6 Amazing Benefits Of Hawthorn Berry On Health

Hawthorn berries, cultivated on shrubs and trees, share a botanical kinship with the beloved rose. Renowned for their medicinal prowess, these berries have been a staple in numerous herbal mixtures. Their tangy flavor, combined with a hint of sweetness, makes them versatile for various culinary uses. From enhancing salads to crafting jams or incorporating them into smoothies and juices, or even creating a delectable jelly with a touch of agar, these berries offer a spectrum of gastronomic possibilities. Embracing hawthorn berries in your diet opens doors to an array of health benefits worth exploring.

# Aids Digestion

Consuming hawthorn berry regularly can boost your digestive health. The berries and their extract have been in traditional medicine to ease digestive issues, particularly indigestion and stomach pain for centuries. They contain prebiotics, which feeds the healthy gut bacteria and are vital to maintaining digestive health and reducing constipation. One study, conducted in people with slow digestion, found that the time between bowel movements decreased by approximately 30 minutes with each additional gram of dietary fiber. Another study found that hawthorn extract dramatically increased the pace at which food moves through the digestive system which, in turn, alleviates indigestion. This extract was also found to protect against the development of stomach ulcers in a manner quite similar to that of anti-ulcer medications.

# Boosts Immune System Function

If you tend to fall sick very often, adding hawthorn berry to your diet might help. They contain antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that strengthen the immune system. One study, conducted in test tubes, found that hawthorn extract protected against Streptococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae, and even eliminated some of the harmful bacteria. A similar study found that the extract had moderate antibacterial potential against several bacteria, including Listeria monocytogenes, which causes foodborne illness.

# Lowers Inflammation

Short-term inflammation is a natural bodily response but chronic inflammation can lead to several diseases, including type 2 diabetes, asthma, and certain cancers. One study, conducted in mice with liver disease, hawthorn berry extract reduced levels of inflammatory compounds. In mice with asthma, it decreased inflammation enough to significantly reduce the symptoms of asthma. That said, further research is needed to fully understand this benefit, especially in humans.

# May Halt Hair Loss

Adding hawthorn berry to your hair-care routine might help reduce hair fall. One study, conducted in rats, found that hawthorn berry stimulated hair growth and increased the size of hair follicles, in turn promoting healthier hair. This could be attributed to its polyphenol (antioxidant) content. This could be why hawthorn berry is a common ingredient in commercial hair growth products. That said, human studies are needed to fully understand this benefit.

# May Lower Cholesterol And Triglyceride Levels

Research has found that hawthorn extract may improve blood fat levels and adding it to your diet can help you manage it. Imbalanced levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, especially high levels of the latter and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, can lead to plaque buildup in your blood vessels (atherosclerosis).11 And if this plaque continues to grow, it might completely block a blood vessel and lead to a heart attack or stroke. In one study, conducted in mice, those that were given different doses of hawthorn extract experienced lower total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels as well as 28–47% lower liver triglyceride levels when compared to that didn’t receive the extract. In a similar study, mice that were on a high-cholesterol diet experienced reduced total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides in the same way as the cholesterol-lowering drug simvastatin did. Despite these promising results, further studies are needed to fully assess and validate the effect of hawthorn extract on blood fats.

# May Lower Blood Pressure

Hawthorn berry has been used to treat high blood pressure in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. Studies conducted in animals and humans alike have found that hawthorn can relax constricted blood vessels and lowers blood pressure. One such study, conducted in 36 people with mildly elevated blood pressure levels, found that those taking 500 mg of hawthorn extract daily experienced a decrease in diastolic blood pressure. Those who didn’t take any showed no improvements. Another study, conducted in 79 people with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, noted that participants who took 1,200 mg of hawthorn extract daily had greater improvements in blood pressure than those who didn’t. That said, further research is needed to fully validate this benefit.