Sumac 100 g, 50 g, 25 g

Sumac Berries – 100 g ($12.99), 50 g ($8.99), 25 g ($6.99)

Benefits:
Nutrients and Compounds
Like other healing herbs and spices, sumac spice is low in calories but high in vitamin C and provides a burst of important antioxidants to help fight disease and optimize health. In particular, sumac is high in polyphenols and flavonoids, such as gallic acid, methyl gallate, kaempferol and quercetin. It also contains tannins, which act as antioxidants and may even have anticancer properties as well.

The medicinal properties of sumac have been recognized for thousands of years, particularly in regions like South Asia and the Middle East, where sumac was commonly grown. In holistic medicine, it has been used to treat a variety of ailments, ranging from asthma to diarrhea and colds. The fruit is also sometimes used as a natural diuretic to help promote proper elimination and detoxification.

1 tablespoon of sumac contains:

• 0.4g Total Fat
• 0.1g Saturated Fat
• 0.2g Polyunsaturated Fat
• 0.1g Monounsaturated Fat
• 77mg Sodium
• 1.3g Total Carbohydrates
• 0.9g Dietary Fibre
• 0.2g Sugars
• 0.4g Protein
• 8.9mg Calcium
• 0.5mg Iron
• 52.7mg Potassium

Antioxidants  Antioxidants are powerful compounds that help fight free radicals to prevent cell damage and protect against chronic disease. Some research even suggests that antioxidants may reduce the risk of serious conditions like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. (5) Sumac is a concentrated source of antioxidants, which can help neutralize free radicals and keep your body healthy. (6) In fact, one 2015 animal model showed that sumac was effective at reducing diabetes complications in rats, largely thanks to its antioxidant content. (7) Sumac is demonstrated to have strong antioxidant properties. Free radicals are unstable chemicals that can harm cells in the body and contribute to the onset of diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Antioxidants are substances that work to protect the body from this damage by free radicals. The antioxidant properties of a handful of the compounds present in sumac include gallic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol. Sumac may also aid in the control or treatment of a number of clinical disorders, including skin injuries, myopathies, obesity, and being overweight.¹

The majority of sumac’s antioxidant capability and therapeutic properties are assumed to be mostly associated with the tannins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids that it contains. Sumac’s strong pigmentation and colouring abilities are due to the highly coveted red pigments produced by hydroxyphenyl proanthocyanins and other anthocyanins, which are pigments found in plants and fruit that have strong antioxidant properties. Studies have also shown that sumac with high tannin content have been shown to improve the nutritional value of animal products like milk and meat.

Blood Sugar  High blood sugar can take a real toll on many aspects of health. In the short term, it can cause symptoms like fatigue, headaches, frequent urination and increased thirst. Over time, sustaining high levels of blood sugar has even more serious consequences, including nerve damage, kidney problems and impaired wound healing.

Some research shows that sumac may help maintain normal blood sugar levels. In one study, 41 people with diabetes were given either three grams of sumac spice or a placebo daily for a three-month period. At the end of the study, sumac spice was found to decrease blood sugar levels by 13 percent and even led to an improvement in overall blood sugar control. (1) It may also help prevent insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone responsible for transporting sugar from the bloodstream to the tissues, so when blood sugar levels are consistently high, insulin levels remain spiked. This causes the body to become resistant to its effects, resulting in impaired blood sugar control. According to a study published in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, sumac spice may be effective at lowering insulin levels to prevent insulin resistance and stabilize blood sugar. (2)

Sumac can also help lower blood sugar levels and can aid in preventing insulin resistance, which worsens blood sugar regulation. Giving diabetic patients 3g of sumac a day for 3 months was found to be beneficial in lowering blood sugar levels as well as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.¹² In a separate study, researchers looked at how sumac affected the levels of lipids and blood sugar in diabetic rats. According to the findings, rats’ lipid parameters and blood glucose levels were both dramatically improved by sumac extract.  Before taking any supplements or making any dietary changes to control your blood sugar levels, it’s also crucial to speak with a healthcare professional.

Cholesterol  High cholesterol is one of the biggest risk factors for heart disease. Cholesterol can build up inside the arteries, causing them to narrow and harden, placing strain on the heart muscle and making it harder to push blood through. Although research is currently mostly limited to animal models, studies suggest that sumac benefits heart health by lowering cholesterol to reduce the risk of heart disease. According to a study conducted by the Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran, sumac was able to reduce both triglyceride and cholesterol levels in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet. (3) Another study had similar findings, showing that administering a combination of sumac and ginger to hens caused a significant decrease in cholesterol levels. (4)

Sumac can decrease cholesterol because of its high polyphenol and flavonoid content. One of the main risk factors for heart disease is high cholesterol. The arteries can become narrowed and hardened as a result of cholesterol buildup, which puts a strain on the heart muscle and makes it difficult to pump blood.

