The beneficial properties of safflower honey, oil and tea
Content:
- Useful properties of safflower
- Safflower tea
- Safflower oil applications
- Planting and caring for safflower
- Contraindications to the use of safflower
Safflower is a plant belonging to the Astrovye family. This plant is ancient, it was used in Ancient Egypt for the mummification of the pharaohs. Also dyeing safflower is called wild or American saffron, dyeing thistle. Most often, safflower is an annual plant, a two-year life cycle is rarely observed.
Safflower can be up to 1.5 meters long, although there are very small plants that do not exceed 40 cm in height. The grass stem is straight and has a white glossy color. The leaves are large, oblong with solid edges, bordered with thorns. Flowers are orange or deep yellow, tubular. The safflower fruit is represented by an oval white achene.
Safflower grows like a weed, but it is also grown as a cultivated plant. In Russia, the herb is found in the Caucasus, Crimea, Kherson, Kursk and other regions. Safflower is actively cultivated in Spain, Egypt, China, Africa and America.
Useful properties of safflower
The beneficial properties of safflower are due to the chemical composition of the flowers and seeds of the plant. So, the flowers contain chalcone glycosides, among which: cardamidine, cartamine, isocartamine. The seeds, in turn, contain 60% fatty oils.
Safflower is used in the pharmaceutical industry, as the herb has a number of medicinal properties:
- Safflower herb decoction is used to relieve chronic constipation. It improves intestinal motility, helps to normalize its microflora.
- It is recommended to use safflower infusion as an auxiliary treatment for erosive and ulcerative lesions of the stomach and intestines. The remedy can be used for gastritis, as well as for various forms of hepatitis.
-
Safflower has a diuretic effect. In this regard, it is recommended to use it both for general cleansing of the body from toxins and other decay products, and for the treatment of diseases of the urinary system. Safflower-based infusions and decoctions help to get rid of edema.
- Through the use of safflower, blood circulation in the body can be improved. The plant has the ability to thin the blood, which is the treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis, heart attack, stroke.
- Safflower is used as a prophylactic agent for the threat of psoriasis and malignant tumors. The substances included in its composition contribute to the normalization of metabolic processes in the body, cleanse the liver and kidneys from decay products, and have antitoxic properties.
- It is recommended to use safflower to treat gynecological diseases, to normalize the menstrual cycle, and amenorrhea in adolescence. Safflower is able to relax smooth muscles, it is recommended as an adjuvant for heavy bleeding during menopause, with prolonged postpartum bleeding.
-
As part of complex therapy, safflower is used to get rid of endocrine pathologies. In particular, safflower oil helps to get rid of extra pounds faster, which is especially important in diabetes.
- Infusion and decoction of safflower helps to relieve the rheumatic pains characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis. Moreover, decoctions and infusions based on plant flowers can be taken orally and used externally.
- The body's immune defenses are enhanced, the immune response normalizes with the proper use of safflower-based medicines.
So, safflower is used for medicinal purposes to achieve a diuretic, choleretic, laxative, blood-thinning effect.
The beneficial properties of safflower used in the food industry. Safflower flowers are widely used to obtain a red, yellow, saffron-colored dye that is bladeless for human health. The coloring matter is kartamine. Dyes are used in the food industry, they are added mainly to confectionery products to give them the desired color. Safflower oil is used to make margarine. Its flowers are used to make medicinal tea.
Useful properties of safflower used in cosmetology. For the cosmetic industry, safflower oil is of particular value. It consists mainly of linoleic acid, which has a moisturizing effect, nourishes and strengthens the skin, and enhances its blood circulation.
Safflower honey properties
Safflower is not considered a melliferous plant, so it should be planted with other melliferous plants. Flowers appear from mid-summer and bloom until the end of August. If conditions are favorable, then from 5 hectares of safflower, bees can produce up to 2.5 kg of honey every day.
The properties of safflower honey are as follows:
- Honey contains a significant amount of potassium and iodine, slightly less sodium, manganese, copper, calcium, phosphorus, selenium and other minerals. Amino acids, enzymes, proteins, dextrins, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin PP, B vitamins are present in safflower honey. In addition, it contains fatty acids: palmitic, lauric, arachidonic, oleic and others.
- Safflower honey is used in cosmetology and medicine, masks and applications are made from it for scabies, dermatitis, rosacea, burns, psoriasis, and lichen. honey helps prevent age-related changes in the skin, prevents its aging, has a tonic effect.
- Masks based on safflower honey are useful for hair and scalp. They improve hair nutrition, make it smoother and shinier. As part of complex therapy, safflower honey allows you to fight hair loss.
- Inside, honey is taken not only as a delicacy, but also as a prophylaxis for diseases such as thrombophlebitis, arterial hypertension, heart attack, stroke, amenorrhea, endometritis, gastritis, gastric ulcer and intestinal ulcer, enterocolitis.
- Compresses with honey help with arthritis, helping to reduce pain, relieve inflammation.
- The use of natural safflower honey will help in the treatment of angina, laryngitis, pharyngitis, bronchitis. It is advisable to take it orally for the treatment of any colds. If honey is mixed with warm milk, then you can get a mild analgesic effect of a sore throat. In addition, honey has a bactericidal and mucolytic effect.
- To maintain immunity, it is useful to drink a glass of water with honey diluted in it (2 teaspoons per glass) every morning on an empty stomach. You can enrich this immune-boosting drink with lemon juice. Such a useful habit will have a positive effect on metabolism, metabolism will normalize, it will be possible to improve appetite, and reduce swelling.
- If you take safflower honey before bedtime, you can get rid of insomnia, reduce the negative impact on the psyche of stress, and more effectively relieve nervous tension.
