Carqueja: what is it for (and how to make chá)

Carqueja is a medicinal plant, of the Baccharis trimera species, widely 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, carqueja can also be used to improve digestion, fight gas and help with weight loss, for example.

Carqueja tea, prepared with the stems, is the most used way to consume the plant, which can be found in natural food stores and some manipulation pharmacies. Another way to use carqueja is in the form of capsules.

Although it has several he alth benefits, the use of carqueja can also cause side effects, especially when consumed in excess, in addition to being contraindicated for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Therefore, the use of carqueja should always be done under the guidance of a doctor or other he alth professional who has experience with the use of medicinal plants.

What is it for

Carqueja has several medicinal properties that can be used for:

1. Help control blood glucose

Some studies show that carqueja can be an important ally in the treatment of diabetes due to the 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 blood sugar levels more easily.

2. Decrease blood pressure

Carqueja helps to lower blood pressure due to its diuretic action, which increases the elimination of liquids from the body. This causes the volume of fluid in the blood vessels to decrease, also reducing the effort that the heart has to make to pump blood and, consequently, lowering blood pressure.

3. Fighting fluid retention

By having a diuretic effect, due to the large amounts of flavonoids, such as quercetin and apigenin, and phenolic compounds, such as caffeic and chlorogenic acids, carqueja stimulates the elimination of liquids through the urine, fighting swelling and retention of liquids.

4. Strengthen the immune system

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, carqueja can help to strengthen the immune system, being useful to help treat colds and flu, for example.

5. Improve liver function

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

Also, because of its antioxidant properties, carqueja has a protective effect on the liver, decreasing the accumulation of fat that can cause fatty liver, for example.

6. Decrease bad cholesterol

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

7. Help fight inflammation

Carqueja is rich in flavonoids such as rutin, luteolin and apigenin, which work as potent anti-inflammatories, as it reduces the production of inflammatory substances such as prostaglandins and cytokines. Thus, the use of this plant can be very useful in the treatment of inflammation in the throat such as tonsillitis, in the stomach, such as gastritis or ulcer, and in the intestine, such as gastroenteritis, for example.

8. Aid in the treatment of gastritis

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

In addition, carqueja has a protective action on the stomach, due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which reduce damage to stomach cells that can cause gastric problems such as heartburn or ulcer.

9. Help to lose weight

Carqueja has flavonoids and caffeic and chlorogenic acids with antioxidant and diuretic properties, which help eliminate liquids that can cause excess weight, especially when carqueja is used as a tincture

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

10. Fight intestinal worms

Carqueja has an essential oil that causes paralysis and death of some intestinal worms, especially Schistosoma mansoni, which causes schistosomiasis. In addition, carqueja essential oil inhibits the production of eggs by worms in the intestine, which helps to fight schistosomiasis and prevent the transmission of the disease to other people.

How to make carqueja tea

Carqueja tea is simple and quick to make and has several he alth benefits.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of gorse stems;
1 liter of boiling water.

Preparation mode

Place the carqueja stems in boiling water and let it rest for 10 minutes. Strain and drink up to 3 cups a day.

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

Possible side effects

The most common side effects of carqueja usually arise when the plant is consumed in larger amounts than recommended, especially by people who have diabetes or high blood pressure, as carqueja can make it difficult to control blood pressure in cases of hypertension or greatly reducing blood sugar levels causing a hypoglycemic crisis in diabetics.

In addition, carqueja can cause uterine contractions and cause miscarriage. Therefore, if a woman is planning a pregnancy, it is recommended that a pregnancy test be performed before using carqueja.

Who should not use

Carqueja should not be used by children or pregnant women as it can cause increased uterine contractions and miscarriage. In addition, it should also be avoided during breastfeeding, as it can pass into breast milk causing side effects on the baby.

Carqueja should still be used with caution by diabetic or hypertensive people, as it can increase the effect of the drugs being used to treat these diseases and cause side effects.

It is important to emphasize that carqueja should always be used under the guidance of a doctor, phytotherapist or he alth professional with specific knowledge in medicinal plants.