Health Benefits Of Angelica

Angelica, with the scientific name Angelica Archangelica, is a highly valued medicinal herb, which is native to China and the northeastern parts of India. It is widely used in the traditional Chinese, Korean and Japanese medicines and regarded as the herbal remedy for a number of ailments. The herb is known with different names, like Dong-Quei, Dong-Quai, Dang-Qui, Archangelica Officinalis, Garden Angelica and Tang-Huei. It is a flowering plant, with a characteristic sweet and spicy aroma, which is used for flavoring food and beverages and is nearly related to carrots, dill and fennel. Since it is a medicinal herb, it is used to treat various diseases, like female reproductive disorders and congestion in respiratory tracts, and even acts as stimulant and diuretic. Read this article to find out more about the various health benefits and nutrition of Angelica.

Health & Nutrition Benefits Of Eating Angelica

Angelica is a boon for females who suffer from abnormal and severe menstrual pains, along with uterine cramping. In addition, it helps in balancing the female hormone levels that, in turn, brings relief from menopausal symptoms.
It helps the body to fight against common diseases like colds, sinusitis, fever, bronchial and lung infections.
The herb brings relief from congestion in the respiratory tracts, by thinning and loosening phlegm. Moreover, it gives a warm feeling throughout the body and boosts circulation.
Angelica prevents blood loss in the body, by helping the blood in clotting process. It also helps in purifying blood and acts as a blood-building agent, making it the perfect blood tonic.
It is beneficial in promoting digestion, as it secretes digestive juices in the stomach and boosts absorption of food in the blood stream by intestinal villi. It also ensures food’s proper movement through intestines.
The herb helps in clearing toxicity from the body, by increasing the frequency and quantity of urination, which further helps in keeping diseases like renal calculi, rheumatism, arthritis, and gout, at bay.
Angelica is carminative in nature and thus, assists in expelling gas from the intestines.
The leaves of the plant are steeped to make tea that is used to bring relief from stress and fatigue.

Caution

People who suffer from diabetes should avoid angelica, as it raises the sugar levels in the urine.
The expecting and lactating mothers should avoid the herb, as it has not been declared as a safe herb for them.
Individuals taking angelica should limit their prolonged exposure to sun, as it can have phototoxic effect on human skin, since the herb is high in coumarins. It can lead to hyper-pigmentation of the face and neck.
The intake of angelica should be avoided with other medicines, as it can interfere with the medications. For e.g. if it is consumed with drugs like heparin and warfarin, it increases the risk of bleeding.
Individuals with a history of heart attack or atherosclerosis should also refrain themselves from taking this herb.

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