How Do You Prepare Hawthorn Berries – “Her thorns are like nails; inches long and strong; tensile strength. And yet a milder and more nutritious medicinal plant can scarcely be found.” -jim mcdonald
For today’s article, I’m sharing an excerpt from Alchemy of Herbs about the many healing gifts of hawthorn. I also have one of my all-time favorite recipes: Hawthorn Cordial.
Table of Contents
How Do You Prepare Hawthorn Berries
Hawthorn from Alchemy of Herbs: Transforming Everyday Ingredients into Foods and Remedies That Heal by Rosalee de la Forêt (Hay House, 2017)
Hawthorn Berry, Leaf, & Flower
With heart disease being the number one cause of death in the US, I’m surprised more people don’t know about hawthorn. Before I start sounding like a snake oil salesman, I should note that people get heart disease for a multitude of reasons, and hawthorn is not a silver bullet cure that you can take while ignoring the basic foundations of wellness like a healthy diet and an active lifestyle.
European culture has long been fascinated by hawthorn, and many myths and legends surround this thorny tree. As well as being used medicinally, the tree’s hard wood was made into tools and the thick, thorny nature of the tree made it a popular choice as a natural hedge or fence. Various species of hawthorn are native to North America, where First Nations have used it to treat a variety of ailments, including ulcers and digestive problems. People in China also have a well-developed relationship with hawthorn and often use it for indigestion.
In the spring, hawthorn trees produce an abundance of beautiful white to pink flowers. Following pollination, the tree begins to form many clusters of berries that ripen in late summer. These red berries are dry and mealy and can range from bitter to sweet, depending on the variety.
Hawthorn is a tree in the rose family that grows throughout the northern hemisphere. There are more than 280 species, and herbalists use them all in similar ways. The species most studied in science have been
Fresh Haw Berry Hi Res Stock Photography And Images
The current Western medical model for treating chronic diseases is largely based on suppressing symptoms rather than addressing the factors that cause the problem. For example, if you have seasonal allergies, a doctor might give you something to block your body’s attempt to make histamine, but doctors often don’t give anything to modulate your immune system and prevent the allergy symptoms in the first place. This philosophy can be seen in the range of drugs used by Western medicine to deal with the symptoms of heart disease. While this patch test may save lives in the short term, it does not address why the person has heart disease in the first place.
In fact, many commonly prescribed medications deplete your body of nutrients necessary for heart health. Statins, commonly prescribed to lower cholesterol, deplete the body of CQ10, an important enzyme for a healthy heart. Diuretics, commonly prescribed for high blood pressure, deplete potassium in the body. Potassium deficiency leads to irregular heartbeat. Hawthorn, in nourishing and strengthening the heart, does something that no other medicine can claim.
How does Hawthorn work? Like most herbs, hawthorn works in numerous and complex ways, many of which we do not yet understand. However, one important factor is the high flavonoid content of hawthorn. Heart disease is often associated with inflammation, and regularly eating herbs and foods high in flavonoids has been shown to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress.
From the 1950s until fairly recently, we mistakenly believed that eating foods high in cholesterol caused high cholesterol. An updated perspective on high cholesterol levels is its connection to systemic inflammation, which hawthorn, with its high flavonoid content, helps reduce.
Foraging 101: How To Identify And Harvest Hawthorn
Researchers have been studying hawthorn in relation to various symptoms of heart disease for decades. In one study, researchers gave people with diabetes and coronary heart disease 1,200 mg of hawthorn leaf and flower every day for six months. After that time, those taking the hawthorn showed a greater tendency toward lower LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol) and decreased neutrophil elastase (an enzyme that, when elevated, is associated with heart disease) than those taking a placebo.
The dose used in this study was relatively low by herbalist standards and it would be interesting to see the effects of higher doses commonly used by herbalists.
For herbalists, one of the most common indications for hawthorn is high blood pressure. Some herbalists use hawthorn alone, others combine it with other herbs, and herbalists usually recommend it along with a healthy diet and regular exercise. After centuries of use, it remains a favorite for reducing high blood pressure.
