Propolis

Propolis is a resinous, sticky substance, ranging in colour from pale yellow to almost black, which bees make from the resins of trees such as poplar, horse chestnut, oak, maple or alder, mixed with their own secretions. The workers carry it in the baskets on their hind legs, just as they do pollen. Inside the hive they use it to seal cracks and gaps and to coat the inner walls.

Bees use it as building material and to defend the hive: it seals cracks, narrows entrances and coats the interior. They also use it to encase dead intruders they cannot carry out — a mouse, for instance — which stops them decomposing inside the nest. It is a behaviour of the colony itself, documented since ancient times.

Propolis is sold in several formats depending on how you prefer to take it: capsules and tablets, alcoholic or glycolic extract in drops, sweets, syrups, sprays, and raw or powdered propolis. There are also formats for external use, such as creams and balms. Always follow the instructions on each product's packaging.

In our shop you will find raw propolis, extracts in drops, capsules, sweets, mouth sprays and formats combined with honey. Which to choose depends on the format you find most convenient and on whether you are after internal or external use. Every product states on its label the composition, the strength of the extract and how to use it.

Keep it somewhere cool, dry and away from light, in its well-closed container. Raw propolis keeps better cold, where it also turns brittle and is easier to break into pieces. Alcoholic extracts are stable at room temperature. Always check the best-before date on the packaging.

It depends on the format. Capsules and tablets allow a fixed, convenient dose. Extracts in drops — alcoholic, glycolic or glycerine-based — are taken following the pattern given on the packaging and also lend themselves to external use. Sweets and combinations with honey are the most palatable option. Raw or powdered propolis can be added to food and drink. In every case, follow the manufacturer's instructions.

The alcoholic extract is the most common and is obtained by macerating the propolis in alcohol, which draws out its resinous components more effectively; it keeps the characteristic flavour and aroma, both intense. Glycolic or glycerine extracts replace the alcohol and are milder in taste. The strength and the percentage of propolis are given on each product's label.

Its composition varies with the area and the flora it comes from, but broadly it contains plant resins and balsams, waxes, essential oils, pollen and phenolic compounds, among them the flavonoids. That variability explains why colour, aroma and flavour change from one batch to another and from one origin to another.

To choose a quality propolis, check that it is pure and free of contaminants. It is advisable to go for certified products that clearly state their origin, concentration and extraction method. Extracts with high levels of bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and phenolic acids are considered superior.

With a propolis mat or screen laid over the frames. The bees find narrow slots and seal them with resin; once the mat is loaded, it is removed. To get the propolis off, the trick is cold: freezing the mat for a few hours makes the propolis brittle and it comes away on its own when you flex it.

What is best avoided is using the scrapings from frames and walls: that propolis carries wood splinters, paint residue and hive dirt, and does not compare in quality with mat propolis. If you are going to sell it, the mat is not an accessory — it is what separates a product from waste.

Because very different products share the same word. What sets the price is the process — raw, cleaned or extract — the concentration of the extract and the solvent used. A very cheap bottle is usually low concentration; an expensive one, a concentrated and analysed extract.

Botanical origin also counts: propolis composition changes a great deal depending on which trees the bees collect from and in which region, and that variability shows up in the analysis and in the cost. So comparing on millilitres and price alone says little — you have to look at what concentration those millilitres carry.

Propolis should be kept in airtight containers, away from direct light and somewhere cool and dry. Alcoholic extract is more stable and lasts longer, while alcohol-free or more concentrated formulations may need refrigeration once opened.

Yes — and in fact there are ready-made combinations: propolis with honey, with royal jelly or with pollen. Honey softens the resinous taste of propolis, which on its own is intense and somewhat bitter. If you combine them yourself, check the instructions on each package.