5 Health Benefits of Hawthorn Berries!

The Health Benefits of Hawthorn Berry that everyone should know. Additionally, hawthorn is often called “the herb of the heart” for its various cardio protective capabilities. Valued for its ability to uplift and strengthen the heart emotionally and physically, hawthorn berry has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for all sorts of serious heart concerns.

These include angina, high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, irregular heartbeat, and even congestive heart failure . In fact, hawthorn berry has been used to treat heart disease since the first century! Fast forward to the early 1800’s and doctors in the United States were using this medicinal herb for respiratory and circulatory health disorders as well.

The hawthorn berry , leaves and flowers are all used medicinally today. Hawthorn fruit comes in the form of small red berries. Native American tribes liked to consume it and also used hawthorn to treat heart problems as well as gastrointestinal problems.

What makes hawthorn berry so medicinal? It appears to be its numerous Flavonoids . Flavonoids are potent antioxidants known to effectively decrease inflammation while boosting immune function . Eating a diet rich in foods, drinks and herbs rich in flavonoids has been linked to the prevention of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases as well as cancer. Let’s take a closer look at how exactly one tiny hawthorn berry can actually greatly improve the health of many people.

Origin of the Hawthorn Berry Plant and Chemical Components:

Hawthorn bush, also called hawthorn or May tree, is a deciduous plant. It is a member of the rose family (Rosaceae) belonging to the genus Crataegus. Hawthorn can come in the form of a thorny hawthorn bush or a hawthorn. Most of the time, you can find hawthorn growing along the sides of sunny wooded hills. There are several species of hawthorn, many of which are found in North America.

A hawthorn plant has berries as well as flowers that bloom in May. Hawthorn flowers are red, pink or white. Hawthorn berries appear after the flowers have bloomed. When hawthorn berries are fully ripe, they are typically red in color, but sometimes black. These berries are edible. What is your taste? Most people describe hawthorn berries as a mixture of sweet and sour.

Hawthorn herb is loaded with health-beneficial compounds. These compounds have been found to actually boost heart health. The antioxidant flavonoids in hawthorn improve blood flow, protect against blood vessel damage, and even help with blood vessel dilation. These Flavonoids include the OPCs. What are OPCs? OPC stands for oligomeric proanthocyanidins. OPCs are some of the most prevalent polyphenolic substances found in plants.

Here are just a few of the many chemical compounds and nutrients found in hawthorn:

Flavonoids , including hyperoside

• Quercetin.
• Vitexina.
• Routine.
• pentacyclic triterpenes.
• Acantholic acid.
• Neotegolic Acid.
• Hill .
• Acetylcholine.
• Chlorogenic acid.
• Caffeic acid.
• Vitamin B1 .
• Vitamin B2 .
• Vitamin C.
• Calcium .
• Ferro.
• phosphorus .

Now, check out, The 5 Health Benefits of Hawthorn Berry:

1. Benefits of Hawthorn Berry to Improve Heart Health:

Hawthorn berry is best known for its helpful invigorating effects on the heart. As a “cardiotonic herb,” hawthorn berry has proven impressively helpful for all sorts of serious heart concerns. These include heart failure, heart disease, angina pectoris, changes in heart rhythm and atherosclerosis . According to a 2016 study, hawthorn berry’s powerful heart health benefits come from its high polyphenolic content.

To date, research has shown that hawthorn berry may even have a helpful effect on congestive heart failure (CHF). Several studies have shown that hawthorn berry supplementation resulted in improvement in heart function based on several parameters. These parameters include blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, and exercise tolerance.

2. Benefits of Hawthorn Berry to Lower Blood Pressure:

Many herbal practitioners recommend hawthorn leaves, flowers and berries as natural blood pressure reducers. A scientific study of 79 type 2 diabetic patients encouraged consumption of 1200 milligrams of hawthorn berry extract daily or a placebo for a total of 16 weeks. Hypotensive medications were also taken by 71% of study participants.

What did they find? The  hawthorn berry group experienced greater reductions in diastolic blood pressure. But, there were no differences between the groups in the reduction of systolic blood pressure. I hope that more studies can be carried out to support the use of  hawthorn berry in lowering blood pressure .

3. Benefits of Hawthorn Berry Relieve Chest Pain (Angina) and Heart Disease:

Decreased blood flow to the heart causes chest pain known as angina. It is sometimes confused with indigestion. But true angina can be a symptom of coronary heart disease . So far, research has shown that  hawthorn berry can be an effective natural remedy to prevent and treat angina.

