Home
Articles
Q&A

What are the benefits and side effects of drinking hawthorn tea?

Mar 09, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Bai Hongmei
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, the benefits of drinking hawthorn-infused water include promoting digestion, lowering blood lipids, protecting the cardiovascular system, antioxidant effects, and improving blood circulation to remove blood stasis. Potential side effects include tooth damage, stomach pain, the formation of calculi, increased discomfort in pregnant women, and interference with nutrient absorption. It is advisable not to drink hawthorn water on an empty stomach; instead, it is recommended to consume it about half an hour after a meal to reduce irritation to the gastric mucosa.

Generally, the benefits of drinking hawthorn-infused water include promoting digestion, lowering blood lipids, protecting the cardiovascular system, providing antioxidant effects, and improving blood circulation to remove blood stasis. Potential side effects include dental damage, stomach pain, increased risk of kidney stones, exacerbation of discomfort in pregnant women, and interference with nutrient absorption. A detailed explanation is as follows:

I. Benefits of Drinking Hawthorn-Infused Water

1. Promoting Digestion

Hawthorn contains large amounts of organic acids and dietary fiber. Organic acids stimulate gastric juice secretion, increase gastric acidity, and enhance the activity of pepsin, thereby accelerating the digestion and breakdown of food. Dietary fiber promotes intestinal peristalsis, facilitates defecation, reduces food retention in the intestines, and alleviates symptoms of indigestion such as bloating and constipation.

2. Lowering Blood Lipids

Flavonoids and triterpenoids in hawthorn can inhibit cholesterol synthesis in the liver, promote cholesterol excretion, reduce levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood, and increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, thus helping regulate blood lipid levels.

3. Protecting the Cardiovascular System

Active components in hawthorn can dilate the coronary arteries, increase coronary blood flow, and reduce myocardial oxygen consumption. These effects can improve myocardial blood supply, enhance cardiac function, help prevent cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery atherosclerotic heart disease and angina pectoris, and also help regulate blood pressure to maintain a relatively stable level.

4. Antioxidant Effects

Hawthorn is rich in antioxidant substances such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and flavonoids. These substances can scavenge free radicals in the body, reduce damage to cells caused by free radicals, delay cellular aging, and help maintain normal functions of various organs.

5. Promoting Blood Circulation and Removing Blood Stasis

Hawthorn can promote blood circulation and relieve pain caused by blood stasis. It can help regulate dysmenorrhea and menstrual irregularities in women. Additionally, it can improve localized bruising and swelling caused by contusions, aid in dissipating blood stasis, and promote tissue repair.

II. Side Effects of Drinking Hawthorn-Infused Water

1. Dental Damage

Hawthorn contains substantial amounts of acidic substances such as citric acid and malic acid. After drinking hawthorn-infused water, these acidic substances may react with the enamel on the tooth surface. Long-term and excessive consumption could damage the enamel, making teeth more sensitive and potentially causing symptoms such as tooth pain.

2. Causing Stomach Pain

The acidic components in hawthorn can irritate the gastric mucosa and increase gastric acid secretion. For individuals who already have excessive gastric acid secretion or suffer from gastric diseases such as gastric ulcers or duodenal ulcers, drinking hawthorn-infused water may worsen their condition, leading to symptoms such as stomach pain, heartburn, and acid reflux, which can seriously affect gastric health.

3. Contributing to the Formation of Kidney Stones

Hawthorn contains a high level of oxalic acid. Oxalic acid can combine with calcium in the body to form calcium oxalate stones. Long-term and excessive consumption of hawthorn-infused water may increase the level of calcium oxalate in the body, raising the risk of developing kidney stones, gallstones, and other types of stone-related diseases.

4. Exacerbating Discomfort in Pregnant Women

Hawthorn can promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis, which may stimulate uterine contractions in pregnant women. During early pregnancy, this may increase the risk of miscarriage, while during late pregnancy, it may lead to premature labor. Therefore, pregnant women should consume hawthorn-infused water cautiously.

5. Interfering with Nutrient Absorption

Hawthorn contains a high amount of tannic acid. Tannic acid can easily combine with proteins, iron, and other nutrients in food to form complexes that are difficult for the body to absorb, thereby affecting the absorption of these nutrients. Long-term and excessive consumption of hawthorn-infused water may lead to nutrient deficiencies and cause malnutrition.

To prevent potential side effects associated with hawthorn-infused water, it is important to control the quantity and frequency of consumption. Generally, it is recommended to consume 2-3 cups per day without excessive intake. Additionally, it is best not to drink hawthorn-infused water on an empty stomach. It is recommended to consume it about half an hour after meals to reduce irritation to the gastric mucosa.

