The 2 refined ingredients of Meghan Markle’s essential breakfast

If you follow the British royal family closely, you probably already know that Prince Harry loves British classics like Sunday roast and cottage pie, but avoids American favorites like pizza. You may also know that royal family breakfasts include cheesy baked eggs for King Charles and occasional bean toast for Queen Camilla. Meghan Markle’s favorites, however, are a little less classic British and a little more trendy. This is fitting, because Markle grew up not in England, but in sunny Los Angeles, California.

As Hello Magazine reported in 2020, the Duchess of Sussex has long been a self-proclaimed foodie and once ran a blog where she shared her own recipes. One of those recipes was for her favorite breakfast açaí bowl. Markle’s recipe includes many of the staples you’d expect, like an acai packet, almond milk, and fruit. The recipe then calls for a few more surprising, slightly more refined ingredients, which are perfect for a duchess: manuka honey and bee pollen.

Read more: 7 Nuts You Should Eat and 7 You Shouldn’t Eat

What is Manuka honey?

So what’s so special about Manuka honey, and why would Meghan Markle choose to use it over honey that comes in a bear-shaped bottle? To put it simply, the manuka variety is VIP honey. For proof, just look at the price: At Walmart, an 8.8-ounce jar of manuka honey costs $19.97, while this little plastic bear, sold under Walmart’s Great Value banner, costs $3. $94 for 12 ounces. As for taste, Manuka honey offers a richer, more intense flavor than standard varieties and includes notes like caramel and caramel. But where this honey really stands out is its health-promoting properties.

Manuka honey comes from New Zealand and is produced by bees that pollinate the Manuka bush. This special combination gives honey some added benefits, including high levels of methylglyoxal. A 2010 study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that manuka honey contains up to 100 times the amount of methylglyoxal found in conventional honey. These high levels mean that honey also contains significant antibacterial properties, so much so that, according to the Cleveland Clinic, the FDA has given manuka honey the green light for use in treating wounds.

What is bee pollen?

You probably already know what bee pollen is (if you don’t, it’s a mixture of flower pollen found on bees and in their saliva collected from hives), but did you know you can eat it? There are plenty of reasons Meghan Markle might add bee pollen to her açaí bowls: It adds a crunchy texture and a slightly sweet, earthy flavor. As with Manuka honey, its health benefits take center stage. Bee pollen is rich in antioxidants and may contribute to both high cholesterol and inflammation.

It should be noted, however, that bee pollen, which contains bee secretions, is not safe for everyone. Just like some people are allergic to bees, others are also allergic to bee pollen. If an allergic person consumes bee pollen, they may experience a reaction, including anaphylaxis. So, if you want to live the life of a royal by making your own açaí bowl smoothie with a few extra-fancy ingredients, be sure to be aware of the risks.

Read the original article on Mashed.