What Is Royal Jelly Made Of?

Origin

Bees make a type of jelly to feed larvae, the form of bee development at which metamorphosis occurs. The jelly is secreted from a gland in worker bees. The gland, called the hypopharyngeal gland, is in the head. The jelly is used by the colony's larvae, regardless of the bee's classification. Classifications include worker bees and queen bees. If a colony needs a queen bee, a larva is chosen by worker bees from thousands of larvae to receive a special type of secretion called royal jelly. That larva receives the secretion in massive quantities in the first five days of growth to start the formation and development of a queen-bee anatomy, specifically the development of ovaries, which are needed to produce eggs.

Composition

Royal-jelly secretions are harvested because the jelly contains B vitamins including B5, or pantothenic acid, and B6, or pyridoxine. Besides these vitamins, royal jelly is made of 70 percent water, 12 percent protein and amino acids, 13 percent simple-sugar compounds, and 5 percent fatty-acid compounds. Scientists have discovered enzymes, antibacterial compounds, small amounts of vitamin C and minerals in royal jelly as well. Its composition and analysis of minerals and other properties are why people harvest and sell it as a nutritional supplement.

Amount

Royal jelly is fed only to larvae selected to become queen bees, but a midsize hive can produce 600 grams of royal jelly in six months.