Banking on supplements to fill in any nutritional gaps in your daily diet is a recipe for subpar health. Instead, bank on some burdock root to help boost your immune system, promote optimal digestive health, and ensure radiant, healthy skin. Whether you munch on the earthy root, add it as a powder to green smoothies, or drink it as a detoxifying tea, is your choice—but taking advantage of some burdock root is a health tip not to miss out on!
Detox the Natural Way
Out with dangerous laxatives and restrictive detoxes, and in with an all-star herb that’s been used for centuries to ease sore throats, combat colds, and alleviate digestive problems. Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners use burdock root to cleanse the blood of toxins, and herbalists praise burdock root as a potent cancer fighter. Preliminary evidence suggests that burdock root may even keep cancer cells from metastasizing.
Burdock root is a bitter herb native to Europe and Northern Asia. Like other bitter herbs (dandelion and yellow dock) burdock root stimulates gastric secretions and bile production in the liver. The liver removes toxins and impurities from the blood, and bile is responsible for digesting fats and metabolizing hormones. By stimulating bile production, burdock root strengthens the liver, easing some of its heavy detox burden.
It’s all in the ingredients. Burdock root is packed with plant steroids that work in concert with the liver to metabolize hormones such as estrogen and restore hormone balance, thereby alleviating conditions like moodiness, anxiety, and weight gain.
Burdock root’s superstar nutrient is a dietary fiber called inulin. Inulin is top shelf food for the helpful microflora in your gut. You gut is made up of trillions of bacteria that keep your immune and digestive systems thriving. In fact, 80% of your immune system is made up of the diverse microbiota in your belly. Acting as food for your gut bacteria, inulin helps regulate inflammation and remove toxins from your body.
Burdock root is also a natural diuretic that removes not only excess water—say goodbye to bloating—but also eliminates toxins and acids from your liver and through your kidneys. In this manner, burdock root helps remedy rheumatic conditions like Gout and arthritis.
Detox Your Skin
Your skin also benefits from the detoxifying properties of burdock root. Bur oil, a burdock root extract, is a popular remedy for balding in Europe. Proponents say that the fatty acids and phytosterols in burdock root can improve your hair’s resiliency and even nip dandruff in the bud.
Burdock root is rich in antioxidants and boosts circulation to the skin when it is applied topically, thereby helping to detox the epidermal tissues.
Bring on the Burdock Root
Burdock root can be eaten similarly to a carrot—eaten raw, steamed, or sauteed. You can find it in the produce section sometimes disguised with the name “Gobo root.”
If the flavor doesn’t satisfy, get your dose of burdock as a powder or tincture…or sip burdock root tea for convenience and ease.
Like all herbs, burdock root is potent and can interact with other herbs and medications. Discuss taking any type of burdock root supplement with your health care practitioner.
