Linden Leaves 100 g, 50 g, 25 g

Linden Leaves – 100 g ($18.99), 50 g ($11.99), 25 g ($7.99)

Benefits:
Inflammation  Chronic inflammation can contribute to the development of many conditions, including type 2 diabetes and cancer. Antioxidants are compounds that help fight inflammation, potentially lowering your risk of disease. Flavonoids are a type of antioxidant in Tilia flowers, whereas tiliroside, quercetin, and kaempferol are specifically associated with linden buds. Tiliroside is a potent antioxidant that acts by scavenging free radicals in your body. Free radicals can cause oxidative damage, which can lead to inflammation. Kaempferol may fight inflammation as well. Plus, some studies show that it may provide cancer-fighting properties.

Pain  Chronic pain affects millions of people around the world. In 2016, 20% of U.S. adults experienced it. Interestingly, some of the antioxidants in linden tea may ease pain.

One study found giving 45.5 mg of tiliroside per pound (100 mg per kg) of body weight to mice with swollen paws reduced swelling and pain by nearly 27% and 31%, respectively. Another 8-week study in 50 women with rheumatoid arthritis, which is characterized by painful and stiff joints, found that supplementing with 500 mg of quercetin, an antioxidant in linden tea, significantly improved pain symptoms and markers of inflammation.

However, keep in mind that 500 mg of quercetin is a lot. Adults in the United States consume 10 mg of this antioxidant daily, on average, though this number varies greatly depending on your diet, with 80 mg per day being considered a high intake. The amount of quercetin or other flavonoids in linden tea differs greatly depending on the brand and the proportions of buds, leaves, and bark. It is important to know how much of these antioxidants you may be getting in the linden you’re considering. It makes the difference between not getting enough to be effective or too much

Diuretic and Fever Effects  The inner bark of the Tilia tree has been associated with diuretic and diaphoretic (anti-fever) effects. A diuretic is a substance that encourages your body to excrete more fluid, while a diaphoretic is a substance that’s used to cool a fever by encouraging sweat. Linden tea has been used in folk medicine to promote sweating and productive coughs when a minor illness like a cold takes hold. In Germany, 1–2 cups (235–470 ml) of linden tea at bedtime is approved for use as a sweat-promoting infusion in adults and children over 12 years old.

These effects may be caused by the combination of its plant compounds, specifically quercetin, kaempferol, and p-coumaric acid. At this time, scientific evidence directly linking linden tea and its chemical properties to diuretic effects is insufficient. The bulk of the available data regarding this association is anecdotal, though it spans back to the Middle Ages. Thus, this purported health benefit warrants further investigation.

Blood Pressure  Some of the plant components in linden tea, such as tiliroside, rutoside, and chlorogenic acid, are thought to lower blood pressure.

One mouse study found that tiliroside, an antioxidant in linden tea, affected calcium channels in the heart. Calcium plays a role in your heart’s muscular contractions. Mice were injected with doses of 0.45, 2.3, and 4.5 mg of the antioxidant per pound (1, 5, and 10 mg per kg) of body weight. As a response, systolic blood pressure (the top number of a reading) decreased. This may help explain why linden tea has been used to reduce blood pressure in folk medicine. Yet, this effect is not yet fully understood and needs further scientific investigation.

Sleep and Relaxation  Its steeped sweet flowers have been used in folk medicine to promote relaxation and relieve symptoms of anxiety, and some studies seem to support these claims.

One mouse study found that extracts from the buds of Tilia tomentosa, a kind of linden tree, had strong sedative properties. Researchers concluded that this linden extract mimicked the activity of gaba-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a brain chemical that inhibits excitability in the human nervous system.

Thus, linden tea may promote relaxation by acting like GABA. Still, more research is needed to learn exactly how this happens (2Trusted Source). Sleep quality and duration significantly affect your health. Linden tea is readily used in folk medicine to promote sleep. Its plant compounds have strong sedative properties, which may encourage relaxation that leads to sleep. One mouse study found that extracts from Mexican Tilia trees caused sedation. Researchers believe that the extract depressed the central nervous system, causing drowsiness.

Digestion  Like any hot tea, linden tea delivers gentle heat and hydration. Both soothe your digestive tract, as water can help food move through your intestines. Folk medicine touts the use of linden tea in times of stomach discomfort. In one small study in children with antibiotic-resistant diarrhea, tiliroside showed potent antibacterial properties. While this antioxidant was extracted from a different flower, it’s found in linden tea as well.