Related Articles

View All
Can drinking hawthorn tea help lower blood pressure?
Under normal circumstances, drinking hawthorn-infused water can have a certain auxiliary effect in lowering blood pressure, but it cannot replace medication. Hawthorn is a food with both medicinal and dietary uses; it is slightly warm in nature, sour and sweet in taste, and enters the spleen, stomach, and liver meridians. Hawthorn contains various active components such as citric acid, malic acid, vitamin C, and flavonoids, which have effects of dilating blood vessels and reducing blood pressure.
avatar
Dr. Yang Ziqi
View Full Answer
Can Astragalus, Lycium barbarum, and hawthorn be steeped together in water for consumption?
Astragalus has a sweet taste and a slightly warm nature, and is associated with the Lung and Spleen meridians. It functions to replenish qi, consolidate the exterior, promote urination, support the expulsion of toxins and pus, and aid in wound healing and tissue regeneration. Goji berries have a sweet taste and a neutral nature, and are associated with the Liver and Kidney meridians. They function to nourish the Liver and Kidney, enrich essence, and improve vision. Hawthorn has a sour and sweet taste, with a slightly warm nature, and is associated with the Spleen, Stomach, and Liver meridians. It functions to aid digestion, resolve food accumulation, regulate qi circulation, and dissipate blood stasis.
avatar
Dr. Zhang Xiuhong
View Full Answer
Can drinking hawthorn tea help lower blood sugar levels?
Under normal circumstances, drinking hawthorn-infused water can, to some extent, assist in lowering blood sugar levels; however, its effectiveness is limited, and excessive consumption should be avoided. Hawthorn contains abundant flavonoids and vitamin C, which can help promote blood circulation, accelerate metabolism, and may provide a certain degree of auxiliary blood sugar-lowering effect for individuals with mild hyperglycemia when consumed in moderation.
avatar
Dr. Liu Feng
View Full Answer
Can chrysanthemum be steeped in water together with hawthorn?
Under normal circumstances, chrysanthemum and hawthorn can be consumed together as a tea. Hawthorn has the effect of promoting digestion and eliminating food stagnation, making it suitable for consumption in cases of overeating or indigestion; chrysanthemum, on the other hand, has properties that clear heat and remove toxins. Combining the two can aid digestion while providing a refreshing taste. Chrysanthemum also benefits eye health and is suitable for individuals who work long hours in front of a computer.
avatar
Dr. Yang Ziqi
View Full Answer
Does drinking hawthorn tea cause excessive internal heat?
Under normal circumstances, drinking hawthorn-infused water does not cause heatiness (excess internal heat according to traditional Chinese medicine). Hawthorn is slightly warm in nature and has a sour and sweet taste; it functions to aid digestion, eliminate food stagnation, promote qi circulation, and resolve blood stasis. It can help improve digestion and stimulate appetite, making it especially suitable for individuals with indigestion or those who have overeaten. Drinking hawthorn-infused water in moderation can strengthen the spleen, stimulate the appetite, lower lipid levels, and assist in weight loss, without causing symptoms of heatiness. However, excessive consumption should be avoided.
avatar
Dr. Zhang Xiuhong
View Full Answer
What are the effects and benefits of drinking hawthorn tea?
Under normal circumstances, the effects and benefits of hawthorn soaked in water include improving immunity, enhancing appetite, aiding digestion, promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis, lowering blood lipids, and assisting in weight loss. The vitamin C and various trace elements in hawthorn can enhance the body's immune function. Drinking hawthorn-infused water can improve the body's resistance to diseases, promote white blood cell production, and help prevent colds and other illnesses.
avatar
Dr. Zhang Xiuhong
View Full Answer
What are the benefits of steeping dandelion and hawthorn in water?
Under normal circumstances, the effects of dandelion and hawthorn steeped in water include beautifying the skin, promoting urination to relieve urinary discomfort, improving digestion, lowering blood lipid levels, clearing heat, and detoxifying the body. However, please note that when consuming these infusions, you should choose appropriately according to your own condition and drink in moderation. Special populations, such as pregnant women, lactating women, and individuals with allergic constitutions, should consume them under a doctor's guidance.
avatar
Dr. Zhang Xiuhong
View Full Answer
What are the health benefits of drinking hawthorn tea?
Under normal circumstances, the benefits of hawthorn steeped in water include auxiliary blood pressure reduction, improved digestion, promotion of blood circulation and removal of blood stasis, enhanced immunity, antioxidant effects, and anti-aging properties. Hawthorn is rich in citric acid and malic acid, which can promote gastric juice secretion. Drinking hawthorn-infused water can increase digestive enzymes in the stomach and enhance digestive function, helping to relieve symptoms such as indigestion and loss of appetite.
avatar
Dr. Yang Ziqi
View Full Answer
彩牛养生

Your trusted source for health information and wellness guidance.

Quick Links

Resources

Connect

© 2024 HealthPortal. All rights reserved.