What are the functions and benefits of hawthorn water?

Aug 06, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Sun Lianqing

Introduction

Hawthorn water, a beverage made by steeping or boiling hawthorn berries, primarily functions to promote digestion, assist in lipid reduction, improve blood circulation to remove blood stasis, enhance appetite, and relieve food accumulation. When consuming hawthorn water, it is important to maintain moderation and avoid drinking it on an empty stomach to prevent the acidic components from irritating the gastric mucosa. Additionally, while a proper amount of rock sugar may be added according to individual taste preferences, intake of sugar should be controlled.

Generally, as a beverage made by steeping or boiling hawthorn, hawthorn water has several functions and benefits, including promoting digestion, aiding lipid reduction, activating blood circulation to resolve blood stasis, improving appetite, and relieving food accumulation. Detailed explanations are as follows:

1. Promoting digestion: Hawthorn water contains abundant hawthorn acid, fruit acid, and other components that can stimulate gastric juice secretion, enhance the activity of pepsin, and accelerate the digestion and breakdown of food. It is particularly effective in aiding digestion of hard-to-digest foods such as meat and greasy foods, thus reducing the digestive burden on the gastrointestinal tract.

2. Aiding lipid reduction: Various active ingredients in hawthorn water, such as flavonoids, help inhibit cholesterol synthesis in the liver and promote cholesterol excretion, thereby assisting in lowering blood triglyceride and cholesterol levels. It has certain auxiliary effects in regulating blood lipids, making it suitable for people concerned about blood lipid health to consume in moderation.

3. Activating blood circulation and resolving blood stasis: Hawthorn water has the effect of promoting blood circulation and resolving blood stasis. It is suitable for conditions such as localized pain and injuries caused by bruising. Consumption can improve blood circulation, help dissipate blood stasis, and alleviate discomfort caused by blood stasis obstruction.

4. Improving appetite: Hawthorn water's sweet and sour taste can stimulate the taste buds and promote the secretion of saliva and digestive juices, thereby enhancing appetite. For individuals experiencing poor appetite or lack of desire to eat, moderate consumption of hawthorn water can improve eating desire and increase food intake.

5. Relieving food accumulation: When overeating leads to food stagnation, causing symptoms such as abdominal distension and acid regurgitation, drinking hawthorn water can help alleviate these symptoms. It enhances gastrointestinal motility, promotes digestion and elimination of accumulated food, reduces bloating and other discomforts, and helps the gastrointestinal system return to a comfortable state.

When drinking hawthorn water, it should be consumed in moderation. Avoid drinking it on an empty stomach to prevent acidic components from irritating the gastric mucosa. Additionally, according to individual taste preferences, an appropriate amount of rock sugar can be added for flavoring, but sugar intake should be controlled.

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What are the health benefits of pear and hawthorn water?

Under normal circumstances, the main benefits of drinking pear and hawthorn water include promoting digestion, relieving dry throat, hydrating the body, improving appetite, and assisting in regulating blood lipids. When consuming pear and hawthorn water, the amount of hawthorn should be controlled, as excessive intake may irritate the gastric mucosa; individuals with excessive stomach acid should consume it sparingly. Additionally, because hawthorn may promote uterine contractions, pregnant women should exercise caution when drinking it.

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Can hawthorn water relieve fatigue?

Overeating may lead to abdominal distension, fatigue, and a general feeling of sluggishness. Drinking hawthorn water in moderation can aid digestion, relieve the burden on the gastrointestinal tract, and help restore a sense of physical well-being. However, the concentration should be controlled to avoid excessive acidity. Hawthorn water may help alleviate feelings of heaviness caused by dietary indigestion or accumulation, but it is not effective for fatigue resulting from overexertion or illness.

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Can hawthorn water promote intestinal peristalsis?

Hawthorn water may help promote intestinal motility in cases of mild indigestion or slightly reduced intestinal movement. After consuming greasy or excessive food, if symptoms such as abdominal distension, difficult defecation, or slowed intestinal motility occur, moderate consumption of hawthorn water may help stimulate the intestines through its content of fruit acids and other components, thereby accelerating motility and relieving the feeling of bloating. The concentration should not be too high when consuming hawthorn water.