Clinical studies have supported this traditional use. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted in Iran, 92 men and women with mild hypertension consumed an extract of a local hawthorn species for four months. Blood pressure was measured every month and the results showed a significant reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure after three months.
Hawthorn Berry Powder
Another study gave hawthorn to patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and showed that the herb lowered diastolic blood pressure.
Herbalist Charles Kane says, “As a heart remedy, no other herb has as beneficial, yet mild, an effect as Hawthorn.
In addition to helping to reduce specific heart problems such as high blood pressure and hyperlipidemia, hawthorn has been shown to improve overall heart function in people with mild to moderate heart disease.
One study looked at 1,011 people diagnosed with stage 2 heart disease who took a high dose of a patent-pending milk thistle. After 24 weeks, the researchers saw significant improvements in symptoms, including reduced ankle edema, improved heart function, and lower blood pressure.
Wild Greek Hawthorn Whole Dried Berries
Another study used the same hawthorn product but studied patients for two years. After that time, those taking the hawthorn had significant improvements in the three main symptoms of heart disease — including fatigue, pain on exertion, and palpitations — compared to the control group. The researchers concluded that hawthorn had clear benefits for patients with mild to moderate heart failure.
Western herbalists tend to use the berries more often; however, research has paid more attention to the flower and leaf in recent years.
You can eat the berries like food and enjoy them in a variety of ways, including steeping them in alcohol or vinegar, or making them into honey, jam, or even ketchup. I recommend regularly enjoying large quantities of hawthorn; taking it daily keeps hearts nourished and strong!
Hawthorn berries are a food-like herb that people can consume in larger quantities, just as you would food. For best results with berries, leaves or flowers, use daily and long term.
Hawthorn: Create A Flower Berry Brandy — Handmade Apothecary
Tea: up to 30 grams of berries and up to 30 grams of leaves and flowers, per day
This delicious hawthorn recipe combines the nutritious properties of hawthorn with delicious spices that aid digestion. Enjoy in small amounts after dinner. (I find it helps me wind down the day.)
I recently took this to a pot and served 1 to 3 teaspoons of cordial in about 1 cup of sparkling water for a low alcohol cocktail. It was a big hit and several people asked to buy a bottle from me (I gave them the recipe instead).
Need organic herbs or supplies? Get them here! This post is sponsored by our friends at Mountain Rose Herbs.
Frontier Co Op, Organic Whole Hawthorn Berries, 16 Oz (453 G)
Hawthorn Cordial Recipe from Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients into Foods and Remedies That Heal by Rosalee de la Forêt (Hay House, 2017)
A registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild, she teaches students from around the world how to safely use medicinal herbs. Check out more Herbs with Rosalee on her website, Herbs with Rosalee, where you can get her free course, How to Choose the Best Herb for You.
HerbMentor hosts many classes, including Getting Started with Herbs, Herbal Basics, the Wildcrafter’s Toolkit, and Cultivating Wellness… our community forum… Plant Walks, unique herbal remedies, and more. The common hawthorn, or Crataegus monogyna, is planted throughout North America as an ornamental tree or shrub. Bright red berries, also known as ‘haws’, look like small crab apples and ripen in September and October. You may not know that hawthorn berries are edible and you can make a delicious jelly with them.
Hawthorn berries can be enjoyed raw, but their flavor improves when cooked. They can be candy, made from fruit leather or even savory ketchup style. Their high pectin content makes them an excellent candidate for jams and jellies.
Hawthorn (crataegus) Extract
If you have some hawthorn trees growing nearby, try making a small batch of hawthorn jelly. It’s a cheap and tasty way to preserve the season while adding variety to your jam selection.
Grow a garden, we’re also bringing gardens to kids across the country — and you can help. Learn more at milliongardenmovement.org
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Hawthorn Berry, Used For The Treatment Of Blood Pressure (the Silent Killer) With The Ability To Lower The Blood Pressure Without Any Of The Side Effects Experienced From Conventional Medicines
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