Nope, royal jelly not some regal spread you slap together with peanut butter for a quick-fix snack. Rather, royal jelly is a creamy substance produced by young nurse worker bees to feed the Queen Bee in a hive. And just as it services her Majesty, this bee-vital substance can provide a healthy bonus to humans, too. Here is why you should make the Queen Bee’s food part of your diet.

Honey is not the only good stuff you can get out of a beehive. Royal jelly, the substance that keeps the Queen Bee thriving, can give your body just as much of a healthy buzz. Secreted from the head of a worker bee, the milky liquid is fed to both young larvae for the first three days of their lives and to the Queen Bee, who receives a daily dosage throughout her life. Containing a plethora of proteins, minerals, and vitamins, it is no surprise that the Queen’s five-year lifespan vastly outnumbers that of her minions, who merely live for 40 days.

Healthy as a Queen: The buzz on royal jelly| Sheknows.com