What is special about the hawthorn tree?
Hawthorn has long been used as a hedging plant. Hawthorn is famed for its white, highly scented blossom. The species grows in woodland, scrub and hedgerows. The young leaves are edible. Hawthorn plants are found as thorny shrubs or small trees that have bright green leaves, white flowers, and red berries. Hawthorn fruit is used in Chinese traditional medicine to improve digestion, blood circulation, and to treat heart problems such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.Known as the “Heart Herb,” Hawthorn has deep roots in ancient traditions, where it was used to heal emotional wounds, ward off negativity, and open pathways to personal transformation.The hawthorn leaves, berries, flowers, and roots are used as medicine. They contain chemicals called flavonoids, which have antioxidant effects. Hawthorn also seems to improve blood circulation and affect blood flow from the heart.Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) It also has sharp thorns which can be dangerous, although not as severe as Blackthorn. Hawthorn berries are quite safe for your dog to eat and are used in herbal medicine as a tonic for the heart and was traditionally used to help with a number of heart problems.
What are the magical properties of hawthorn?
Magically Hawthorn symbolises protection and hope. It wards off evil spirits and protects against witches. They contain a chemical compound called triethylamine that has a fishy odor reminiscent of ammonia and is also produced by decaying flesh, creating an association with death. Amusingly, others believe that the smell of hawthorn is similar to the smell of sex.For this reason, you should only take hawthorn under the care of a healthcare provider. Children and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding shouldn’t use hawthorn. Note that hawthorn won’t stop an angina attack. You shouldn’t take hawthorn with other heart medicines.Hawthorns in Celtic countries are connected with the fairies. Fall asleep under a hawthorn tree, it is said, and you are likely to be kidnapped and taken to the underworld. There may be many reasons for this.It’s a sickly sweet aroma that some love and some hate, and we now know that it’s caused by the release of a chemical called trimethylamine. This is one of the first chemicals produced by a decomposing corpse, so it’s not surprising that people have long associated hawthorn with death.It was also traditionally used for topical (on the skin) purposes, such as for sores, itching, and frostbite. Today, hawthorn is promoted for the heart and blood vessels, weight loss, and for conditions like anxiety.
What does hawthorn taste like?
Hawthorn Berries have a unique flavor profile that is tart, slightly sweet, and mildly tangy, similar to overripe apples mixed with sour berries. Raw hawthorn berries have a tart, slightly sweet taste and make a great on-the-go snack. But try not to eat the seeds. Like apple seeds, they contain the toxin cyanide.The tartness is a giveaway that hawthorn berries should be cooked in some way if you’re going to eat them. My favorite way to use them is in a tea or soup.Hawthorn Berries have a unique flavor profile that is tart, slightly sweet, and mildly tangy, similar to overripe apples mixed with sour berries.To begin with, prepare your hawthorn berries by removing their stalks and rinsing them, then pour them into a pan and cover them water. Bring this to a boil for about 10 minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 hour, until the berries change colour and become tender.The haws themselves can be eaten just as they are, but they’re more of a novelty than a taste sensation. There are so many things you can do with hawthorn, though – from syrups to tinctures to jellies and more.
Why is hawthorn so powerful?
Antioxidant: Hawthorn’s berries are packed with flavonoids, which fight oxidative stress, protecting the cardiovascular system from free radicals that can lead to damage over time. Specifically, hawthorn possesses a wide range of biological actions relevant to the treatment of toxic hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Accordingly, hawthorn extracts can be developed as a major source of therapeutic agents for liver diseases.Hawthorn fruit is beneficial to the cardiovascular system, partially due to its effect on serum cholesterol. Previous reports showed that hawthorn decreased serum total cholesterol (TC),3 LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride (TG) in hyperlipidemic humans (5,8).These cells are also capable of antagonizing the production of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IFNγ), that induce secondary brain damage during stroke [34]. Therefore, Hawthorn extract not only improved anti-inflammatory response but also suppressed the proinflammatory immune response and secondary brain damage.Despite widespread use as an herbal supplement, hawthorn has not been implicated in cases of drug induced liver injury. Likelihood score: E (unlikely cause of clinically apparent liver injury).Side effects, toxicity, and interactions For this reason, you should only take hawthorn under the care of a healthcare provider. Children and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding shouldn’t use hawthorn. Note that hawthorn won’t stop an angina attack. You shouldn’t take hawthorn with other heart medicines.
What is hawthorn good for?
Hawthorn is a flowering shrub or tree of the rose family. It grows in temperate regions throughout the world. Hawthorn was traditionally used for heart disease, digestion, blood circulation, and kidney and bladder problems. Are hawthorn berries poisonous to humans? Hawthorn berries are not poisonous. However, the plant does contain a chemical called amygdalin, which can cause cyanide toxicity at high doses. A person should talk with a doctor for further advice before consuming hawthorn berries.While the small amount of flesh on the hawthorn berries is generally considered safe to consume, ingesting the seeds can potentially lead to cyanide poisoning, with symptoms including difficulty breathing, agitation, and even potentially fatal consequences in severe cases.Avoid using if you are allergic to hawthorn or plants in the hawthorn family. Also avoid using hawthorn if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, as little is known about its safety in these cases. Interactions. Hawthorn may increase the effect of certain drugs.All parts are considered safe. The berries are often edible, although the seeds should not be consumed. As with any plant, eating large amounts of Indian Hawthorn berries can cause mild intestinal upset and discomfort.
Can you eat the fruit from a hawthorn tree?
Whilst the haws are edible; they are notoriously sour and too tangy for most people straight off the plant (they can also cause an upset stomach when raw). The fruit of the hawthorn (called haws) is not poisonous, but the hard seeds inside the fleshy covering are. They actually contain a substance which changes to hydrogen cyanide in the small intestine. So, if you want to at some, spit out the seeds.