Why royal jelly is so expensive

• Royal jelly is a secretion honeybee workers make to feed larvae of future queen bees.
• It's linked to a variety of health claims that have yet to be confirmed by scientific evidence.
• China produces 90% of the world's royal jelly.

Royal jelly is a secretion honeybee workers make to feed larvae of future queen bees. All bees consume royal jelly, but once a queen is selected, workers then feed on pollen and honey, while only the queen feeds on the prized jelly. Royal jelly contains much more nutrients than honey and is often referred to as the "superfood of the beehive." Since the 1980s, production worldwide has grown from 700 to nearly 4,000 metric tons. Royal jelly can be found in its natural form, as a health supplement, and in skincare products, and it can reach $125 per pound. But extracting royal jelly requires great precision, as the process can be done only by hand. 

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