In a 2018 study, the effects of sumac on the lipid profile and antioxidant status in diabetic rats were examined. The findings suggested that rats supplied with sumac had lower total cholesterol levels and higher antioxidant activity.¹⁰ A further investigation of the effects of sumac on lipid profiles and inflammatory markers in overweight and obese people found sumac supplementation dramatically decreased LDL cholesterol levels, which is known as the bad cholesterol in the body, while also improving other lipid metrics.¹¹ This shows that sumac spice could lower cholesterol levels in individuals and might be beneficial within the diet.

Bone Loss  Osteoporosis is a common condition characterized by weak, brittle bones caused by bone loss and an increased risk of fracture. The risk of osteoporosis steadily increases with age, and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 25 percent of women over 65 have osteoporosis in the femur, neck and lumbar spine. (8)

Although research is still very limited on the potential effects of sumac on bone health, one study did find some promising results. A 2015 animal study published in the Journal of Applied Oral Science showed that administering sumac extract to rats altered the balance of several specific proteins involved in bone metabolism, resulting in decreased bone loss. (9)

Muscle Pain  If you suffer from chronic muscle aches and pain, switching up your spice cabinet may be able to help. In fact, one study showed that sumac juice, derived from the same plant as sumac spice, was able to help reduce muscle pain during aerobic exercise in healthy adults. (10) Its rich antioxidant content means it may also reduce inflammation to provide even more pain relief. Not only does inflammation contribute to disease development and play a central role in several autoimmune conditions, but studies also show that inflammation may be involved in pain regulation as well. (11)

Anti Inflammatory  Sumac’s anti-inflammatory properties make it a viable spice for people with ongoing inflammatory disorders like arthritis as well as for maintaining overall health. Furthermore, sumac has been used as an old-folk herbal remedy to treat a variety of inflammatory diseases. A study carried out in 2021 had found that sumac could be used as a potential treatment for COVID-19 infection due to its ability to reduce inflammation.³ 

According to a 2016 study, sumac dramatically reduced inflammation in mice that had ear edema or swelling brought on by croton oil. They hypothesized that sumac’s anti-inflammatory properties may result from its capacity to prevent certain inflammatory processes from becoming activated.⁴ Another study found sumac was able to ease gastric diseases caused by inflammation of the gastric epithelium, which is the lining of the stomach.⁵

Anti Microbial  Sumac has promising anti-microbial properties that could prevent and treat various bacterial infections. A 2011 study looked into the antimicrobial activity of sumac against Helicobacter pylori; a bacteria linked to stomach cancer and gastric ulcers. Sumac was found to be favoured as a natural remedy for conditions caused by Helicobacter pylori after researchers discovered that it had the ability to stop the growth of the bacteria. Sumac can also be used as a disinfectant because an ethanol extract of the Sumac herb was tested for anti-microbial activity against a variety of bacterial strains, including salmonella and E. coli. The results revealed that the sumac extract could be used as a disinfectant because it effectively eliminated bacterial strains as well as be used to treat bacterial infections.¹

Digestion  Sumac has traditionally been eaten to help aid digestion and improve gut health as it is rich in fibre. Due to its anti-inflammatory effects in the gut, sumac has also been found to help with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).⁷ However, there is still more research required to fully understand the effects of sumac on digestive health.

Cancer Fighting   There has been some evidence to suggest that sumac has some potential cancer-fighting properties. This is because sumac contains substances such as gallic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol that have been proven to have anti-cancer activities. Sumac has also demonstrated anti-tumour properties on colon cancer cells. Researchers have found that sumac’s potent antioxidant and flavonoid content may be the cause of its anti-cancer effects. Sumac can, therefore, have some cancer-fighting effects due to its active bioactive compounds.

Botanical Name : Rhus glabra
English: Smooth Sumach,
Also, known as: Indian Salt, Scarlet Sumach, Mountain, Sumach, Dwarf Sumach, Upland sumach
Habitat: Almost all parts of the United States and Canada
Origin: USA
Harvested: Wild
Parts Used: Fruit

General Information:
There are several species of sumac and care should be taken in their identification, as some are poisonous. But this, the blue Glabrum, may be easily distinguished by the colour, acidity of the berries and their appearance in cone-shaped bunches. R. glabrum is a shrub 8-15 ft. tall, consisting of many straggling branches covered with a pale grey bark, having occasionally a reddish tint. The leaves are alternate, consisting of from six to fifteen lanceolate, acuminate, shining and green above, whitish beneath, turning red in the autumn. When the green leaves or limbs are cut or broken, a milky juice exudes. The flowers are greenish-red on spikes followed by long bunches of hard, red down covered berries, extremely sour to the taste, which is due to malate of lime. They can be found growing in thickets and waste grounds of Canada and the United States, flowering June to July, the fruit maturing in September and October. The berries should be gathered before the rain washes away the acid properties which reside in their external, downy efflorescence.

 

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.

How Much To Use
It is common that 10g of a fresh herb = 1g when dehydrated.
Recommended daily amount: 1 -2 tsp of sumac (2-4 g)/day. This can be split into 2 or 3 uses and added to food or drink.