

Propolis has admittedly experienced a much tamer ascent.

Manuka honey, which is thought to have antibacterial properties, can sell for up to $1,780. Over the past few years, the benefits of propolis have slowly become more well known, perhaps linked to the recent boom in designer honey.

“About 70–80% of our immune system resides in the gut, so it’s no surprise that our diet can impact our overall immune health and the health of distant organs including our skin.” So it seems to rebalance our microbiome and have a positive effect on our immune health,” Bowe, a dermatologist, tells Vogue. “Propolis seems to enhance our systemic immune system. Whitney Bowe, M.D., agrees that those centuries-old rumors of propolis benefits have truth to them, specifically when it comes to our microbiomes, communities of bacteria that help support our metabolism and immune systems. “Flavonoids, contained in the propolis, can help stimulate the growth and activity of digestive microflora,” says nutritionist Mikaela Rueben, “as well as help the body’s natural detoxification process.” When it comes to the human body, propolis is considered an aid in gut health, which can affect everything from the skin to the immune system.

Bees use propolis to repair the hive, seal cracks, and create a protective barrier against predators. Propolis is considered “bee glue,” a sticky mix that bees collect from plants and buds. While honey and propolis are related and have their respective health benefits, the two bee-produced products are different. There is most likely a tiny section dedicated to propolis, too, in liquid, powder, or granular form. Go to any food bazaar in Eastern Europe and you’re bound to stumble upon one booth that exclusively sells a cornucopia of honey variations. In five days, I made a full recovery.” Years later, in 2016, she created her company, Beekeeper’s Natural, specializing in propolis, which comes in forms such as throat sprays and powders.įor centuries, since 300 B.C to be specific, honey-related ingredients like propolis have been touted as a magical cure-all, especially in Eastern Europe, where it has remained a form of alternative medicine. I have to put five drops in water and take it a few times a day, and I started using it. They recommended propolis, a sticky mixture created by bees, composed of wax and resin with healing properties. She spoke to the pharmacist in Florence, explaining her sensitivity to medications. When Stein studied abroad in Italy during college, she came down with tonsillitis. “I missed a lot of school as a kid,” she says over Zoom. The former investment banker grew up plagued by bouts of tonsillitis, sore throat, and constant visits to nose and throat doctors. Carly Stein had been getting sick ever since she could remember.
