Sheep Sorrel Herb 100 g, 50 g, 25 g

Sheep Sorrel Herb – 100 g ($16.99), 50 g ($10.99), 25 g ($6.99)

Benefits:
Nutrients and Compounds
Sorrel is especially high in vitamin C, a water-soluble vitamin that fights inflammation and plays a key role in immune function (3). It’s also high in fiber, which can promote regularity, increase feelings of fullness, and help stabilize blood sugar levels (4).

Additionally, it’s loaded with magnesium, a mineral that’s essential for bone and heart health (5). This herb’s leaves are chock-full of healthy nutrients. Just one cup (133 grams) of sorrel contains:

• Calories: 29
• Total Carbohydrates: 4.3 g
• Fiber: 3.9 g
• Sugar: 0 g
• Total Fat: 0.9 g
• Saturated Fat: g
• Polyunsaturated Fat: g
• Monounsaturated Fat: g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Protein: 2.7 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 0 mg (0% DV*)
• Vitamin C: 63.8 g (71% DV)
• Magnesium: 137 mg (33% DV)
• Vitamin A: 266 mcg (30% DV)
• Manganese: 0.5 mg (20% DV)
• Copper: 0.2 mg (19% DV)
• Iron: 3.2 mg (18% DV)
• Potassium: 519 mg (11% DV)
• Vitamin B6: 0.2 mg (10% DV)
• Riboflavin: 0.1 mg (10% DV)
• Phosphorus: 84 mg (7% DV)
• Calcium: 59 mg (5% DV)

*Daily Value: Percentages are based on a diet of 2,000 calories a day.

Antioxidants  Sorrel is a great source of antioxidants, which are beneficial compounds that protect your cells from damage by neutralizing harmful free radicals. Antioxidants may help prevent many chronic conditions, including heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes (6). In particular, studies show that sorrel is rich in the following antioxidants (7):

• phenolic acids
• flavonoids
• triterpenes
• carotenoids
• anthraquinones
• naphthalenes
• stilbenoids

One test-tube study compared the antioxidant properties of 10 plant extracts and found that red sorrel exhibited the highest antioxidant activity (8). Another test-tube study showed that Rumex hastatus, a specific species of sorrel, scavenged harmful free radicals. This indicates that it might be useful in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease (9).

Cancer  Although research in humans is lacking, some test-tube and animal studies have found that sorrel may block the growth and spread of certain types of cancer cells.

For instance, a test-tube study showed that several species of sorrel killed breast, cervical, and skin cancer cells (10).

Furthermore, in one study in rats with leukemia, a mixture containing sorrel extract and other ingredients like greater burdock, slippery elm, and Chinese rhubarb prevented weight loss and improved white blood cell levels (11). Still, more studies are needed to determine how sorrel may affect cancer growth in humans when consumed as part of a balanced diet.

Sorrel’s high vitamin A and vitamin C content makes it excellent for the immune system, which means it can possibly benefit cancer, among other immune-based ailments. The variety of sorrel known as sheep sorrel is one of four ingredients in the herbal cancer treatment, Essiac tea. Sheep sorrel has been known about for over a hundred years as a cancer-fighting herb and is believed to be “the main cancer-killing herb” in Essiac.

Heart  Animal research suggests that sorrel may improve several aspects of heart health.

In one study in rats, sorrel extract was shown to modify certain pathways involved in platelet aggregation — the process in which platelets in your blood clump together — to decrease blood clot formation (12). Other animal studies have also found that sorrel extract could help dilate blood vessels to prevent high blood pressure (13, 14)

Lastly, sorrel is rich in fiber and antioxidants, both of which promote heart health (15, 16). Human studies on sorrel and heart health are lacking. More research is needed to explore this green’s effect on human heart health.

Reduces Mucus  Sorrel has a drying effect on the body, which makes its consumption an excellent natural way to reduce mucus production. The reason why it’s so good at reducing mucus is because it contains tannins, which you might be familiar with if you’re a tea drinker. Tannins are astringent, polyphenolic compounds that can be found in some plants. If you have any issue that involves an overproduction of mucus, such as the common cold, then sorrel can help reduce that mucus and get you feeling better even faster!

Sinus Infections  Sorrel is commonly used to help reduce inflammation and pain that accompanies sinusitis, more commonly referred to as a sinus infection. As a high-antioxidant herb, especially its high vitamin C content, it’s awesome at reducing swelling and providing pain relief, which are both key when it comes to sinus infections.

