You may be wondering what propolis is – it almost sounds more like an ailment itself than a natural product capable of a multitude of homeopathic remedies. Propolis is perhaps best described as a ‘by-product’ of the natural production of honey, though in actual fact it is an important constituent used by bees in the production of honey. Propolis is tree sap which has added apine enzymes from bee saliva and is used by them to make repairs to minor cracks in bee hives that do not require filling with beeswax itself.
Propolis can vary in its overall constituents depending on where the bees live and the time of year, but in general terms propolis comprises over 300 natural compounds, including amino acids, coumarins, phenolic aldehydes, polyphenols, sequiterpene quinines and steroids. Raw propolis comprises roughly 50% resins, 30% waxes, 10% essential oils, 5% pollen and 5% a variety of other organic compounds. Here in Finland, and in particular where we harvest our Hikiä honey, the tree sap usually comes from pine and spruce trees.
While you may be new to the discovery of the health benefits of propolis, the benefits themselves have been known for many thousands of years; documentation around the time of Aristotle in 350BC makes mention of the healing properties of the substance, while propolis was also used by Egyptians as part of the mummification process.
Remarkable health benefits
Here at Hikiän we strongly believe in the curative powers of propolis, but we are also keen to point out that a number of you can be allergic to bee products. In addition, we do not recommend our propolis over any traditional medicines, and nor do we recommend self-treatment or self-diagnosis. If you have any existing health problems you should immediately consult a physician.
If you are cautious by nature, then by all means discuss our propolis with a health practitioner and we are confident that you will receive encouraging advice, so you can buy our 100% natural propolis extract with total confidence.