If you don’t know yellow root (or yellowroot) very well, you’re in for a surprise. It’s not actually a plant, but a common name for two medicinal plants named, well, Hydrastis Canadensis and Xanthorhiza Simplicissima. In this article, we’ll mostly go over yellow root tea benefits, but also the benefits of these two plants.
What Is Yellow Root
So as we’ve mentioned, yellow root isn’t an actual plant, but a common name for two other plants. These plants contain berberine, which gives their roots a yellow color, hence the name.
Hydrastis Canadensis is more commonly known as Goldenseal. It’s native to Canada and the United States and has very well known health benefits. It’s often referred to as a “natural antibiotic”, it can help treat the common cold, respiratory and sinus infections, indigestion, and more.
Xanthorhiza Simplicissima is the more common type of yellow root. It’s anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiprotozoan, antifungal, and anti-viral. That’s a lot of anti.
The Cherokee would use it for treating sore throats and sore mouths, as well as hemorrhoids and sore eyes (topically). This is the so-called traditional yellow root tea, with centuries of history dating back to the Indigenous people of America.
Now let’s exactly what benefits yellow root tea has to offer.
Yellow Root Tea Benefits
Topical Healer
So we’ll start with the oddest benefit, as you wouldn’t expect it from a tea precisely. You can use yellow root tea as a topical treatment. It’s useful for minor burns, inflammations, irritations, and healing cuts (which are already closed).
This is one of the ways in which the indigenous people used it, and it can be credited to yellow root’s anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiprotozoan and antifungal properties.
Fights Inflammations
Yellow root tea’s strong anti-inflammatory properties help in many different ways throughout the body. It can ease arthritis and rheumatism, relieve allergies, asthma, the flu and the common cold.
And it’s also commonly used to treat digestive disorders, urinary tract infections, and respiratory inflammations.
Aids Digestion
It’s one of its most popular traditional uses. Yellow root tea benefits the digestive system with the multitude of “anti-properties” that help keep the entire digestive system healthy.
It’s also known to relieve constipation, increase bile flow, and heal internal hemorrhoids.
Lowers Cholesterol
One study done in 2006 showed that yellow root tea lowers LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglyceride levels. That can be attributed to the berberine which we’ve mentioned at the beginning of this article.
It’s a chemical found in many plants, and it is well known for aiding high cholesterol patients.
Lowers Blood Sugar Levels
Another yellow root tea benefit that can be largely attributed to its berberine content is the ability to lower blood sugar levels. Although the effects are nothing dramatic, it’s a nice added benefit.
Blood Pressure
All of yellow root tea’s medicinal properties already provide aid to the circulatory system. Fighting inflammations, bacteria, lowering cholesterol, and more, makes sure things will work more smoothly.
But other than that, yellow root tea can actually affect and lower blood-pressure directly.
Conclusion
So these are the ways in which yellow root tea benefits the body. Did you find them interesting or useful? Are you going to try it next time you feel under the weather or have a skin inflammation? Let us know in the comments!
And if you’re looking for another unique and healthy tea, check out our article about blueberry tea benefits.