Reine-Des-Prés: Health Benefits And Assets

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Queen's Meadow flowers (Filipendula ulmaria)

Formerly called Ulm Spirea (Spiraea ulmaria), the Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) is a woody perennial forming clumps of more than 1 m in height, developing naturally in humid places and at the edge of streams. It also carries other vernacular names like Goat-beard, Ulmaire, Bee-grass... Aspirin has taken its name from spirea because the spiral acid contained in the meadowsweet is chemically identical to the salicylic acid of the willow, active principle behind aspirin and its synthesized form of acetysalicylic acid created by Bayer.

Meadowsweet, a kind of aspirin

Filipendula ulmaria has a reddish upright stem with deciduous leaves divided into toothed leaflets, the one at the end being larger. By creasing the leaves, a characteristic pharmaceutical smell emerges. The small flowers in large creamy white cymes are scented reminiscent of almonds. They are very melliferous and bloom from June to the end of August. The green fruits gave the name to the plant because of their spiral shape.

The plant is resistant to temperatures down to -20° C, it requires no maintenance apart from watering in summer if you grow in a sunny massif.

La Reine-des-Prés comes in a few more original varieties to decorate your garden or the surroundings of a pond, such as Filipendula ulmaria 'Aurea' with golden yellow leaves in spring and pale green in summer, Filipendula ulmaria 'Flore Pleno' double flowers, Filipendula ulmaria 'Splendens' with pinkish white vaporous flowers, Filipendula ulmaria 'Variegata' with leaves streaked with yellow...

The medicinal virtues of Reine-des-Prés

Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)

It is the anti-inflammatory, antirheumatic and antalgic virtues of flowers or flower heads that make the Queen-des-Prés famous in herbal medicine. It helps relieve headaches, dental and joint pain. In case of influenza syndromes, it lowers fever, promoting perspiration.

It is also diuretic, facilitating digestion and promoting urinary elimination. Concretely, it heals the evils due to the harmful overloads of the body (cellulite, gout, arteriosclerosis...).

Unlike aspirin, Reine-des-Prés does not thin the blood and does not attack the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines.

The Reine-des-Prés presents itself and is used in different ways:

  • in infusion: about 50 g fresh or dried flowers / liter (maximum 4 cups / day) without heating the water above 80° C otherwise the salicylates are destroyed; infuse 8 to 10 minutes.
  • in capsules, extracts or tincture, according to the indications of the pharmacist, to favor the elimination and to calm joint pains.
  • in hot cataplasms of infused flowers (100 g of fresh or dried flowers / liter) against rheumatic pains, and compresses against wounds and ulcers.

Of course, people allergic to aspirin and salicylates should not use Meadowsweet.

The Meadowsweet in the kitchen

Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)

The fresh or dried flowers of the Queen-des-Prés are used to flavor desserts in the kitchen: pastries, creams, panna cotta, flans, sherbets, ice cream and even wines, syrups and other drinks can be well flavored.

Be careful though because the scent is very strong, you must use moderation in the dosage otherwise you risk to disgrace your guests. For example, a tablespoon of dried flowers is enough for ½ liter of milk: ideally to infuse overnight.

You can rub sugar cubes with fresh flowers of Reine-des-Prés: it will then be fragrant and may sprinkle an acid fruit pie such as apricot among others. You can also put some flowers in a jar of sugar for 1 month, in the fridge, you will get a perfumed sugar!

The use of plants to heal must be done by asking a doctor, pharmacist or herbalist. Pregnant women, people with chronic and serious illnesses or taking medication should consult a doctor before self-medication can lead to adverse effects, including drug interactions.

Reine-Des-Prés: Health Benefits And Assets

FAQ - 💬

❓ What are the health benefits of meadowsweet?

👉 Meadowsweet has been used historically for a wide variety of conditions. It is reputed to break fevers and to promote sweating during a cold or flu. Meadowsweet contains salicylates, which possibly give the herb an aspirin-like effect, particularly in relieving aches and pains during a common cold.

❓ Does meadowsweet contain aspirin?

👉 Meadowsweet also contains small amounts of salicylic acid, the active component in aspirin that reduces pain and inflammation in your body ( 1 , 8 ).

❓ What part of meadowsweet is used for medicine?

👉 Overview. Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) is a plant typically found in damp meadows in Europe and Asia. The above ground parts are used to make medicine.

❓ What do you do with meadow sweets?

👉 In the kitchen, meadowsweet can be used in all the same ways as its more common culinary cousin, elderflower. I like to infuse mine into hot milk or cream and use this as a base for custards, rice puddings, ice cream and panna cotta.

❓ Is meadowsweet good for liver?

👉 The extract of meadowsweet aerial parts exhibits hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity during experimental toxic CCl(4) hepatitis. This extract improved liver function.

❓ Which herb is called the queen of herbs?

👉 Tulsi: A potent adaptogen [2] Within Ayurveda, tulsi is known as “The Incomparable One,” “Mother Medicine of Nature” and “The Queen of Herbs,” and is revered as an “elixir of life” that is without equal for both its medicinal and spiritual properties.

❓ Does meadowsweet interact with any medications?

👉 Interactions. Because meadowsweet contains salicylates, it may increase the risk of bleeding when given concomitantly with antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs, with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or with any alternative medicines with antiplatelet properties.

❓ How does meadowsweet help the digestive tract?

👉 As a digestive aid, the Meadowsweet herb is hard to beat. It soothes and protects the mucous membranes of the digestive tract and stomach lining whilst reducing acidity. Studies have found that Meadowsweet can also promote the healing of chronic ulcers and prevent lesions from developing in the stomach.

❓ Does meadowsweet have caffeine?

👉 Traditional Medicinals, Organic Turmeric with Meadowsweet & Ginger, Caffeine Free, 16 Wrapped Tea Bags, 1.13 oz (32 g)

❓ Which plant is known as Mother of medicine?

👉 Holy basil is also known as "The Incomparable One", "The Mother Medicine of Nature",.

❓ Who should not take holy basil?

👉 Holy basil is probably safe for most people; however, Pregnant and breastfeeding women, women who are trying to become pregnant, and people with type 2 diabetes, hypothyroidism, and those undergoing surgery should avoid holy basil.

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