Canker Sores  Fresh sorrel leaves can actually be used as a natural remedy to soothe canker sores. Simply take a fresh leaf and hold it against your canker sore for about a minute. You can repeat as needed. This is such a quick, easy and natural way to relieve canker sores.

Blood Pressure  Sorrel’s significant potassium content is nothing less than outstanding when it comes to human health. Potassium is an essential mineral that we should consume on a daily basis. It’s not only a vasodilator, but it’s also key to maintaining fluid balance throughout the entire body.

By consuming potassium-rich foods like this beneficial herb, you can reduce stress on your heart and entire cardiovascular system by relaxing the arteries and blood vessels. This results in lower blood pressure, which decreases the chances of dangerous health complications like blood clots and heart disease.

Sheep Sorrel Compared to Red Clover

You may confuse this herb with red clover — they share some characteristics, but are different.

Sheep Sorrel

• Helps naturally treat cancer
• Enhances the flow of urine
• Treats fevers and inflammation
• Remedies kidney and urinary tract diseases
• Remedies intestinal parasites
• Helps variety of digestive problems
• Has a cooling effect on the liver
• Contains tannins, which reduce mucus production

Red Clover

• Helps prevent cancer
• Relieves indigestion
• Reduces high cholesterol
• Treats coughs
• Remedies asthma & bronchitis
• Treats symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases
• Contains isoflavones that are changed in the body to phytoestrogens, which are similar to the hormone estrogen

Botanical Name: Rumex acetosella
English: Sheep Sorrel
Ayurvedic: Chukrikaa, Chuko
Also, known as: Meadow Sorrow, Sour grass, Red Top Sorrel, Wood Sour, Sour Trefoil, Stickwort, Fairy bells, Hallelujah, Cuckowes meat, Three-leaved Grass, Surelle stubwort, Gowke-meat, Pain de Coucou, Seamsog, Iuliole, Hammaaz, Shaaka-turshak, Tursh, Jangali Paalak.
Origin: Hungary/Albania
Harvested: Wild
Parts Used: Flower, Leaves, Stems

General Information:
Sheep sorrel plant introduced from Europe and now widely distributed in North America. Sorrel is a name applied to several unrelated plants having in their leaves an acid sap that gives them a sour flavor.

It is a low perennial, sprouting from slender running rootstocks, and has red pigment in root, inflorescences, and often in leaves, which are halberd to linear-shaped. The plants are one-sexed and either pollen or seed-bearing. It is a little plant of a far more delicate, even dainty character, growing abundantly in woods and shady places. From its slender, irregular creeping rootstock covered with red scales, it sends up thin delicate leaves, each composed of three heart-shaped leaflets, a beautiful, bright green above, but of a purplish hue on their under surface, If roots are planted in a moist, shady border, they will multiply freely, and if kept clean from weeds will thrive and need no other care.

Botanical Name: Hydrangea Arborescens
English: Hydrangea Root
Also, known as: Sevenbark, Wild Hydrangea and Smoothed Hydrangea
Habitat: North America
Origin: USA
Harvested: Wild or cultivated
Parts Used: Root

General Information:
Hydrangea arborescens, is a small to medium-sized, loosely and widely branched deciduous shrub deciduous grows up to 6 feet tall, commonly known as smooth hydrangea or wild hydrangea. Gray-brown stems are clad with opposite, wide oval-shaped to rounded, sharply toothed, dark green leaves with pale green undersides. Leaves are 2-5-inch-long, opposite, serrated, ovate, and deciduous, heart-shaped, and deeply veined leaves hug the main stem and turn yellow in fall. White flowers grow in rounded clusters in late spring to midsummer. The flower colour of this species is not affected by soil like other Hydrangeas. The stem bark has a peculiar tendency to peel off in several successive thin layers with different colours, hence the common name “sevenbark”

 

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 leaves the rest of the herb behind. What is extracted may also be concentrated. What is not extracted remains in the solid material and is disposed of. This solid material contains part of the overall benefit that the plant provides.

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.

How Much To Use
It is common that 10g of a fresh herb = 1g when dehydrated.
Recommended daily amount: ½ -1 tsp of sheep sorrel (1-3 g)/use, up to 3 times/day. This can be added to food or drink.