Properties Of Hawthorn Berries – The hawthornberry, also known as “haw”, has been a popular ingredient in desserts and wines and an important medicinal herb for thousands of years. In ancient Rome, it was used to reduce diarrhea. It is also a staple herb in traditional Chinese medicine. In the Middle Ages, Europeans used it to keep their hearts healthy.
There are hundreds of species of hawthorn around the world. Although they are small, hawthorn berries pack a serious health punch, especially for your heart. They can also improve your exercise performance (x).
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Properties Of Hawthorn Berries
Cardiovascular disease is the most common reason for doctor visits, hospitalization and death in the United States. More than 600,000 people die each year from heart disease (x).
Hawthorn: The Heart Healer
Hawthorn berries contain phytonutrients including anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins – antioxidants that strengthen the walls of blood vessels. They can also reduce symptoms of congestive heart failure, irregular heartbeat, arrhythmia, low blood pressure, angina, atherosclerosis and high cholesterol (x).
Research suggests that hawthornberry extract significantly benefits heart health compared to a placebo (x). In one study, researchers gave 78 patients with heart failure 200 mg of hawthorn three times a day for two months. At the end of the trial, patients experienced an improvement in working heart capacity and a reduction in their heart disease symptoms (x). In fact, hawthorn berry was almost as effective as prescription heart medication in reducing symptoms – and it had fewer side effects (x).
Hawthorn can also keep your heart healthy by lowering blood pressure. In one study, scientists gave 79 patients with type 2 diabetes either 1,200 mg of hawthorn extract daily or a placebo. At the end of the 16-week study, participants who took hawthorn had a greater reduction in blood pressure than those who did not (x).
Often confused with indigestion, angina is the technical term for chest pain. It is caused by reduced blood flow to the heart and is often a symptom of heart disease.
Amazing Health Benefits Of Hawthorn Berries
Studies suggest that the bioflavonoids (plant compounds) in hawthorn can reduce angina by dilating and relaxing blood vessels, which promotes healthy circulation. They also improve blood flow to the heart and reduce tension in your blood vessels, which helps prevent chest pain (x).
People have used hawthornberry extract to treat gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea and indigestion as far back as the first century (x). Today, research suggests that hawthorn improves digestion by promoting gastrointestinal motility—the contraction of muscles that move food through your digestive system (x). Hawthorn can also support the production of enzymes that ensure you absorb nutrients properly for optimal health (x).
People have applied hawthornberry extract topically to treat itching, boils, wounds, ulcers, and frostbite. However, there are not enough studies to confirm these claims (x).
Hawthorn can be effective when used in combination with several other supplements. Coenzyme Q10 can reduce cases of heart disease in the early stages when combined with hawthorn. Ginkgo Biloba can be used with hawthorn to improve blood circulation and ensure sufficient oxygenation to the brain. Garlic (Allium sativum) and arnica (Arnica montana) can help treat cases of angina and low blood circulation. Lemon balm (Melissa Officinalis) and St. John’s wort are also used in combination with hawthorn to calm the nerves and induce sleep for insomnia.
Hawthorn Berry Health Benefits And How To Use
Hawthorn is considered a safe supplement for adults. However, there are rare side effects that include upset stomach, headache or dizziness (x, x).
In addition, hawthorn berry extract can interact with prescription drugs. If you take medications that affect and treat the heart, consult your doctor before taking this supplement. Also, if you have high blood pressure, take beta blockers and calcium blockers, male enhancement drugs that dilate vessels or any drugs that increase blood flow levels to the heart, you should consult your doctor before taking this supplement. Hawthorn is also contraindicated for people taking digoxin (x). Women who are pregnant may also want to avoid using hawthornberry, as it may reduce uterine tone (x).
As a supplement, it is best to take 1, 200 mg or half a teaspoon, once or twice a day, or according to your doctor (x). You can also safely take hawthorn berry extract over a period of 16 weeks (x).
Hawthorn berry extract is touted as a heart health herb. Research has shown that it contributes to the general health of the cardiovascular system. This is especially true for those who suffer from angina, congestive heart failure, high or low blood pressure and other heart-related health problems. European doctors have been prescribing hawthorn for many years for use under medical supervision, although not so much among American doctors. Overall, this little red berry is a useful ally in heart health and you would do well to add this supplement to your regular diet. Hawthorn is often called “the heart herb” for its various cardio-protective abilities. Prized for its ability to uplift and strengthen the heart both emotionally and physically, the hawthornberry has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for all kinds of serious heart problems. These include angina, high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, irregular heartbeat and even congestive heart failure.
