14 Amazing Health Benefits Of Burdock Root
Have you heard about the burdock root? It’s also referred to as Arctium, gobo, or just plain burdock.
Did you know that the burdock root has some amazing health benefits? If it sounds like an exotic ingredient, I do not blame you. The awareness regarding burdock root is limited.
However, when you consider the number of benefits that it provides, it is severely underestimated.
My aim with this article is to increase awareness about the health benefits of burdock root and help you understand why to include it in your diet in one form or the other.
1. Burdock Root Is A Good Source Of Different Nutrients
You can get fiber and protein from eating burdock root.
Amongst the minerals, you can get calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium.
You also get vitamins B, C, E, K, and choline.
2. May Help Lower Blood Cholesterol Levels
Because burdock root has good amounts of fiber, it’s said that it can help reduce your blood cholesterol levels.
Different studies suggest a relationship between having a high-fiber diet and having improved blood cholesterol levels.
3. Burdock Root Is An Antioxidant Powerhouse
If you have been researching healthy ingredients to include in your diet, by now, you would know that antioxidants are beneficial for our body. Most exotic ingredients, fruits, and vegetables are filled with such antioxidants.
What about burdock root?
The good news is that burdock root is an antioxidant powerhouse. It consists of multiple types of antioxidants like:
If you analyze your regular diet, you will find that there are only a handful of ingredients that consist of even a single type of antioxidant. That is why burdock root is certainly as beneficial as it can get.
An amazing fruit with also tons of antioxidants is mangosteen. You can learn more about mangosteen health benefits here.
4. May Enhance Your Sexual Health
Burdock root is considered by some to be an aphrodisiac.
According to “Effect of aqueous extract of Arctium lappa L. (burdock) roots on the sexual behavior of male rats,” burdock roots have an aphrodisiac on male rats.
The extracts from this plant enhanced the sexual functions and sexual behavior of the lab rats.
More research should still be done if it’s significantly effective for humans, however, there are several anecdotal claims that it is effective.
5. Burdock Root Flushes Out The Toxins
Toxins in our body can cause a variety of problems. These can range from reducing your metabolic activity, increasing weight, and affecting your digestive system negatively. That is why detoxification is a necessity these days.
Burdock root, fortunately, detoxifies your body and blood. It removes toxins from the bloodstream. As a result, the distribution of nutrition in your body increases significantly.
It is also a diuretic. This means that it promotes urination which is one form of excreting toxins and water waste out of your body.
With this single ingredient, you can cleanse your entire body. The elimination of toxins from the body leads to multiple benefits which help burdock root stand out among other beneficial ingredients.
6. May Help Manage Diabetes
Some research suggests that burdock roots have antidiabetic activity.
A study (Effects of arctiin on streptozotocin-induced diabetic retinopathy in Sprague-Dawley rats) conducted on rats showed that dried seeds from the burdock have a bioactive compound called Arctiin that has antidiabetic effects.
7. Burdock Root Enhances Blood Circulation
Burdock root can enhance the blood circulation in the body. It means that if up until now, body organs were not getting proper nutrients; now, it will be a problem of the past.
Also, with enhanced blood circulation, your energy levels will go up as well. If at all, your body needs healing in any part that will speed up as well. As a result, the response of the body to any ailment is swift and effective.
8. Has Anti-inflammatory Properties
Burdock root has anti-inflammatory properties that can be beneficial to people suffering from arthritis.
Based on this study (Effects of Arctium lappa L. (Burdock) root tea on inflammatory status and oxidative stress), drinking burdock root tea helped improve the inflammatory status and oxidative stress in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
9. Burdock Root Has Many Skin Benefits
Any exotic ingredient without skin benefits might not be that appealing after all. Fortunately, the burdock root does not disappoint you in this regard.
It can help you treat various skin conditions like:
Due to anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, it can benefit your skin in more ways than one. It can even help you with topical acne.
It accelerates the healing process of the skin, which is why the process of replacing the dead skin cells with fresh ones is accelerated. As a result, it has anti-aging properties as well.
Whichever way you look at it, it can certainly benefit your skin in more ways than one.
10. Has Antibacterial Qualities
For centuries, burdock root has been used to treat and prevent infections.
It’s been used to fight the common cold and sore throat.
Research suggests that burdock root has antibacterial qualities that are effective in killing biofilms. Biofilms are those large sticky colonies of bacteria.
An example of a biofilm is oral plaque that causes cavities.
11. Burdock Root Keeps Blood Pressure In Check
Lifestyle diseases are the harsh reality these days. Most people suffer from problems like blood pressure. One of the burdock root benefits is that it can help you keep the blood pressure in check.
The contents of the burdock root include potassium. Potassium can help you reduce tension and stress. It also relaxes the blood vessels and arteries. As a result, it can bring down your blood pressure readings to the normal level.
As it can help you relax your cardiovascular system, it also reduces the probability of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiac problems.
It also relaxes your mind by relieving you of stress. As a result, it has a calming effect due to which it is slowly but steadily becoming more popular as a beneficial ingredient.
12. Boosts Immunity
The nutrients you get from eating burdock root can help boost your body’s immune system.
Vitamins C and E in this plant can act as antioxidants in your body.
As mentioned earlier, antioxidants help your body fight free radicals that can cause many kinds of diseases.
13. Burdock Root Aids In Digestion
Burdock root consists of fiber in ample amounts. What better than fiber to aid your digestive system?
The high concentration of fiber means that the bowel functionality gets enhanced. It also allows food to pass through smoothly in the intestines. It stimulates metabolic activity and leads to better digestive power.
It can relieve you from many digestive problems like:
The fiber present in the burdock root is Inulin. It is a soluble prebiotic fiber. It reduces gut inflammation. Moreover, it reduces the harmful bacteria present in your digestive system.
As a result, problems like diarrhea and gastrointestinal infections get reduced. In general, it can help you treat a lot of issues related to your digestive system. It is your one-stop solution for digestive problems.
14. May Help Solve Your Hair Problems
The oils from burdock roots have been used to treat different hair problems.
People claim that burdock root oil helps treat dry scalp which in turn promotes hair growth and reduces hair fall at the same time.
Conclusion
As you can see, the benefits of burdock root are numerous. What are you waiting for? If ever there is an ingredient, worthy of the Superfood status, it is this one.
The anti-inflammatory properties of burdock root are the best health benefit of burdock root on the list for me.
Which one is yours?
Since burdock root has many health benefits, maybe it is time to think about including burdock root in your diet so that you can get all these benefits.
Please be advised that you should always consult a certified medical health practitioner before consuming any such ingredient. These ingredients are not necessarily a replacement for your medication.
Don’t forget to share this article with someone you think may find it valuable.
Thank you!
Originally published at https://pangbenta.com on August 27, 2019.
