Hawthorn Berry Tea using Hawthorn Berry Leaves

Hawthorn berry tea can be made from the leaves, the berries, and even the flowers. Let's talk about making hawthornberry tea from the leaves.

How do I make hawthorn berry tea from loose hawthorn berry tea leaves? 

Most of us are familiar with making tea with tea in bags, but maybe you haven't made tea with loose leaves before. This can be done in several ways. One way to make hawthorn berry tea with loose leaves is to simply put them in your cup and pour hot water over them. Allow the tea to stand and then drink, without stirring or swishing your tea so that the leaves aren't stirred up.

Use a diffuser, tea bag or basket infuser for your hawthorn berry tea leaves. A diffuser is a device made specifically for brewing loose tea leaves. You can buy a tea ball online (just do a google search for "tea ball" and you'll find them). You can put the hawthorn berry leaves inside the tea ball by opening the ball (it usually opens in half, and latches shut for steeping). You can also purchase bags for inserting the hawthorn berry tea into, much like the commercial tea we're used to having when we drink black tea. Finally, like a coffee maker, there are infusers you can purchase that will hold tea leaves while you pour hot water over them, which allows the tea water to filter into the cup or vessel below.

 

Enjoy! :)

Hawthorn berries lowers high blood pressure

As with many herbs, there have been a limited amount of studies conducted to conclude with absolute certainty that Hawthorn Berries can help lower high blood pressure. Many people believe that the benefits of hawthorn berry in treating heart disease leads us to logically conclude that hawthorn berry can also serve to treat high blood pressure.

That said, hawthorn berries shouldn't be included as a supplement for those who have low blood pressure. As hawthorn berries can lower blood pressure, taking the supplement when you already have low blood pressure is pretty obviously not a good idea. Lowering your blood pressure further can lead to problems such as fainting. 

As with any supplement, you should consult your health professional before starting any herbal regimen, to make sure hawthorn berries are right for you.

Hawthorn Berries prevent heart failure

There have been a number of studies that show that hawthorn greatly improves heart function. Hawthorn berries aid with the symptoms of the disease, like shortness of breath and fatigue.  One study found that hawthorn extract was as effective as low doses of a prescription heart medication, in improving symptoms of heart failure.

A large study found that a standardized hawthorn supplement was effective in patients with heart failure, and compared conventional methods of treating heart failure with hawthorn alone and in addition to the drugs. After 2 years, symptoms of heart failure, like shortness of breath, palpitations and fatigue, decreased significantly in the patients taking a hawthorn berry supplement. People taking hawthorn also took less conventional medication for their condition. 

Hawthorn Berry Side Effects

Hawthorn is believed to be safe to use over a long period of time. Hawthorn is a non-toxic herb that doesn't build up in the body over time, and isn't believed to lead to dependence. It's important to use caution when using Hawthorn if you have low blood pressure, since it has hypotensive qualities and can decrease blood pressure even further, which may cause fainting.

As with any medicine, you should consult a trusted medical professional before taking Hawthorn Berry or other supplements, especially if you are pregnant or nursing, or have low blood pressure.

Hawthorn Berry Benefits

Hawthorn berry has been clinically proven to help prevent heart disease and also helps to control high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Hawthorn berries have also been used on the skin as a healing agent for boils and skin sores. Not only are the berries of hawthorn theraputic, but the flowers and leaves have healing properties as well.  Hawthorn is known for it's positive affect on people with circulatory conditions and cardiac problems.


Hawthorn is believed to be beneficial for these conditions:

• Angina - to give relief from the pain 
• Mild congestive heart failure - to increase blood flow through coronary arteries and incrase cardiac output.
• Arrhythmia (irregular heart beat) - to stabilize heartbeat
• High blood pressure - to lower blood pressure
• Nervous Heart Disorders (palpitations) - as a seditive to calm the nervous system in turn calming palpitations
• Heart Weakness - to restore and support heart function 
• Improve concentration - because hawthorn berries are believed to improve circulation, it's believed to encourage concentration and memory functions

What does a hawthorn berry look like?

You can find hawthorn berries on the bush after the flowers have faded.The flower from the hawthorn bush provide a tasty nectar for many bugs, and the bushes themselves are relied on by birds as a place of shelter. In the winter, many birds enjoy hawthorn berries, and by eating them, help spread the seeds and plant new ones. :)

The berries are usually red when they ripen, but can also be black. Here are some pictures of what red hawthorn berries look like:

And actually, although we call hawthorn berries "berries", they are technically "poms" (like apples and pears). Whatever we call them, one thing is clear - hawthorn berries are as beautiful as they are beneficial for wildlife, and for people!

Here are some early season hawthorn berries that still have green leaves.

What is hawthorn berry?

Hawthorn berries come from a bush that is a member of the rose family, and flowers a little earlier than roses do in early summer. Hawthorn bushes flower in white, red or pink clusters. Hawthorn berries develop and grow after the flowers fade.

Hawthorn berry comes in both capsules and liquid extracts. There are also tinctures and solid extracts of hawthorn berries. Hawthorn tea is a bitter tasting tea made from dried hawthorn leaves, flowers and berries.