They say that beauty is in the eye of the bee-holder, but I think beauty is in the eye of the Green Bee Pollen Smoothie drinker.

Sorry for being the biggest cornball ever, but it’s true – vibrant greens, bee pollen, and all the other smoothie ingredients in this recipe just might make you glow from the inside out!

You may especially need a beauty boost on the day after Halloween where you may or may not have binged on candy, chocolate, and other holiday libations. If you’re digestion, head, and any other body part is seeking a quick detox from the corpses and cocktails; this smoothie is calling your name.

So what’s the buzz about bee pollen? Bee pollen comes from the very fine powder made by the stamen (male part) of a flower. As bees buzz about from flower to flower, they collect microscopic bits of pollen as they go. Bee’s tibias have a concave area where the bits of pollen dust are stored and formed into a single golden granule; which becomes the part that we consume. It’s amazing to think that so much work was put into one tiny, brightly colored morsel. It really is a unique superfood.

Bee pollen is considered a superfood because it is incredibly nutrient dense and contains a heck of a lot of vitamins and goodness. These include almost all the B complex Vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, folic acid, carotenoids, trace minerals, essential fatty acids, digestion enhancing enzymes, and all 22 amino acids required for our bodies to make a protein. This means that bee pollen is an excellent source of protein for vegetarians and vegans who consume bee products. Bee Pollen may also provide relief from allergies, PMS, sports performance, mouth sores, joint pain, and anti-aging. If you’re interested in learning more about bee pollen, I would recommend R. Krell’s 1996 paper on Value Added Products from Beekeeping.

***Side note – If you have a severe allergy to bees, you may be allergic to bee pollen. Please use caution and common sense before using bee pollen.

Besides bee pollen, this smoothie is loaded with green goodness, beneficial fats, and digestive and zesty lemon. It’s a great pick-me up and will really leave you glowing, energized, and feeling bee-autiful!

Green Bee Pollen Smoothie

Serves 1

2 cup spinach
½ avocado
1 banana, frozen
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 T bee pollen (or 1 tsp if you’re new to bee pollen!)
1 cup filtered water
2-3 dates or a tsp of honey (optional)
A few ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. If you think green smoothies are gross, then please add some dates or honey to sweeten it up! Garnish with a bit of bee pollen and enjoy!