Hops Flowers

Hops Flowers

Latin name: Humulus lupulus

Health Benefits of Hops Flowers

Hops Flowers are best known as a nervine tonic for relaxation.  Health benefits include: 

• Bitters in the flowers, together with the volatile oils, stimulate the urinary tract and the lungs to purge themselves of toxins. This results in diuretic and expectorant effects. These oils can also trigger the production of digestive fluids, which aids in efficient digestion.
• Has been used as a calmative, nervine, sedative, and hypnotic.  It relaxes the nervous system and eases tension and anxiety.
• Useful for treating hypertension.
• It is most commonly used to help with insomnia.
• Can be used to help with female reproductive issues as it helps to alleviate premenstrual cramps, uterine inflammation and hardening, and also can help to boost growth of breast tissue. This is due to a property of the plant that acts as estrogen to the female body.
• Helps relax the live and gall ducts, and has been helpful with liver problems and jaundice. 

Nutritional Benefits of Hops Flowers

• Is an excellent source of niacin. 

How to Use Hops Flowers

• Excellent in tincture combinations.
• It is very bitter so in tea combinations, you will want to use plenty of other strong and pleasant tasting teas to mask the flavor. 
• Can be used in powdered or encapsulated form.
• Hops and Valerian Root are an effective combination for insomnia, best made in tincture form. 

Cautions and Side Effects of Hops Flowers

• Do not use if you are taking drugs for anxiety or insomnia or if you suffer from depression as it has a tendency to have a strong sedation properties when used with these drugs.
• Because of its strong diuretic properties you should be careful when taking alongside any other medications as it can cause them to be ineffective.