Bee declines threaten global nutrition and human health, research shows
By
Gloria Dickie
Hand-rolled, kettle-boiled, baked to perfection. Worth every minute at the bakery.
Summary
The article examines the cascading effects of declining bee populations on human nutrition and health, using Nepal's Jumla district as a case study. With 120,000 people living in near-total self-sufficiency, the region faces food insecurity worsened by collapsing bee colonies. Bees are essential for pollinating nutrient-rich crops like fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Their decline threatens to reduce the availability of key micronutrients (vitamins A, C, folate, calcium) in human diets, potentially increasing rates of malnutrition, heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. The piece connects local beekeeping struggles in the Himalayas to global research on pollinator loss and its hidden health costs.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledIn recent years, local beekeepers have bemoaned languishing hives and dwindling honey production, observing that roughly half of their bees seem to have disappeared.
Crops and flowers rely on them for survival, but wild bees are declining – and crucial nutrients will go missing from our diets as a result.
The Karnali highway, considered one of the world's most dangerous roads, provides the only land link, splicing through the Himalayas to connect Jumla's terraced valleys to the rest of the country.
You might also wanna read
Global Insect Population Decline Threatens Food Security and Ecosystems
The article discusses the alarming global decline in insect populations, often referred to as an 'insect apocalypse,' and its potential cata
livescience.com·6mo ago
Black Soldier Fly Larvae: A Sustainable Protein Source with Potential for Human Consumption
The article explores black soldier fly larvae (maggots) as a highly efficient and sustainable protein source that could become a human super
smithsonianmag.com·4mo ago
Study Finds Rising Honey Bee Death Rates Despite Reduced Antibiotic Use in Canada
A new study published in Nature Sustainability reveals that despite reduced antibiotic use in Canadian beekeeping, honey bee death rates con
news.uoguelph.ca·10mo ago
Study Links Beetroot Juice to Lower Blood Pressure in Older Adults Through Oral Microbiome Changes
A study by the University of Exeter suggests that the blood pressure lowering effect of nitrate-rich beetroot juice in older people may be l
news.exeter.ac.uk·10mo ago
Fukushima Radioactivity Study Examines Cognitive Impact on Pollinating Insects
Scientists are conducting research in the Fukushima contaminated area to study how radioactivity affects the cognitive abilities of pollinat
news.cnrs.fr·9mo ago
RFK Jr. Warns Americans About Insufficient Bee Consumption in Bizarre Speech
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., appearing badly swollen and struggling to speak, gives a speech warning Americans that they are not eating enough bee
The Onion·2mo ago