Woodruff is a popular all-purpose weapon in naturopathy. The herb is full of secondary plant substances and health-promoting components that can give us relief from many ailments. Find out here what makes woodruff so special.
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What you need to know about woodruff
When you hear “Waldmeister”, do you immediately have nostalgic childhood memories of sugar-sweet and bright green ice cream from the ice cream truck that drove through the neighborhood at the weekend, tinkling and ringing? So do we. But if you only know woodruff as a flavor for ice cream, you might be missing out on a real health herb. Because woodruff is mainly used as a natural medicinal herb. In naturopathy, teas made from woodruff or dried leaves are used to treat a whole range of different ailments, including:
- Gastrointestinal complaints
- liver and kidney disease
- urinary tract infections
- Venous diseases
- sleep disorders
- migraines and headaches
- cramps
- wound treatments
4 healthy effects of woodruff
1. Strong vessels thanks to coumarin
Coumarin is the secondary plant substance that gives woodruff its unmistakably aromatic smell. At the same time, the plant substance also has a blood-thinning effect. This is beneficial for blood vessel and vein health and can sometimes help relieve symptoms associated with migraines and headaches. However, you should not overdo it with the coumarin intake, because the positive effects quickly turn into the opposite and can trigger nausea and discomfort if the dosage is too high.
2. Woodruff balances digestion
Woodruff contains natural bitter substances . These chemical compounds are found in a wide range of foods. In addition to woodruff, Brussels sprouts and fennel also contain many such bitter substances. They activate the bitter taste receptors on our tongue, causing more saliva to be released reflexively, which stimulates the pre-digestion processes in the mouth. In the stomach and intestines, bitter substances stimulate blood circulation and boost digestion. A digestible woodruff tea after a hearty meal can help you with easier digestion and alleviate possible symptoms such as flatulence and a feeling of fullness.
3. Tannins in woodruff reduce inflammation
Tannins are better known as tannins. We hear particularly often about such tannins in red wine, black tea or green tea . Tannins are bitter acids that reflexively contract our mucous membranes. In addition to these effects that can be experienced directly, tannins, such as those contained in woodruff, also have positive effects on our health. The tannins in woodruff can have an anti-inflammatory effect. They are also antimicrobial, helping to naturally clear up infections.
4. Woodruff can relieve cramps
The natural bitter substances in woodruff not only stimulate digestion, they also have slight pain-relieving and antispasmodic effects. Woodruff teas and bowls with the aromatic medicinal plant can therefore also have a calming effect on abdominal pain and stomach problems. With Waldmeister, however, the following applies: less is more! The coumarin in the plant only has a positive effect on your health to a certain extent. If you consume too much woodruff and take in too much coumarin, headaches, nausea and discomfort can occur.