Hawthorn: Fierce & Gentle Protectress Of The Heart — Gathering Ground
In fact, hawthorn has been used to treat heart disease since the first century! Fast forward to the early 1800s and doctors in the United States were also using this medicinal herb for respiratory and circulatory health disorders. (1)
Hawthorn fruit, leaves and flowers are all used medicinally today. Hawthorn fruit comes in the form of small red berries. Native American tribes enjoyed the food and they also used hawthorn to treat heart problems as well as gastrointestinal complaints. (2)
What makes hawthorn berries so medicinal? It seems to be rich in flavonoids for starters. Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants known to effectively reduce inflammation while boosting immune function. Eating a diet high in foods, drinks and herbs rich in flavonoids has been linked to prevention of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases such as cancer. (3)
Let’s take a closer look at how a tiny little hawthornberry can really make huge improvements in the health of many people.
Unheard Of Benefits Of The Hawthorn Berry Tree
The hawthorn bush, also called thornapple or May tree, is a deciduous plant. It is a member of the rose family (Rosaceae) belonging to the genus
. Hawthorn can come in the form of a thorny hawthorn bush or a hawthorn tree. Usually you can grow hawthorn on the sides of sunny wooded hills. There are several species of hawthorn, many of which are found in North America. (4)
A hawthorn plant has berries and flowers that bloom in May. Hawthorn flowers are red, pink or white. The petite hawthorn berries appear after the flowers bloom. When the hawthorn berries are fully ripe, they are typically red in color, but sometimes they are black. These berries are edible. How do they taste? Most people describe hawthorn berries as a mix of sweet and sour.
The hawthorn herb is loaded with health beneficial compounds. These compounds have been shown to actually boost heart health. Hawthorn’s antioxidant flavonoids improve blood flow, protect against damage to blood vessels, and even help dilate blood vessels. (5)
Hawthorn Cordial Recipe: Hawthorn For The Heart
These flavonoids include OPCs. What are OPCs? OPC stands for oligomeric proanthocyanidins. OPCs are some of the most common polyphenolic substances found in plants. (6)
Hawthornberry is best known for its beneficial toning effects on the heart. As a “cardiotonic herb,” hawthorn has shown itself to be impressively helpful for all kinds of serious heart problems. These include heart failure, heart disease, angina pectoris, changes in heart rhythm, and atherosclerosis. According to a 2016 study published in the journal
So far, research has shown that hawthorn itself can have a beneficial effect on congestive heart failure (CHF). Multiple studies have shown that hawthorn supplementation has resulted in improved heart function based on a number of parameters. These parameters include blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output and exercise tolerance.
One trial in particular gave 78 patients with NYHA Class II heart failure a commercial preparation of hawthorn leaves and flowers. After two months, the patients who received 200 milligrams of hawthorn three times a day had an increased working heart capacity, as well as a reduction in symptoms. The hawthorn group also showed a reduction in systolic blood pressure during physical activity. Another German study also showed that a hawthorn extract (LI132 Faros®) worked almost as well as a heart failure drug (captopril). And the hawthorn extract had fewer side effects. (9)
Hawthorn Berry: Benefits, Side Effects & Dosage |
) special extract either alone or as an addition to conventional treatment. After two years, fatigue, stress dyspnoea and palpitations (the three main symptoms of heart failure) were all significantly reduced in the group that took the hawthorn compared to the group that did not take the hawthorn. (10)
Many herbal practitioners recommend hawthorn berries, flowers and leaves as natural blood pressure reducers. A scientific study published in
Had 79 type 2 diabetes patients either 1200 milligrams of hawthorn extract daily or a placebo for a total of 16 weeks. Hypotensive medications were also taken by 71 percent of the study participants.
What did they find? The hawthorn group experienced greater reductions in diastolic blood pressure. But there were no group differences in systolic blood pressure reduction. (11) Hopefully more studies to support the use of hawthorn in lowering blood pressure