinocembrin, caffeic acid derivatives. That antimicrobial chemistry is exactly what makes it useful inside a hive, which is a warm, humid, densely populated box that should by rights be overrun with mould.
An important honest point: propolis is not a standard substance. Its composition depends entirely on what the local bees had to work with. European propolis is largely poplar-derived; Brazilian green propolis comes from Baccharis; Cuban red propolis comes from a different plant family again. Their chemistries differ so much that research on one tells you rather little about another. Anyone quoting propolis studies at you without saying which propolis is skipping the most important variable.
What we will not claim. Propolis has real, well-documented antimicrobial activity in laboratory conditions. The human clinical evidence is much thinner, and the European Union has authorised no health claims for it. We are selling it as a traditional preparation with an interesting flavour, not as a remedy.
Two safety points that matter. Propolis is a recognised contact allergen — people sensitive to bee products, poplar or balsam of Peru react to it relatively often. And, as with all honey, never give it to a baby under twelve months: honey can carry Clostridium botulinum spores, harmless to older children and adults but a genuine risk of infant botulism.
Contains bee products; not vegan. Available at Só Verde, an organic concept store in Foz, Porto.
Sophie m
Hey Yum
Hey Yum
