Lebah Kelulut = stingless bee - Now I know....

Yup!
I never knew that madu kelulut is called stingless bee.
I never knew this bee I have seen before is called lebah kelulut.
And guess what, you can suck the honey with a straw directly from the bee hive.
Ahhh…. Curious aren’t you?!?

You wouldn’t believe the extend of research I did before arriving to Kampung Alor Limbat’s Madu Kelulut Farm – a Surahanjaya Koperasi Malaysia (Malaysia Co-operative Societies Commission) initiative to help, guide and educate the locals for the betterment of their community. What I noticed and learnt from Jom Jelajah Koperasi Media Fam Trip is that the locals (kampung folks) have the resources, skill sets and are success driven but at times are lack in opportunity and guidance. Aside from this, some of their products are of world class standard and have been exported around Asia and beyond. 

Few health benefits that one can obtained from consuming its honey regularly (also mentioned in the Quran - chapter called An-Nahl which means bees by the word of God in verses 68 and 69 means: "And your Lord revealed to the bees: Make hives in the mountains and in the trees and in the created human. "From the belly of bees came out drink (honey) of many hues, wherein is healing for men. Verily in this is really a sign (the greatness of Lord) for people who reflect. ") :

• Its honey is clear in colour and its taste sweet with a tinge of sourish. The honey comes from the nectar of flowers, it increases one’s metabolism, libido, beauty, strengthen women after childbirth and treating various diseases and injuries.
• It is rich in nutrients and acts as an antioxidants.
• Illness cured through traditional healing methods (reporting by Utusan Malaysia May 20, 2011) is diabetes mellitus (diabetes), stroke, hepatitis (liver) cancer, Hipentensi (Hypertension) and Coral.
• A study carried out by Food Technology Research Center, Mardi show fenilpropanaoik acids, amino acids protocatechuik and 4-hidroksifenilasetik are among the main ingredients that have been recognized in the stingless bee honey. These materials belong to the group of free phenolic acids and its presence in the stingless bee honey gives a total of g / g dry weight.
• Free phenolic acid is the active ingredient yangm300 can act as anti-cancer and antioxidant and is easier to be absorbed in the human body than other active ingredients such as flavonoids.
• Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has also been recorded that honey has the efficacy of medical terms. Laboratory studies were conducted showed the honey is able to lower glucose lever other than that it was able to reduce the damage of kidney function and oxidative stress.

Source HERE.

Aside from learning its benefits, I also found out that these bees are attracted to a certain kind of flowers, popularly known as air mata pengantin (literally translated as brides tear or Antigonon leptopus) of which we see it at some houses – a very common plant.

After asking the bee farm owner, I gather that currently honey fast gaining popularity due to its benefit thus increase in demand but low in supply despite that there are approximately 200 bee farm in Terengganu. This is also where one can drink from the honeycomb via straw (the nectar is converted to honey by the honeybee and stored in the wax honeycomb). 

Coming to Alor Limbat Kampungstay has educated and opened my eyes on the local delicacies and natural produce. SKM not only trained and build a self-sustainable community in amongst the kampung folks, it also developed and grew the rural tourism.

Jom Jelajah Koperasi Terengganu Media Fam Trip is in collaboration with Surahanjaya Koperasi Malaysia (#SKM) with #GayaTravel as media coordinator.