5 Possible Health Benefits Of Chanca Piedra

It seems like every other day we hear about some of the other new herb or seed that can magically have many benefits for our physical well-being. They are popular because of their versatile nature- just sprinkle them on any salad or mix them in your morning smoothie and you are good to go. These are packed with nutrients and vitamins that your body needs. One such new name we hear is Chanca Piedra.

# Cure for kidney stone problems

Another name for Chanca Piedra is “stone-breaker” so you can understand! Chanca Piedra is alkaline in nature, which can help in preventing the formation of kidney stones, which are acidic in nature. Also, the common alternative, potassium citrate, which is the over-the-counter medicine prescribed for this purpose, is more expensive than Chanca Piedra. A study conducted by the Brazilian Society of Urology states that out of 56 people who took Chanca Piedra (4.5 grams of it) every day for 12 weeks showed a reduction in the size of their kidney stones. It also helps in regularizing urination and stopping kidney problems from developing.

# Prevention of stomach ulcer

Test-tube samples have shown how Chanca Piedra can kill the bacteria and acids that cause stomach ulcers over a period of time. However, no conclusive studies have been found which can confirm that chia piedra definitively stops the formation of stomach ulcers in the form of oral supplements. In test tubes, the concentration of the Chanca Piedra would be very strong, but this can’t be true for oral supplements taken by human beings. However, Chanca Piedra’s alkaline nature should help.

# Helps in managing high blood sugar

Again there are conflicting opinions on this because there is not enough research to prove that Chanca Piedra can definitively reduce blood sugar levels, but the high antioxidant content in Chanca Piedra can probably reduce the degree of high blood sugar.

# Prevention of gall stones

Gallstones are made of excess cholesterol mostly, and sometimes due to excess bilirubin or excess calcium. They can cause great difficulty by causing vomiting, indigestion, nausea, stomach ache and sometimes even major and serious complications. There are no definitive studies to show that excess cholesterol can be reduced by Chanca Piedra seeds, but they do help according to age old Ayurveda science.

# Reducing the chances of liver diseases

Free radicals can build up lots of unhealthy damage to your body if they continue to be produced unchecked. The anti-oxidant content in Chanca Piedra is very high, which destroys excess free radicals and keeps your liver very healthy. Hepatitis B anti-inflammatory viral infection of the liver which can be life-threatening if not treated well. The antiviral properties and the dense antioxidant content can control liver damage. However, there are not enough scientific studies just yet to prove this.