Potential Health Benefits of the Meadowsweet Plant

Learn the potential health benefits of the meadowsweet plant.

While modern science has deemed some historic health practices as unpopular (such as medicinal leeches for bloodletting therapy), other natural-based, traditional remedies are still used in modern medicine as much as they were thousands of years ago. One such helpful herb, the meadowsweet plant, has been harvested and valued by herbalists, housewives, and brewers for centuries. Keep reading to learn more about the meadowsweet plant and the potential health benefits it contains.

The vitamins and medicines of today come to us in bottles and jars, purchased from local health food stores or trusted natural health retailers online. Today, we can easily click online or drive to a pharmacy to pick up our wellness products, but our ancestors obtained medicine and herbal support in an entirely different way. Rather than driving or clicking, they headed to their gardens and to the fields surrounding their villages to gather plants and herbs for medicinal formulations. That’s where the meadowsweet plant was likely to be found.

What Is the Meadowsweet Plant?

If you’ve ever been on a nature walk and spotted a tall wildflower with green leaves and a white or pink blossom, odds are it was meadowsweet. It grows both wild and tended across Europe and North America and has a pleasing aroma in addition to its beautiful blooms.

Ancient Druids prized meadowsweet as one of their most valuable herbs, and royalty would use meadowsweet for its pleasing aroma. Most importantly, herbalists have been using meadowsweet from centuries to ease inflammation, headaches, upset stomach, and pain. Interesting enough, some of the first aspirin-related substances were created using dried meadowsweet for its methyl salicylic acid component.

Growing the Meadowsweet Plant in Your Home Garden

Meadowsweet is a zone hardy perennial that will bring beauty to your garden and potential health benefits to your medicine cabinet. It is a member of the rose family but not nearly as tricky to grow as conventional roses. It does well in moist climates alongside rivers and water features. The fresh leaves can be used in fruit salads and sorbets, and the plant can be dried to create a helpful, headache-busting tea.

Potential Benefits of the Meadowsweet Plant

Today, the supplements created from the meadowsweet plant are often used to temporarily relieve headache discomfort, support respiratory function, and promote healthy digestion. The phenolic compounds in meadowsweet plant contain antipyretic, analgesic, astringent, and anti-rheumatic properties.

A pharmacological study out of Ireland showed that “activity of meadowsweet extracts provide support of the traditional use of this plant in the treatment of different inflammatory conditions.” The plant also contains trace amounts of salicylates, which could have a similar effect to aspirin. Due to its astringent properties, meadowsweet is also commonly found in skin care and beauty products.

Try These Meadowsweet Plant Products

Are you sold on the potential benefits of the meadowsweet plant? If so, Natural Healthy Concepts encourages you to check out these meadowsweet products.

Inflamma Response from Herb Pharm is formulated to support a healthy internal response using the goodness of meadowsweet, turmeric rhizome, chamomile, and licorice root.

Promote a healthy immune response for your kids during seasonal health challenges with Kids Immune Avenger from Herb Pharm. Each alcohol-free drop contains meadowsweet, echinacea, elderberry, hyssop, ginger, horseradish, thyme, and cinnamon to give your kids the boost they need to ward off bugs and germs.

If you want to try a daily meadowsweet supplement, check out Meadowsweet 250 mg from Solaray. These vegan capsules may provide temporary relief from occasional pain and support a healthy immune response to elevated temperatures.

Have you tried meadowsweet plant supplements to naturally support health and wellness? Leave your questions and comments for our team below.