Royal jelly combines well with other substances available to buy at Supersmart such as ginseng, green propolis, Robuvit®, a French oak extract used for reducing fatigue, and Asc2P 250 mg, a potent and stable form of vitamin C.

Propolis is a sealant used by bees for strengthening the hive interior, making it more air- and water-tight and better-able to resist microbial and fungal attack. The bees make it from anti-pathogenic resins (18-19) gathered from tree buds and bark, which they mix with wax and saliva. The propolis is then collected by beekeepers by scratching the ‘frames’ of the beehive, after which the wax and impurities are removed. The final product is a complex concentrate of phytonutrients from the tree buds and micronutrients from the bees.

In Europe, bees make propolis from poplar trees or conifers. In Brazil, however, where ecosystems are infinitely richer, there are around 13 types of propolis which vary depending on the plant source used by the bees. They include red propolis, recognised as the variety containing the most antioxidant phytonutrients and demonstrating the highest antioxidant activity(20). It gets its red colour from a unique flavonol pigment called retusapurpurine (21).

It is produced from a climbing tree with vine-like branches: Dalbergia ecastophyllum (22-24) which grows in the mangroves (swampy tropical forests) of northern Brazil. In this extraordinary environment, far from intensive farming, the bees collect a bright red, resinous exudate, which is associated with the presence of a local parasite.

Green propolis is produced by bees in southern Brazil from a completely different species called Baccharis dracunculifolia (25).

There is no need to refrigerate freeze-dried royal jelly.

Red Propolis is an exceptional, natural and very rare product (annual production in Brazil is estimated to be just 1-2 tons), the manufacture of which relies on high-quality French extraction facilities.

1. It’s the most bio-rich, effective and rarest of all the varieties of propolis.
2. It comes in capsule form and thus leaves no bitter taste in the mouth.
3. The fact that it’s freeze-dried means all the properties of its ingredients are well-preserved with a long ‘shelf-life’. This is not the case with fresh, chewable propolis, the quality of which is often mediocre.
4. It contains much higher levels of isoflavones than other types of propolis, which helps improve symptoms of the menopause.
5. It’s the best natural product for supporting the immune system throughout the winter period and in stressful situations.