Safflower honey should be purchased only from trusted manufacturers who value their reputation and will not allow spoiling it by releasing a fake. You shouldn't choose honey for its bright orange color, as freshly pumped safflower honey has a transparent consistency and a slight yellow tint when viewed in the sun. Solidified safflower honey has a fat-like consistency and a light yellow color.
Safflower tea
Safflower tea is brewed from the flowers of the plant. Its long-term use contributes to the provision of a pronounced diuretic effect, and so strong that a person is able to experience the urge to urinate with an empty bladder. In this case, you should stop drinking tea for two weeks.
It is recommended to drink safflower tea for heart failure, anemia, numbness of the upper and lower extremities. If you drink tea for six months, you can get rid of the manifestations of these diseases, according to Chinese traditional medicine.
Safflower tea benefits:
- Normalization of the digestion process;
- Prevention and treatment of gastritis, ulcers, hepatitis C;
- Improving the nutrition of the skin;
- Cleansing the liver and kidneys;
- Pain relieving effect;
- Blood thinning;
- Elimination of the consequences of the suffered strokes;
- Normalization of blood pressure;
- Improving overall tone.
Store safflower tea in a cool, dark place. It should not be brewed with other teas. To prepare a drink, you will need to place a quarter of a teaspoon of tea in a cup and pour boiling water over it. The time for tea to brew is from 20 minutes to half an hour. After that, the drink is filtered and drunk. It's good to have a cup of safflower tea at night. Nevertheless, in the daytime, the benefits of tea will be invaluable: in addition to all the above properties, it works as an intestinal antiseptic, effectively destroys pathogenic bacteria entering it from the outside.
Another option for safflower tea is safflower water. It is an effective treatment for psoriasis. This requires that some of the safflower is always present in drinking water. To prepare it, you will need 4 liters of boiled water, to which a teaspoon of dry raw materials is added. Then the resulting composition is boiled for several minutes, cooled, filtered and put into the refrigerator. Drink at least 4 glasses of this water a day.
Safflower oil applications
Safflower oil is extracted from the seeds of the plant by cold pressing. It contains about 80% linoleic acid, which is useful for humans, but is not synthesized by the body itself. In addition, the oil also contains other beneficial acids.
Safflower oil application:
- Ingestion of oil can improve appetite, reduce blood cholesterol levels. This is an excellent prevention of atherosclerosis.
- The oil is a source of not only useful acids, but also vitamin E, vitamin K.
- Use safflower oil to shed those extra pounds. The decomposition of subcutaneous fat occurs due to the action of the conjugated form of linoleic acid.
- Safflower oil is used as a mild laxative when taken orally.
- The oil works as an antioxidant when applied to the skin. It is ideal for treating dry, sensitive skin, softening and moisturizing it. The oil retains moisture inside the epidermis, regulates the hydrolipidic balance of the skin.
- The oil, when used topically, is able to eliminate capillary pattern and rosacea, improve skin color. At the same time, it acts systemically, influencing the cause of the problem.
- Safflower oil is used as a sunscreen.
- Apply oil to care for thin, dry hair. It allows you to renew their structure, restore their strength, shine and beauty.
- The oil can be used in cooking for the preparation of any dishes: sauces, salads, dressings, side dishes, etc. You can bake and fry on its basis.
Safflower oil is used as follows:
- In pure form, or as an additive to balsam and shampoos (a tablespoon of oil per 100 ml of the product) for hair improvement;
- As a base for a night cream for dry skin care;
- To improve the properties of cosmetics (10-20% oil from the total volume of the selected product);
- As an additive to anti-aging cosmetics (up to 25% of the total volume of the selected product);
- As a base oil for massage;
- As a basis for applications in the treatment of rosacea.
Planting and caring for safflower
Planting and caring for safflower is not difficult. The plant is not demanding on the soil, is not afraid of weeds, it can be planted after any cultivated plants that have grown in this place earlier. Nevertheless, the next time safflower can be sown in the same place only after five years.
The soil should be prepared in advance, in the fall. At the same time, it is necessary to apply nitrogen fertilizers, which safflower prefers. It will be necessary to harrow and dig up the soil not only in the autumn, but also in the spring, before planting.
Before introducing seeds into open ground, they are etched using a weak solution of potassium permanganate. This must be done a month before sowing. You can sow seeds as early as April. The plant is resistant to frost. The distance between the rows should be at least 50 cm. The first shoots can be seen 7-14 days after planting, and the plant will begin to bloom after 2 months.
The plant has a strong root system, so it tolerates drought well. Safflower should be watered no more than once a week, it is best to do this in the evening hours. A condition for good growth of safflower is the absence of weeds. Weeding and loosening should be carried out at a time when the first 4 leaves appear. Spraying the grass is not recommended. You can feed the safflower with a manure solution. No further special processing is required.
Harvesting should be done after it is fully ripe. Safflower is resistant to diseases and pests, so it's easy to grow. The collected grass is dried and stored in a dark, well-ventilated area.
Contraindications to the use of safflower
Contraindications to the use of safflower are as follows:
- A history of uterine bleeding. To stop uterine bleeding, safflower can be used only after consultation with a doctor and under his supervision.
- The period of gestation. The use of safflower during pregnancy threatens with miscarriage and premature birth, since the substances that make up the plant are able to relax the smooth muscles of the uterus.
- Chronic diseases that require the systematic administration of drugs.
- Gastrointestinal disorders, diarrhea. The fact is that safflower has the property of increasing intestinal peristalsis, which, in case of diarrhea, can lead to dehydration.
- Individual intolerance to plant components.
The author of the article: Sokolova Nina Vladimirovna | Phytotherapist
Education: Diploma in "General Medicine" and "Therapy" received at the Pirogov University (2005 and 2006). Advanced training at the Department of Phytotherapy at the Peoples' Friendship University of Moscow (2008).
