7 benefits and side effects of thistle

Do you know thistle that grows in clean mountainous areas and has a beautiful, subtle scent? It is hard to see in cities, but you can often see this plant in the countryside or in the mountains. Thistle has been used as a medicinal material since ancient times. It is considered an excellent medicinal herb not only in Korea but also in Japan. If you have any questions about thistle, see below.

What is thistle?

It is a perennial plant with a lot of fine white hair and thorns throughout. Flowers bloom from June to August and are purple in color. Habitats are distributed throughout the country, including mountains, fields, forest edges, and sunny areas. It also lives in Japan and northern China. Thistles live in open locations that bees and butterflies can access.

Climatically, it grows well in a continental climate. Thistle is derived from the word “big thorn” in pure Korean. It is said to be mentioned in Donguibogam. The root of thistle has long been used as a medicinal material. Or we cooked whole plants. It is also known as a nutritional food for pregnant roe deer in the wild.

Thistle benefits

1.Improvement of liver function

Thistle is responsible for boosting protein synthesis. This role helps with hepatitis caused by alcohol or viruses. It helps restore liver function and is said to be good for detoxification. In addition, it is said to be helpful for chronic fatigue.

2. Arthritis improvement

A domestic study proved that thistle is effective in treating arthritis. When injected into animals using thistle extract, it was said that it helped relieve inflammation by reducing nitric oxide, an inflammation-inducing substance. It is reported that thistle has an inhibitory effect on cartilage destruction, and also helps with joint pain and swelling.

3. Skin care

Thistle extract can also be found in cosmetics. It has skin whitening effect and is sometimes used as a whitening cosmetic ingredient. In addition, it is said to help with skin diseases such as atopy and boils.

4. Improvement of gastritis

An experiment conducted by the Rural Development Administration found that thistle can improve gastric inflammation. Drinking about 30 grams of tea a day or ingesting it as a powder can be expected to improve gastritis and stomach ulcers.

5. Diabetes

The ingredients in thistle are said to stimulate insulin secretion. It may also help relieve symptoms of diabetes by suppressing the rise in blood sugar.

6. Cancer prevention

Thistle contains silymarin. This ingredient inhibits cancer cells. It is said that it may help prevent cancer as it contains an antioxidant.

7. Milk Thistle

These days, many people know Milk Thistle, which is famous for improving liver function. Milk thistle is also called white-patterned thistle, and it is said that it has been eaten by mothers when milk is not available. In Europe, it is said that it has been used for liver health since 2,000 years ago. Milk thistle detoxifies, maintains the balance of hormones in the body, and is involved in fat digestion and bile production.

It has the effect of metabolizing alcohol, producing blood clotting substances, and regenerating damaged tissue, and is known to help improve immunity due to its high levels of vitamins and iron.

Thistle side effects

Thistle, which has various effects, also has side effects. If a person with a weak stomach consumes more than the recommended amount of thistle, symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting may occur.

How to take thistle

Thistle has many thorns, so it is used after removing the thorns. Usually, 20 grams of dried thistle in the shade is drunk in hot water for tea. When drinking tea, thistle may break, so use a strainer or tea kettle. Also, adding jujube or licorice makes it easier to take.

So far, we have learned a lot about thistle. It has various effects, but if you experience any side effects, stop taking it and consult a hospital. Have a happy day. Home