Benefits of Horsetail Herb:
Horsetail is rich in beneficial compounds that fight inflammation and infections, including:
– Vitamin C
– Thiamine (vitamin B1)
– Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
– Niacin (vitamin B3)
– Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5)
– Pyridoxine (vitamin B6)
– Folate
– Vitamin E
– Vitamin K
– Potassium
– Sodium
– Calcium
– Magnesium
– Iron
– Zinc
– Copper
– Phenolic compounds
– Silica
– Kynurenic acid
– Styrylpyrones
– Chlorophyll
1. Rich in Silica for Hair, Skin and Nails
As mentioned above, horsetail is one of the highest natural sources of silica. Silica is a nutrient known for boosting skin, hair and nail health (5), mainly because it is a key ingredient in collagen creation (a building block of your hair, skin and nails). In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, horsetail in combination with other ingredients increased hair growth, volume, and thickness in a group of 15 women with thinning hair.
2. Heals Wounds and Relieves Burns
Horsetail has been used since time immemorial to help heal wounds faster. Nicholas Culpepper, a seventeenth century English herbalist used horsetail juice or decoction as a remedy to stop bleeding, to treat ulcers, wounds, ruptures and inflammations of the skin.
3. Removes Heavy Metals from the Body
Heavy metals take a major toll on our body. They cause cancer, cause nervous system disorders (like Alzheimer’s and dementia), negatively affect the digestive tract, trigger autoimmune disease and so much more. Fortunately, horsetail helps our body get rid of them.
Horsetail is a well-documented and studied heavy metal chelation herb. Similar to cilantro, horsetail literally pulls heavy metals from the earth and helps remineralize the soil (11). It also does the same job in our bodies.
4. Reduces Inflammation
Horsetail is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. It’s no wonder this herb works wonders for those with degenerative joint disease like osteoarthritis. It does so by causing cells to produce less inflammatory markers like IL-2 and TNF alpha. The silica content also helps balance the immune effect in these cells (14).
5. Increases Relaxation and Sleep
The flavonoid isoquercetin in horsetail acts as a mild and safe sedative. It is also rich in calcium, which is a mineral responsible for soothing and calming the nerves. Drinking a cup of horsetail herb tea is said to restore health to your nervous system, helping reduce irritability, hyperactivity and even insomnia.
6. Strengthens the Bones
Because of its high silica content (a mineral needed for bone health), horsetail herb is beneficial for providing support to the bones.
Research has shown that silica stimulates osteoblasts (your bone-building cells) by increasing protein collagen synthesis. Collagen is a protein that provides the framework of your bones, while calcium and other minerals fill in and strengthen that framework. It also inhibits osteoclasts (your bone-resorbing cells) by directly discouraging bone resorption. Bone resorption happens when osteoclasts break down the tissue in bone and release the minerals (such as when someone consumes an acidic diet, and the body requires alkaline minerals in the bone to buffer the acidic pH in the body). However, we want those minerals to stay inside our bones – and silica helps achieve just that.
7. Fights Cancer
Horsetail herb has shown promise for treating cancers of the skin, blood and lungs.
One study investigated the antioxidative and antiproliferative properties of different horsetail extracts, and found that all extracts inhibited cancer cell growth, with the ethyl acetate extract exhibiting the most prominent antiproliferative effect, without inducing any cell growth stimulation on human tumor cell lines (20). The authors note that “horsetail extracts could be used as an easily accessibly source of natural antioxidants and as potential phytochemicals.”
To make a strong infusion, take a handful of dried horsetail herb (about 1/2 cup), and boil in 2 cups of hot water for 10 minutes. Let it then sit for 1-7 hours after done boiling. The longer you let it sit, the stronger the infusion will be (and more nutrient-dense).
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Benefits and Uses of Horsetail (Shavegrass)
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Harvesting Horse Tail Herb
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