Recently, our topic is all about the usefulness of Aloe Vera. Its effectiveness was proven and tested by many research and studies. It is known for the capability of treating skin conditions and digestive problems.
Now, let’s see what Hawthorn Berry offers as a healing herb. Its benefits are undeniably important too. Let’s start with its history.
The History:
Hawthorne can also be called Crataegus which is a genus of several hundred species of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae, native to temperate areas in Europe, North Africa, Asia, and North America. It is a flowering shrub or tree of the rose family.
Its generic nickname, Crataegus, originated from the Greek Kratos “strength”. It’s because of the great strength of the wood. And akis which means “sharp”. The word describes the thorns of specific Hawthorne species. The name “haw”, originally an Old English term for hedge, also applies to the fruit.
Hawthorne can grow up to 15 meters or 49 ft tall. It has a small pome fruit. Most of Hawthorne has thorny branches. The thorns can grow up to 3 cm long.
The Health Benefits of a Hawthorne Berry:
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Hawthorne Berry is loaded with antioxidants.
It is a rich source of polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidant compounds found in plants. Antioxidants have the feature of helping balance free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules. They are really harmful to your body when they are at high levels.
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Hawthorne Berry has anti-inflammatory properties.
Its extract significantly reduced levels of inflammatory compounds. It decreased inflammation enough to significantly reduce asthma symptoms.
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Hawthorne Berry lowers blood pressure.
Hawthorne Berry has the ability to relax constricted blood vessels and reduce blood pressure. According to a study, those who took 1,200 mg of hawthorn extract daily had greater improvements in blood pressure. Therefore, it is better compared to those in the placebo group.
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Hawthorne Berry decreases blood fats.
The effort of Hawthorne extract and the cholesterol-lowering drug simvastatin can give a good result of reducing total cholesterol and triglycerides equally. Hawthorne extract has the ability to decrease LDL (bad) cholesterol too.
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Hawthorne Berry used to aid digestion.
The berries contain fiber, which has been proven to aid digestion by reducing constipation and acting as prebiotic. Prebiotics can promote healthy digestion, as it feeds your healthy gut bacteria. Hawthorne berries lessen the movement time of food in your digestive system.
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Hawthorne Berry helps prevent hair loss.
Mountain Hawthorne extract has what it takes to promote healthier hair. It can vitalize hair growth and can add the number and size of hair follicles. Polyphenol in Hawthorne berry can give beneficial effects on hair.
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Hawthorn Berry reduces anxiety.
Hawthorne has the ability to lessen anxiety symptoms through its very mild sedative effect.
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Hawthorne Berry used to treat heart failure.
According to 14 randomized studies in more than 850 people, those who took hawthorn extract along with their heart failure medications experienced improved heart function and exercise tolerance.
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Hawthorne Berry is easy to add to your diet.
You can add hawthorn to your diet in many ways like in raw, tea, jams & desserts, wine & vinegar, and supplements.
How To Successfully Grow Hawthorne Berry:
Hawthorne trees can add charm to the landscape because of their lovely shape and colors like clusters of pink or white flowers that bloom in the spring season. So if you’re interested to plant this one, here are the tips:
- Hawthorne trees need full sun and well-drained soil. They tolerate almost any type of soil in pH.
- Spring season is the best time to plant Hawthorne trees. In this case, they are settled before winter comes.
- Never think of planting Hawthorne’s thorny types on areas where children play or anybody can pass. The thorns can grow up to 3 inches that are dangerous.
- Water the trees during dry spells for the first year. Afterward, they are drought resistant.
- Yearly in the first three years, give Hawthornes necessary fertilizer. Then schedule fertilizing every other year after the 3 years.
- Hawthorn trees need little pruning.
The Bottom Line:
Hawthorne’s leaves, fruits and flowers are used as medicine. Moreover, it is also used on aiding heart diseases and problems with blood vessels such as congestive heart failure (CHF), chest pain, and irregular heartbeat. Hawthorne is also known for medicating tapeworm and other intestinal infections.
Hawthorne Berry is a beneficial medicine. It offers promising effects on treating specific ailments. Our next stop is all about Milk Thistle. Its common use is to treat liver problems. Let’s uncover the other discoveries of this plant on our next blog.