The emerging superfood, bee pollen

Bee pollen is a mixture of honey, wax, flower pollen, and bee secretions that the insects pack into balls and use for food. It is also sometimes called “bee bread.” Apart from protein, fat, and carbohydrates, it has numerous vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols and is believed to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that help in health issues ranging from wound healing to boosting immunity and preventing chronic disease.

The use of bee pollen tends to skew toward fine dining, but it’s adaptable to many menus and is increasingly being found in smoothies and other items at fast-casual operations as well. 

Market research firm Datassential reports that bee pollen is found on 0.7% of U.S. menus, up by 13% over the past four years.

Click through the gallery to learn more about this Flavor of the Week and see how one restaurant is using bee pollen on its menu.