Botanical Name: Tilia europaea
English: Linden
Also, known as: Lime Tree, Basswood, Small-leaved Lime, Common Lime, and European Linden
Habitat: Europe, South Asia
Origin: Pakistan
Harvested: Wild
Parts Used: Leaves and Flower

General Information:
Tilia europaea, commonly called European linden, is a hybrid cross between two native European lindens, Tilia cordata, and Tilia platyphyllos. It is perhaps most like its Tilia platyphyllos parent. Linden is also known as a lime tree and basswood.

The tree grows to a height of about 30-40 meters and has clusters of fragrant yellow-white flowers, followed by green fruits. The leaves are heart-shaped, dark green on the upside, the underside is a little yellowish-green. Leaf buds are red, with one small scale and one large scale, resembling a boxing glove, and form on long leaf stalks. The leaves are 3-6-inch-long and 2.5-5 inch wide. Fall colour is an undistinguished pale green to pale yellow. The flowers are white yellow, five-petalled, form cymes with up to 10 flowers and have a drooping habit. The hanging cymes are up to 5-7 cm long. The flowers smell strong. Limes are hermaphrodite, meaning both the male and female reproductive parts are contained within one flower. When a tree is in full bloom, bees often visit in such abundant numbers that humming can be heard many feet from the tree. The fruits are green spherical nutlets, once pollinated by insects, they develop into round-oval, slightly ribbed fruits, with a pointed tip. The bark is pale grey-brown and irregularly ridged, with characteristic large burrs and leaf shoots at the base of the tree. Twigs are slender and brown, although they become red in the sun.

 

How to use:
We make these suggestions to help you get the best benefit from the herbs that you’re choosing to improve your health. Also we make these ideas and recommendations so that consuming them easier and better fit into your lifestyle by adding them to the food that you already eat.
For the full health benefit, it is best to consume (or use the whole herb in poultices) the whole herb. All of the compounds in the herb act best together, as nature intends. Extracts draw out the most prominent beneficial compounds and may concentrate them. What is not extracted can be helpful in ways that we do not yet understand.

Cut Pieces or Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use cut pieces or powdered herb.
Food Preparation: You can add powdered or pieces of herb (if the pieces you buy are bigger than you like, a coffee or herb grinder will quickly reduce) to any yogurt, smoothie, apple or other sauces, spreads, salads or other foods more familiar to you that don’t use heat. Heat can be damaging to the beneficial compounds in the herb. Other options like oatmeal, scrambled eggs, pasta sauce, soup, cookies and anything else that fits your lifestyle, but minimizing (by adding near the end of cooking) the heat is helpful.
Also, for children, you can mix powdered herb with honey or glycerin to make paste. The thicker the paste, the more potent and herbal in taste. The sweet taste of honey and glycerin will help medicine go down. The resulting liquid is called an electuary.
For seeds in general, but especially small seeds, it’s best to grind these to break the protective hulls a short time before consumption. This makes all the benefits available, rather than some remaining locked inside the hulls that are unbroken by insufficient chewing.
To make adding herbs even easier, you could add a week’s worth of your chosen herb(s) to an amount of, for example, yogurt that you would eat in a week. Mix thoroughly and eat this each day of the week. So you make once /week and just eat each other day.
Hot Infusion: The basic method for dried herbs and flower is, take 2-3 tablespoons of dried herb in a cup or teapot. Pour hot water over it and cover it with lid for 10-30 minutes. The heat from making tea can degrade some of the beneficial compounds in the herb. This method minimizes this effect. For the full health benefit, it is recommended to consume what is left over after making tea.
Decoctions: Decoctions are suitable for roots, barks, large seeds & berries, and other dense material. The simple way to make decoction is, in a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of dried herbs to 1 cup of water, Bring the water to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes with the pot covered. Squeeze out as much as liquid as possible. Best practice is to drink the liquid and also consume the solid material that remains. Herb pieces can also be used.
Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use powdered herb.
Capsules: HerbsCrafters makes capsules guaranteed to be filled with the pure herb with no filler or any other products. You can also use powdered herb to make your own capsules at home. These capsules are best taken with liquid to aid in digestion and absorption and to ensure it doesn’t stick in your throat.
Poultice: Poultice can be made with an herbal powder and liquid (mostly water) to form a paste which is then applied to the skin. This method is very helpful for skin conditions.
Herbal shot: Powdered herb can be mixed with water, fruit juice or other liquid to make herbal shot.

Tips:
You can sweeten your herbal decoctions with bit of honey, natural fruit juice, stevia leaves powder or licorice root powder.

Precautions:
You should consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
All information on this website is for educational purpose ONLY.
This information has not been evaluated by Health Canada.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.