Echinacea is a flowering plant that is also commonly referred to as “cone flower.” They grow mostly in North America and boast brightly colored flowers during the summer. Historically, Echinacea was a staple medicinal plant for the American Indians who found it useful in a wide variety of healing uses, likely due to chemical compounds contained in the plant such as phenols, cichoric acid, caftaric acid, alkylamides and more. The trend continued into the 20th century where Echinacea was used for everything from snake bites to anthrax. Echinacea tea benefits are widely known, and a brew made from the edible flowers remains one of the most popular herbal remedies today.
The flavor of Echinacea lends itself well to being combined with other herbs and spices. However, a simple Echinacea tea recipe requires little more than two cups of boiling water and a teaspoon of the dried flower, brought to a boil and then steeped for ten to fifteen minutes before straining. Herbal tea recipes including Echinacea often incorporate flavors like ginger, and a teaspoon of the root grated can be added to the blend. The resulting brew can be flavored with fresh lemon juice and honey, for a tasty and soothing warm beverage. Echinacea tea benefits are most commonly associated with the common cold, but there are numerous others, ten of which are highlighted below!
1. Common Colds
Though research is slightly conflicting on the effectiveness of Echinacea on the common cold, it’s thought that the plant is useful in this regard because it boosts the activity of infection fighting cells within the body. This may be why Echinacea tea benefits are thought to include shortening the duration of the common cold, although it’s not thought necessarily as curative.
2. Reducing Inflammation
Reducing pain is one of the oldest uses for the plant, and it’s pain relieving properties may have something to do with the chemical compounds found inside that may help reduce inflammation. Inflammation is a source of pain in many conditions, and even the common cold can cause inflammation in some people, furthering the herb’s use in this regard.
3. Cancer Prevention
One of the more freshly debated uses for Echinacea is preventing cancer, a topic which certainly will require much more research in the coming years. The theory behind this use amongst echinacea tea benefits relates to the plant’s contained chemicals that might boost the body’s production of interferon, a purported component to the way a body responds to cancer. The herb has also been associated with reducing the symptoms associated with cancer treatment, although this use is still largely un-researched.
4. Vaginal Yeast Infections
There are compounds in Echinacea that may directly target and kill various bacteria and fungi, and this has led to the plant’s use as a treatment for vaginal yeast infections. In fact, the plant was thought to be so useful in terms of fighting bacteria and fungus, that it only was removed from the US Formulary list in 1950 in favor of more effective designed pharmaceuticals.
5. Urinary Tract Infections
The bacteria fighting abilities of the plant are what are responsible for most Echinacea tea benefits being related to killing foreign invaders within the body, including those responsible for causing infections of the urinary tract.
6. Genital Herpes
Shockingly enough, Echinacea tea benefits may include treating or reducing the symptoms of certain sexually transmitted disease, most notably genital herpes. It’s worth noting that there is no scientific evidence to support this claim, and that nobody should ever rely on herbal remedies to treat seriously contagious conditions like herpes in lieu of medicine, however the notion that an herbal remedy might reduce the symptoms of an otherwise uncomfortable condition is somewhat promising.
7. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
This rather newly identified condition is characterized by extreme fatigue and tiredness. It’s also one non-infection related ailment that is thought to potentially be linked to Echinacea tea benefits, which may include some reduction in symptoms for the condition.
8. Migraines
Nobody is quite sure just how it is that the petals of the brightly colored plant may positively impact persons with migraines; however, it’s remained an alternative remedy for the long lasting and painful headaches for decades, despite the lack of scientific evidence to support its use.
9. Rheumatism
It may be the inflammation reducing properties of Echinacea that have led to its use in rheumatism, although much more research will be needed in order to determine if there is any medical basis behind this.
10. Warts
Perhaps one of the most interesting uses of the plant is for the remedy of warts growing on the skin. Although externally applied for numerous conditions, Echinacea tea benefits where the contained chemical compounds are ingested orally are thought to be useful in this regard as well. Perhaps it’s the tendency of Echinacea to fight off foreign invaders that led to its use in this application. Though there have been few actual studies conducted, wart removal is certainly one of the more thought provoking uses for the popular North American native.
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