Echinacea is an herb exclusively found in eastern and central North America where it is more commonly known as Coneflower. The root of the formal term comes from the Greek term echino, which means spiny or spiky, an accurate way to describe the center of the flowers. The flowers themselves come in a plethora of colors ranging from rose white to pale purple. The center disks can be red, yellow, green or any combinations of these colors. Echinacea was used as an herbal remedy by Native Americans for hundreds and hundreds of years for anything from disease prevention to maximizing recuperation and promoting health. These days it is more commonly consumed as a beverage.
Tea is typically used to describe the agricultural products of the camellia sinensis plant and the aromatic beverages produced from it by curing and boiling its leaves. Though the term is used informally today to describe any beverage produced by boiling a plant, the proper way to refer to these beverages is as infusions. Since the Echinacea plant and the carmellia sinensis plant are completely different species, Echinacea tea is actually an Echinacea infusion. This infusion is typically made by boiling combinations of the leaves, stems flowers and roots of the herb for a period of time until the herb's natural properties have been transferred into the water.
Consuming Echinacea infusion provides a great many of health benefits. As with any herbal remedy, however, one must be able to separate between what it has been proven to provide and what it is believed to provide. Among the proven benefits of Echinacea infusions, we can find that:
Echinacea has been found to not only reduce the likelihood of catching a cold by more than fifty percent but to also shorten the duration of the common cold in the system by an average of one and a half days. Not only will it make you less likely to catch a cold but it will minimize the length of the effects if you do catch it.
Echinacea has a mild soothing effect, which can help minimize the pain from a sore throat and upset stomachs.
Echinacea has antimicrobial properties.
Echinacea has analgesic properties, helping relieve minor pains, aches and headaches.
Among the claims that have not been scientifically proven (but are not necessarily false) we can find that:
Echinacea serves as an immunostimulator, strengthening the body's immune system.
Echinacea can help maximize the benefits of cancer and syphilis treatments.
Echinacea can minimize the effects of hemorrhoids, diphtheria and certain fevers.
Echinacea can be used as a treatment for septicaemia (blood poisoning), treating both the inflammation and the infection.
While the positive effects of Echinacea infusion are certainly eye opening, one must keep in mind that the consequences of long-term Echinacea consumption are unknown. It is recommended by medical groups that it not be consumed by children ages 1-12 because while specific risks have not been discovered the positive effects of its consumption are not so overwhelming to as to warrant the possibility. They also recommend that children under the age of 1 and pregnant mothers do not consume it under any circumstances as it could theoretically have adverse effects on the child's immune system.
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Echinacea is an herb exclusively found in eastern and central North America where it is more commonly known as Coneflower. The root of the formal term comes from the Greek term echino, which means spiny or spiky, an accurate way to describe the center of the flowers. The flowers themselves come in a plethora of colors ranging from rose white to pale purple. The center disks can be red, yellow, green or any combinations of these colors. Echinacea was used as an herbal remedy by Native Americans for hundreds and hundreds of years for anything from disease prevention to maximizing recuperation and promoting health. These days it is more commonly consumed as a beverage.
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