Why should pine pollen be consumed only after the cell wall is broken?
Pine pollen is the sperm cell of the pine tree's flower stamens, collected from the pure, dried pollen of the pine family plants Masson pine (Pinus massoniana) and Chinese pine (Pinus tabuliformis). It is recorded in medical classics spanning from the Shennong Bencao Jing 2400 years ago to today's Chinese Pharmacopoeia. It is the only pollen variety in the treasure house of Chinese medicine that is used both as food and as medicine. Let's take a look below at why pine pollen needs its cell wall broken!
Why does pine pollen need its cell wall broken?
Pine pollen is enclosed within a solid shell wall, like a layer of “armor” protecting the nutrients and genetic material inside the pollen grain. The pollen wall not only can withstand “soaking in caustic soda and boiling without any damage”, but also has strong resistance to radioactivity. Japanese scholars once conducted experiments by increasing radiation doses: the lethal radiation dose for humans is 0.15 coulomb/kg, while the lethal dose for pine pollen cytoplasm is 77.4-129 coulomb/kg. This shows that the pollen wall has astonishing durability and radiation resistance. The digestive fluids of humans and monogastric animals cannot break down the pollen wall. To absorb all the nutrients of the pollen, its outer wall must be broken.
What side effects does pine pollen have?
Pine pollen has no toxic side effects. Modern medical research has confirmed that pine pollen itself contains no toxic or harmful substances. As long as pine pollen-related products are produced by legitimate food manufacturers, they can be used with confidence. It is just that everyone's constitution is different, and different reactions to the same food may occur. Because pine pollen is a pollen-type substance, people who are allergic to pollen-type substances should be careful. They must first consume a small amount, and only after confirming that consuming pine pollen does not cause an allergic reaction should they consume it normally. Some people also experience symptoms of thirst after consuming pine pollen. This is also because different people have different constitutions; not everyone will experience this symptom. If this symptom occurs, simply stop consuming pine pollen.
The effects and functions of pine pollen
[Nature and flavor] Sweet in flavor, warm in nature.
[Meridian tropism] Liver and spleen meridians.
[Effects] Astringes and stops bleeding, dries dampness and astringes sores.
[Indications] Traumatic bleeding, eczema, impetigo, skin erosion, and oozing pus.
1. Anti-fatigue: Pine pollen should be very beneficial for middle-aged and elderly people who tire easily or for people engaged in extremely strenuous physical work.
2. Delaying aging: Pine pollen contains a large amount of antioxidant components, such as vitamin E, carotene and the trace element selenium, etc. They can all inhibit the rate of peroxidation reactions of lipids and proteins in the body, thereby having the effect of delaying aging.
3. Beauty care: Pine pollen not only has a unique function of regulating physiological functions, but also promotes skin cell metabolism, delays skin cell aging, increases skin elasticity, and gives skin a special effect of being fair, rosy and healthy. It is hailed as “edible cosmetics”.
4. Strengthening the stomach and protecting the liver: Pine pollen contains nearly a hundred kinds of enzymes, which can promote gastrointestinal motility, increase appetite, help digestion, and have a clear regulating effect on gastrointestinal dysfunction. Pine pollen can promote the activity of liver cells, make bile secretion normal, prevent the occurrence of liver disease, and can promote the liver's detoxification function.
5. Protecting the cardiovascular system: With its pure natural nutrient storehouse, pine pollen strengthens metabolism, regulates endocrine glands, mobilizes alternative excretion, and also improves the condition of the heart, blood and blood vessels, playing a health-care role for the cardiovascular system. For example, magnesium in pine pollen can both activate the enzyme system and serve as a carrier for various nutrients; flavonoids can significantly lower blood lipids and cholesterol; and various vitamins can increase the elasticity of blood vessel walls and improve the microcirculation of the heart and brain.
6. Preventing and treating constipation: Pine pollen contains rich and complete various nutrients, and has a good therapeutic effect on constipation. For example, for constipation caused by indigestion and upper digestive tract diseases, because pine pollen has a good effect on gastrointestinal dysfunction, after taking pine pollen, this type of constipation will improve immediately. For constipation caused by involuntary muscle spasms due to nervous tension, the magnesium and vitamin B6 in pine pollen have a very good calming effect on involuntary muscles, so constipation can naturally be eliminated.