Bee Pollen Extract vs. Flower Pollen Extract: What's the Difference? Which is Better

People consume flower pollen extract and bee pollen for nutrition and to treat a variety of ailments including allergies, prostate problems and menstrual symptoms.

Advanced manufacturing techniques have allowed the production of clean flower pollen extract that contains rich amounts of nutrients. Bee pollen extract, however, still includes bee parts and debris, making it less safe for people with allergies and less digestible, according to the Baseline of Health Foundation.

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Bee pollen has contaminants, such as bacteria, spores and molds it collects from plants, according to Somalab. Bees collect plant pollen from many sources. To retrieve pollen to make honey and other materials in the hive, bees penetrate the outer shells of pollen with enzymes that remove rich nutrients. The outer shell of the pollen is included in its collection process.

Flower pollen extract retains those nutrients and does not include dirt or outer shell material. The clean extracts from flower pollen are harvested directly from the flower, the Baseline of Health Foundation explains.

The process usually bypasses bees and their work. Flower pollen extract contains the whole pollen grain and all its nutrients. It does not contain the outer pollen husk, which is the case with bee pollen. So users of flower pollen extract avoid possible allergic reactions and receive a more powerful supplement full of nutrients.

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Flower pollen extract is usually manufactured for human intake. Many companies harvest the flower pollen without chemicals for an organic approach. Quality control plays a role in harvesting flower pollen extract during the process, according to Heartcom.org.

Bee pollen often contains contaminants and allergens because there is no quality control during the harvesting of pollen from beehives. Bee pollen is even graded according to the level of contaminants, which may also include wings, fungi and mites.

The small, hard outer shells of pollen trap dirt and fungi when collected by bees. Some people believe bee pollen isn't healthy for human consumption.

However, pure and clean flower pollen extract must be accomplished by non-chemical means through modern extraction and processing by reputable companies. Somalab points out that nutrients from pure flower pollen extract digest easily to provide a fuller nutritional value than the contents of bee pollen.

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