Hawthorn berries are well-known across the world, and they are even better known when it comes to the delicious tea they can make. What many people do not know is that Hawthorn tea possesses several benefits on their health, which would give all the more reason to consume it frequently.
If you do not know what these many benefits are, which includes reducing blood pressure, reducing blood lipid, support healthy digestion, stimulate hair growth, enhance blood flow, support skin health and more, then you will be pleasantly surprised after learning about them.
What Is Hawthorn Tea?
The hawthorn berry is native to parts of Europe, Asia and North America, and has been used traditionally for centuries – consumed as is or brewed into tea. Also known as quick thorn, thorn apple or may tree, and belonging to the genus crategus, there are actually several different varieties of this berry which can be made into tea.
10 Amazing Benefits of Hawthorn Tea
1. Can Help Reduce Blood Pressure
Long before hypertension was an established disease, people residing in areas where Hawthorne berries traditionally grew were drinking the tea and experiencing improved blood pressure without ever knowing it.
Fast forward a few centuries and studies have now shown that tea brewed from the berries possess the ability to dilate blood vessels, assisting with the reduction in blood pressure. It is also commonly used in Chinese traditional medicine as a remedy for high blood pressure.
This benefit seems more pronounced in people with other comorbidities such as diabetes, even though there have been studies which also indicate no major advantage obtained from consuming the tea.
2. May Reduce Blood Lipids
When people think of fat, the preconceived notion is that we are referring to cholesterol. However, this is only half true as triglycerides are the other half of blood lipids. These lipids are very important for assisting with transport of nutrients into the cells that may need them, but in excess are known to cause several adverse effects.
Amongst these is development of atherosclerotic plaques along the inside of blood vessel walls, which increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular episodes.
Consuming hawthorn tea can help to reduce total cholesterol levels, plus triglycerides, a feat not achieved by even the best of today’s prescription medication. However, if you are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, we implore you to not rely solely on hawthorn berry tea as a remedy since you may need medical intervention.
3. Shows Promise In Helping Manage Heart Failure
One of the best known uses of hawthorn berry is to assist with heart function and cardiovascular output in people with mild heart failure. People with heart failure usually experience difficulty with the pumping of blood through the compartments of the heart, owing to damage to one of the muscular components.
Moderately sized studies of a reasonable duration have observed promising benefits in people with pre-existing heart failure who use hawthorn berries, either in supplement form or consumed as tea.
Improvements to symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, lethargy and palpitations are all seen after consistent use of the tea. It is generally considered safe in addition to prescribed medication, and may even help reduce the risk of mortality from associated cardiovascular episodes.
4. Natural Anxiety Remedy
When people think of calming teas, chamomile is probably the first that comes to mind. However, a tea made from hawthorn berries is also very effective, helping to relieve anxiety and reducing excitability of the nervous system.
The effects may not be quite as significant, however, so if your anxiety is particularly bad it may be in your best interest to consult with your healthcare professional before deciding if such a course of therapy is best for you.
5. Supports Healthy Digestion
Your digestive system requires support in order to function at its best; this includes ensuring that your diet supplies sufficient amounts of fiber to nourish the probiotic bacteria residing in your gut. Hawthorn berries furnish a decent amount of fiber which not only acts as nourishment for the bacteria, but also lends itself to reducing constipation risk.
Hawthorn tea also appears to speed up the rate of gastric emptying, which may be suitable for reducing symptoms of indigestion or relieving painful gastric ulcers.
6. Stimulate Hair Growth
If you’re one of the millions of men that suffer from male pattern baldness, you probably know how frustrating it is to constantly be trying different remedies in an attempt to bring back your tresses.
What you may not have ever come across is hawthorn berry tea for that purpose. Hawthorn berries are actually a common constituent of natural hair growth formulas if you read the label, as consumption (or application to the scalp) may help to stimulate hair growth once more, even if follicles lay dormant for years.
Sometimes, enhancing blood flow and waking up follicles from their slumber is enough to kick start the process of hair growth once again in men who have not gone completely bald.
7. Enhances Blood Flow
Hawthorn berry tea also helps improve blood flow, acting as a perfect adjuvant for its ability to help manage heart failure. People with heart failure often experience angina pectoris, otherwise known as chest pain, as a result of coronary artery blockages that occlude blood flow to the heart muscles.
Regular consumption/administration of hawthorn berry in the form of supplements or tea can help improve blood flow to the heart muscles, alleviating the pain caused and even allowing subjects to exercise longer without fatigue.
8. Supports Skin Health
Hawthorn berries are a source of many antioxidant vitamins and compounds which contribute to neutralization of damaging free radicals. These free radicals can cause premature aging of the skin and are especially generated under the effects of UV radiation from the sun.
Consuming more tea made from the hawthorn berry or even applying the berry tea to your face possesses significant benefits and can reduce symptoms of accelerated aging. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is sometimes used to manage conditions such as eczema and psoriasis as well.
9. May Help Reduce Frequency Of Asthmatic Attacks
It is a little-known fact that asthma and eczema are virtually synonymous, occurring together with staggering frequency.
Hawthorn berries are a source of many natural polyphenols, which improves immune and respiratory function and in turn contribute to decreased frequency or severity of asthmatic attacks. Try consuming the tea a few times a week and see the frequency of your attacks diminish.
10. Possible Side Effects Of Hawthorn Tea
Even though tea prepared from hawthorn berries are extremely beneficial, moderation is very important as well. High doses have been associated with cardiac arrhythmias, dizziness or low blood pressure. It is very important to not combine hawthorn tea (also known as a positive inotrope) with medications that do the opposite such as digoxin (known as negative inotropes).
Conclusion
As you can see, consumption of hawthorn tea possesses several benefits that can make your life better. As it anything else in life, be sure to exercise moderation. Do that, and you have a delicious tea that you can drink to your health.
[james]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crataegus
https://www.livestrong.com/article/126295-benefits-hawthorn-berry-tea/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/hawthorn-berry-benefits#section1
https://www.airytea.com/blog/top-10-hawthorn-berry-tea-health-benefits-effects/[/james]
