Pollen is the powdery substance in the microsporangium on the angiosperm stamen anther or gymnosperm microspore. Individuals of pollen are called "pollen grains". Mature pollen grains have two walls, an inner wall and an outer wall, and sometimes there is a peripheral wall outside the outer wall. Its color varies from pure white to dark black depending on the type, and is generally light yellow or light chestnut.
From the point of view of beekeeping, in addition to the meaning of pollination, its value lies in supplying the main source of protein, fat and minerals in the diet of bees and as a surplus product that may be produced in the bee farm, that is, pollen for human consumption. According to calculations, the minimum weight of pollen collected by bees is 4.2ng, the maximum weight is 10.7mg, and the average weight is 7.57mg. Assuming that a worker bee can collect 15 mg of pollen per flight (two pollen clusters), each worker bee needs to complete 66.666 flights to bring back only 1000 mg of pollen for the colony. According to estimates, it takes 50,000 flights of worker bees. Collect so much pollen.
To cultivate a bee, 100-120mg of pollen is needed. For a group of bees to cultivate 200,000 young bees a year, about 32,000g of pollen is needed. Coupled with the needs of adult bees for food and wax secretion, each bee collects about 30,000g of pollen per year. If the beekeeper places a depollinator at the entrance and exit of the beehive, it can retain one-tenth of the pollen, so most bee colonies use the depollinator to harvest about 3000g of pollen each year.
The source of nectar plants in my country is very rich, only one kind of rape, the north-south blooming period can last for 6 to 7 months, in order to continuously reap the rape flowers, a group of bees can produce 6000g commercial pollen. At present, there are about 8 million groups of bees in living frames in our country. According to the annual output of 2000g of pollen per group, it can provide humans with about 16,000 tons of commercial pollen. Therefore, popularizing the production and utilization of pollen is an important way to increase the economic benefits of beekeeping.
The chemical composition of pollen varies with plant species. Not only that, it is rich in protein, which provides humans with the substances needed to promote growth and repair tissues, which are summarized as follows:
Pollen is a nutrient-rich and highly concentrated substance. According to experiments, the water content of dodder pollen is 12.5%-12.7%; the water content of rape pollen is 13.5-13.7%, and the water content of general fruit and vegetable pollen is more than 80%. Pollen is rich in protein and carbohydrates. After testing, the protein content of dodder pollen was 21.8% and 21.6%; rape pollen was 19.8% and 20.2%. The carbohydrates in dodder pollen are 29.5% and 29.4% (calculated as reducing sugar); rape pollen is 30.5% and 30.0%. But the protein content of edamame is only about 15.2%, and the protein content of bamboo shoots is only about 2.7%.
"Essential amino acids" are rich in dodder bee pollen and lavender pollen, which cannot be compared with other plant foods. Even full-price animal protein, such as beef and eggs, has essential amino acid content far less than mixed pollen. Pollen provides humans with a rich variety of vitamins. Although these vitamins are low in content, they play an extremely important metabolic function in the human body. Pollen also contains folic acid, biotin, pantothenic acid, and lutein and carotene, which indicate the nutritional value of pollen.
The pollen has a high content of trace elements after analysis and testing. These trace elements are essential nutrients in the human body. For example, iron, magnesium and copper are components of various enzymes or coenzymes in human life activities. Calcium is bone The components of phosphorus and sulfur are the components of amino acids and nucleic acids. Cuscuta pollen contains high levels of inosine and guanylic acid, which can feedback inhibit the synthesis of purines, and ultimately reduce the production of uric acid in the body, which is quite beneficial for patients with gout.
Not only that, the pollen also contains active substances of flavonoids similar to flavonoid glycosides, and the pine pollen contains hydroxybenzoic acid, protocatechuic acid, gallic acid, vanilla acid, ferulic acid, cis and trans p-hydroxycinnamon Acids, etc. These organic acids have certain biological activity and medical efficacy. And found indole acetic acid (auxin), gibberellin and ethylene and other plant natural hormones.
In short, eating pollen can not only enhance physical fitness and endurance, but also improve longevity and prevent senile diseases. It can also promote growth, increase lung capacity and eliminate fatigue. It is a natural nutritious food, health-preserving, anti-aging, and beauty-preserving product. .
