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The plant known as “bitter gorse” is a small shrub, scientific name Baccharis trimera , from the family of compounds . The gorse can reach only 80 cm in height. Its leaves are oval and small , and its flowers are grouped into small yellowish-colored bouquets. It can also be called carquejinha, carqueja-do-mato, bacanta, bacárida or caclia-doce.
The gorse comes from Brazil itself and grows in the more mountainous regions, on dry and airy soils. Its tea can be used medicinally, because the bitter gorse has many properties for health.
Carqueja Properties
The bitter gorse is famous for having a bitter taste and for its antipyretic property. Its bitter principles , when in contact with the taste buds, increase the appetite and the production of gastric juice , which is useful for those suffering from hypochlorhydria.
It is also capable of increasing the bile produced by the liver, because of “carquejol”, a type of oil present in the plant that acts on the hepatocyte, which prevents lipid peroxidation. In addition, the gorse also helps to control blood glucose levels , prevent anemia and has anti-asthmatic, antibiotic, laxative, deworming, anti-dyspeptic, anti-flu, anti-inflammatory, depurative, digestive, anti-rheumatic, diuretic and emollient properties.
The gorse is used for the natural treatment of some gastric , intestinal, febrile or hepatic and biliary diseases . Still needing more scientific research, it is believed that these properties come from their phenolic compounds, such as flavones, flavonoids and saponins.
Benefits of Carqueja Tea
The gorse is used by infusing it with tea, which is considered a stomach tonic to control appetite or as a diuretic and depurative . It can be ingested in cases of constipation or weakness from flu and fever.
There are many different health problems that may have been treated in combination with gorse tea. Some conditions listed would be: blood loss anemia , dyspepsia, low intestinal motility, gastritis, gallstones, diabetes, bitter mouth, sore throat and poor digestion. Or, still, problems with the spleen, bladder, liver and kidneys .
Main Effects
Of these benefits, the effects that have been studied are:
- Relief in gastrointestinal problems
- Cholesterol reduction
- Glucose control and diabetes
- Helps in diseases of pharyngitis, tonsillitis, asthma and bronchitis
- Elimination of worms from the intestine
- Promoting good blood circulation
- Effective against rheumatism
- Helps you lose weight
Daily Use of Carqueja
The gorse tea bitter is the most used form of therapy, but there are also other ways to use to enjoy the benefits of the plant in infusions to compresses or baths.
In glucose control tea, the ratio is 1 tablespoon of chopped gorse leaves to 1 liter of boiling water.
The leaves should be added after boiling , with the fire off. After letting the stuffy tea rest, it is strained and the tea can be taken one cup up to 6 times a day . It is important, in these cases, to eat every three hours to avoid hypoglycemia.
The infusion or decoction of the gorse is done at 2.5%. For example, 60 grams of gorse leaf are used to infuse the plant in 1 liter of water. The compress can be applied to the throat, belly: where it is inflamed, or partial baths are made in the affected area.
There is also tea made from stems (stems) and leaves of the gorse, for ingesting about 150 ml 3 to 4 times a day; and also the so-called “ digestive wine ”: a tablespoon of carqueja stalks is macerated in half a glass of cachaça, for 5 days. After straining, the macerate is added to a bottle of white wine. The drink before meals provides good digestion, requiring only one cup.
Side Effects and Contraindications of Carqueja
The consumption of bitter gorse is not indicated for pregnant women and infants . It is also good to be careful with excess, as tea can cause hypoglycemia and lower the pressure. In people who are already prone to these conditions, it is best to avoid drinking gorse tea.
See Also: A Balm For Your Body
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
