Proof That Royal Jelly Is As Good As Whole Foods Employees Swear It Is

Reason #3593852 to save the bees: A new study published in Scientific Reports may have confirmed that royal jelly is actually the skin-healing wonder that health-food stores have been trying to sell it as for decades.

The research was conducted by a team of scientists based out of Slovakia and Italy, with the goal of determining whether the so-called “magical” ingredient — a honeybee secretion created by worker bees that’s used to feed larvae and the queen alike — really does have the antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, cure-all properties its most ardent believers (e.g. hippies, Whole Foods employees) claim.

Ultimately, researchers found that an antibacterial peptide called defensin-1, a compound in royal jelly, was responsible for promoting wound healing, both on in vitro cells and laboratory rats. This doesn't necessarily prove its efficacy on humans, but it is a promising finding that could usher in further research into how the naturally occurring ingredient could be used to treat certain skin conditions.

In the meantime, these five tried-and-true skin-care products will certainly make you believe in the power of royal jelly. And even if you’re not willing to spend your hard-earned money on the stuff until science makes it official — or if you're allergic — sending a letter to your local representatives to urge them to save our endangered friends is always free.