Have you heard of sorrel? It’s a unique perennial herb used the world over due to its many uses and benefits. It has a sharp and tangy taste that makes it a popular herb to use in food. But it can also help your health.
There are quite a few different varieties of sorrel that are grown in several regions of the world. Different varieties have minorly different characteristics and benefits, but overall they are pretty similar.
Sorrel contains high amounts of oxalic acid which can be poisonous. As such, your sorrel intake needs to be regulated. But in small quantities, intaking sorrel is harmless and beneficial.
Let’s take a look at some of the health benefits of sorrel.
1. Sorrel is a Digestive Aid
There’s a lot of dietary fiber contained in sorrel. This will improve your digestive health when you add sorrel leaves into your salads and soups.
Dietary fiber works to add “bulk” to your food as it gets processed through your digestive system. This improves overall gastrointestinal health and reduces symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, cramping and bloating.
Dietary fiber also helps reduce the body’s cholesterol levels which improves heart health while reducing the chance of strokes, heart attacks, and atherosclerosis.
2. Sorrel Helps Regular Blood Pressure
Just one cup of sorrel contains about 15% of your required daily potassium intake. Getting enough potassium is essential for overall good health.
Potassium helps maintain healthy fluid balances within the body. This reduces the stress on our cardiovascular systems by relaxing arteries and blood vessels.
When arteries and blood vessels are relaxed, it lowers blood pressure and reduces excessive strain on the heart and the potential for developing dangerous blood clots.
3. Sorrel Improves Vision
Sorrel also contains vitamin A, which is an essential vitamin shown to improve vision while reducing cataracts and macular degeneration.
Beta-carotene is an antioxidant and is a direct derivative of vitamin A. When beta-carotene combines with your body’s other antioxidant compounds, it boosts eye health and helps prevent eye degradation that comes with age.
4. Sorrel Boosts Energy and Circulation
Sorrel has high iron levels that help prevent anemia (iron deficiency) by boosting the production of red blood cells.
It also increases circulation throughout the body, which boosts overall oxygen levels in vital organs, increases energy, speeds up hair growth, and makes the healing process faster when you’re injured.
5. Sorrel Treats Skin Conditions
There are a couple of ways to treat skin conditions with sorrel leaves. When you dry out the leaves like an herb, they can be eaten. When consumed, they help reduce dry, itchy skin and can even treat the symptoms of ringworm.
When you grind up fresh leaves, the extracted liquid can be applied topically to areas of skin irritation or infection. Sorrel’s skin healing properties are linked directly to the high levels of vitamins A and C contained in the leaves, as well as additional nutraceuticals within it.
Discover the Health Benefits of Sorrel
If you’ve never tried sorrel, you’re missing out on the many health benefits it brings to the table.
Just remember to limit intake and not overdo it.