Carqueja: what it is for, properties and how to prepare it

La carqueja is a medicinal plant of the species Baccharis trimera, which is often used as a home remedy to regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels, in addition to helping to strengthen the immune system. Due to its anti-inflammatory and diuretic action, the carqueja can also be used to improve digestion, fight gases and help slimming, for example.

The carqueja té, prepared with the varillas, is the way in which this plant is used the most, which can be found in stores of natural products and some drugstores. Another way to consume carqueja is in capsules.

Although it has several benefits for health, the use of carqueja can also cause side effects, especially when consumed in excessive amounts, in addition to being contraindicated in embarazadas or during lactation. Therefore, the use of carqueja must always be guided by a doctor or another health professional with experience in the use of medicinal plants.

what is it for

The carqueja has several medicinal properties that can be used for:

1. Helps control blood glucose

Some studies show that carqueja can be an important ally in the treatment of diabetes due to flavonoids in its composition, such as apigenin, luteolin and quercetin, which act by regulating glucose metabolism and reducing insulin resistance, which allows you to control the levels of sugar in the blood with more ease.

2. Decrease blood pressure

The carqueja helps to reduce blood pressure due to its diuretic action, which increases the elimination of body fluids. This is because the volume of liquids in the blood vessels decreases, also reducing the effort that the heart requires to pump blood and, as a result, lowering blood pressure.

3. Combat fluid retention

Because it has a diuretic effect, due to the large amounts of flavonoids, such as quercetin and apigenin, and phenolic compounds, such as caffeic and chlorogenic acids, the carqueja stimulates the elimination of liquids through the urine, fighting inflammation and fluid retention .

4. Strengthen the immune system

The carqueja is rich in antioxidants, such as quercetin and rutin, which stimulate the production of white blood cells, which are essential defense cells to prevent and fight infections. Therefore, the carqueja can help to strengthen the immune system, being useful to help in the treatment of flu and colds, for example.

5. Improve liver function

The flavonoids present in the carqueja have a strong antioxidant action, fighting free radicals and reducing damage to liver cells, in addition to stimulating the production of healthy liver cells.

In addition, due to its antioxidant properties, the carqueja has a protective effect on the liver, reducing the accumulation of grease that can cause fatty liver, for example.

6. Lower bad cholesterol

The saponins present in the carqueja help to reduce the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood, and they reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine. In addition, the saponins of the carqueja also increase the elimination of cholesterol in the liver.

7. Aid in the treatment of inflammation

Carqueja is rich in flavonoids such as rutin, luteolin and apigenin, which work as potent anti-inflammatory drugs, and reduce the production of inflammatory substances such as prostaglandins and cytokines. Therefore, the use of this plant can be useful in the treatment of inflammatory processes such as in the throat, in the case of tonsillitis; in the stomach, in the case of gastritis or ulcer; and in the intestine in case of gastroenteritis, for example.

8. Help in the treatment of gastritis

The flavonoids present in the carqueja help to control stomach acids. In this way, the plant can be very useful to help in the treatment of gastritis.

In addition, the carqueja has a protective action on the stomach, due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that reduce damage to the cells of the stomach that can cause gastric problems with acidity or ulcers.

9. Help slimming

The carqueja has flavonoids and caffeic and chlorogenic acids with antioxidant and diuretic properties, which help to eliminate liquids that can cause excess weight, especially when used in the form of a tincture.

In addition, the caffeic acid of the carqueja has a thermogenic effect, which helps to increase the metabolism and burn fat, contributing to weight loss.

10. Treat intestinal parasites

The carqueja poses an essential oil that acts to cause paralysis and death of some intestinal parasites, especially schistosoma mansoni, causing schistosomiasis. In addition, the essential oil of carqueja inhibits the production of eggs of parasites in the intestine, which helps to treat schistosomiasis and prevent the spread of the disease to other people.

How to prepare Té de carqueja

The carqueja is simple and quick to prepare and has several benefits for health.

Ingredients

• 2 spoonfuls of gorse varillas;
• 1 liter of boiling water.

preparation method

Place the carqueja sticks in the water to soak and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Paste and drink up to 3 cups a day.

Another way to use carqueja to obtain its benefits is to use carqueja in capsules, which can be taken 1 capsule of 300 mg, 1 to 3 times a day.

side effects

The secondary effects of the carqueja’s poorest communities usually arise when the plant is consumed in larger areas than are recommended, especially by people who have diabetes or hypertension, and the carqueja can make it difficult to control blood pressure in cases of high or reduce blood pressure. the levels of sugar in the blood, causing a hypoglycemic crisis.

In addition, the carqueja can cause uterine contractions and can cause abortion. Therefore, in case the woman has feelings of embarrassment, it is recommended to carry out an embarrassment test before consuming the carqueja.

Contraindications

The carqueja should not be used in children or in embarazadas, as it can cause an increase in uterine contractions and abortion. In addition, it should also be avoided during lactation, as it can pass through the mother’s milk, causing secondary effects on the baby.

The carqueja should be used with care in diabetics or hypertensive patients, as it can increase the effect of the drugs that are being used to treat these diseases and cause side effects.

It is important to point out that the carqueja must always be used under medical advice, from a phytotherapist or a health professional with specific knowledge on medicinal plants.