According to a scientific article, hawthorn berry Bioflavonoids help in  the dilation of peripheral and coronary blood vessels. This can improve blood flow to the heart, making hawthorn very helpful for angina. Hawthorn berry proanthocyanidins are also believed to  reduce the tension of blood vessel walls. Again, this is very helpful in discouraging angina.

In one study, 80 subjects (age 45 to 65 years) with stable angina pectoris were randomly divided into four groups. The first group was the aerobic exercise group. The second group took a hawthorn berry extract . The third group did aerobic exercise in addition to taking a hawthorn extract.

Finally, the fourth group was the control group. After 12 weeks, the researchers found that the combination of aerobic exercise and  hawthorn berry supplementation was “an effective complementary strategy to significantly reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and heart problems.”

4. Benefits of Hawthorn Berry to Reduce High Cholesterol:

One of the benefits of hawthorn berry is lowering cholesterol. Animal studies have shown that hawthorn berry extract can be a useful natural remedy for lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in the body. In China, hawthorn is called “Shan-Zha”. A study using animals showed some really impressive health results from an ethanolic extract of hawthorn from Zhongtian, a cultivar of wild Shan-Zha, which has greater hawthorn fruit. This 2016 study revealed that hawthorn berry extract not only reduced overall high cholesterol levels, it also lowered LDL cholesterol, liver cholesterol, and triglycerides, as well as body weight.

5. Benefits of Hawthorn Berry to Improve General Health:

Scientific research conducted in 2008 revealed that hawthorn berry extract is excellent for decreasing inflammation. This is huge for health as we know that inflammation is at the root of most diseases. Research has also shown that hawthorn berry extract is a free radical scavenger.

This is extremely beneficial for human health, as free radicals can cause cellular damage (including DNA damage) by stealing electrons through a process called oxidation. The 2008 animal study also demonstrated how hawthorn berry extract has protective effects for the gastrointestinal system and appears to successfully kill several types of unwanted bacteria.

History and Interesting Facts About Hawthorn Berries:

• Hawthorn berries, leaves and flowers are used medicinally.
• Crataegus species like hawthorn are native to temperate regions of North America and Europe.
• Hawthorn has flowers that grow in small white, red or pink clusters.
• When Jesus was crucified, the crown of thorns on his head is believed to have been made from hawthorn.
• Early records indicate that the hawthorn was a symbol of love.
• The sweet and spicy red berries of the hawthorn plant are used to make jams, jellies, wines and liqueurs.
• Many species of hawthorn are used to make bonsai trees.

How to Select and Use Hawthorn Berries:

How can you add hawthorn berries to your life? There are a few options. You can opt for hawthorn berry tea . Loose hawthorn berries can often be purchased in the bulk section of many health food stores. You can also take a hawthorn supplement in capsule form or hawthorn extract in liquid form.

So far, safe hawthorn doses appear to be between 160 and 1,800 milligrams a day for a period of three to 24 weeks. Noticeable improvement in symptoms can take six to 12 weeks.

Possible Side Effects and Interactions:

You should not take hawthorn if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Do not give hawthorn products to children. Hawthorn supplementation is recommended for short-term use by adults. If any symptoms worsen when taking hawthorn berry , you should discontinue use and seek emergency medical attention.

For some users,  hawthorn berry can cause nausea , stomach pain, fatigue , sweating, headache , dizziness, palpitations, nosebleeds, insomnia , restlessness, and other side effects.

While  hawthorn berry is known to be great for the heart, it can interact with prescription heart disease medications. Medications for other heart concerns, high blood pressure and male sexual dysfunction are also known to interact with hawthorn.

Some specific medications that possibly interact with hawthorn include digoxin, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers (CCBs), nitrates, phenylephrine, and phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors. If you have heart disease or any other health issue or are currently taking medication, check with your doctor before taking a hawthorn berry product or any other hawthorn supplement.

It is also important to note that heart failure is a very serious health condition. It is best not to treat yourself with hawthorn supplements if you suffer from this problem.

Conclusion:

Hawthorn  berry is best known as a cardiotonic herb. This basically means it can do wonderful things for the heart. Studies show that the small but powerful hawthorn berry is packed with health-boosting properties. These properties can help a number of chronic health problems, from high cholesterol to angina.

One of my favorite ways to start adding a moderate amount of hawthorn to your everyday life is to have a cup of hawthorn berry tea. Of course, you shouldn’t take heart problems lightly. And you should definitely speak to your doctor before adding hawthorn to your treatment plan.