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Burdock Root: The Little Known Plant with Lots of Benefits
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Burdock root is a completely natural herbal remedy that can offer a wide variety of health benefits. This herb has been used for centuries and is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine, but it’s little known here in America.
Burdock root comes from tuber of the greater burdock plant. This plant is a short biennial, native to Siberia and Northern Europe. In Japan it’s called gobo, and they have been cultivating it for hundreds of years. Burdock is an easy growing plant, very hardy plant that can be grown almost anywhere. Listen, it grows in Siberia, how hard can it be to grow?
There are four species of burdock but only greater burdock (Arctium Lappa) and lesser burdock (Arctium minus) are used for medicinal purposes. The roots of this plant get unearthed in the fall and then allowed to dry slowly for later use. Burdock root is very tasty as it resembles Jerusalem artichokes. Some people say it tastes like parsnips.
All parts of the plant, the roots, young shoots, seeds, and peeled stalks contain numerous antioxidants, disease preventing compounds. In traditional medicine, the seeds from this plant were pressed to make a compound that offered relief for everything from the common cold to measles, arthritis, and even throat pain. Herbalists use burdock root to treat snake bites as it has strong blood purifying agents and helps the body remove toxins.
Keep reading and see all the ways burdock root can benefit you.
1. High in Potassium
Burdock root is fairly high in potassium. 100 grams of this root contains 308mg of potassium while remaining very low in sodium. Potassium is important for lowering blood pressure and helping the body retain fluids that help control your heart rate as well.
SEE ALSO: The Health Benefits of Iodine
2. Blood Purifier
Burdock root has been used traditionally to purify the blood. This is one of the best blood purifiers in nature. It has diuretic compounds which expel toxins from the blood through urine.
3. Treats Skin Problems
This herb has also been used to treat skin problems such as psoriasis, extremely dry skin, even eczema.
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4. Dyspeptic Help
If you suffer from gas, bloating, and indigestion, burdock root is the answer to your prayers. It’s been used for many, many years to help digestive issues.
5. Helps Scalp Problems
The oil extracted from burdock root, often called Bur Oil, is used widely in Europe as an effective scalp treatment. It’s said to get rid of dandruff, dry, itchy scalp, and even prevent hair loss. Burdock oil is rich in essential fatty acids so it can also make hair stronger and shinier by helping the body maintain a healthy scalp.
6. Burn Treatment
The leaves from burdock plants can be used to help manage the pain, as well as speed up the recovery time needed for burn patients. Burdock leaves stop bacterial growth and act as a natural barrier against moisture loss.
7. Cancer Prevention
Burdock root is being used in oncology today for its cancer curing properties in Russia and India. Herbalists state that burdock root can stop cancer cells from metastasizing and preliminary research shows that it does have certain protective compounds that might explain its cancer fighting benefits.
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