Horse chestnut or Aesculus hippocastanum is a kind of flowering plants in the soapberry and lychee family Sapindaceae. Horse chestnut has the large deciduous, synoecious tree and also known as the California buckeye, Ohio buckeye, and Buckeye. It originally comes from the Balkan region of southeastern Europe and western Asia, but now is cultivated worldwide.
The fruit of this tree has the capsule form with a thick, leathery husk which contains the dark nuts. Moreover, it has been used as the natural medications as the dried ripe seeds are the part of the plant which mostly being used. At this point, horse chestnut has several triterpene glycosides, with aescin predominating in the seeds. Furthermore, it has fraxin, scopolin, coumarin glycosides aesculin, and flavonoids such as quercetin. Allantoin, leucocyanidin, and tannins as well.
Horse chestnut has been used in traditional medicine and for other applications for centuries. At this point, the crushed unripe seeds have been used as a tea for herbal medications. Also, the bark has been used as a yellow dye and the wood for furniture as well. Moreover, horse chestnut is well-known as a traditional remedy for arthritis and rheumatism.
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Consequently, to give you more information, we have listed the health benefits of horse chestnut below.
1. Have Anti-Inflammatory Effects
The first health benefit of horse chestnut is the way it becomes astringent. This herb has anti-inflammatory effects which reduce the risks of diseases. As the consequence, it helps to tone the vein walls and increasing the permeability of the capillaries which prevents the fluid retention and allowing the absorption of excess fluid into the circulatory system. Moreover, with the presence of anti-inflammatory effects, then horse chestnut will be beneficial to protect the body against free radicals damage for sure.
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2. Promotes Vein Health
As described before, horse chestnut has an anti-inflammatory effect on vein system. For this reason, horse chestnut has an advantage in promoting the vein health and versatility. This herb has a role in treating debilitating varicose veins that reside in the legs. Thus, consuming horse chestnut will help you to get the natural treatment related to the poor vein health as well.
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3. Treats Hemorrhoids
The next great health benefit of horse chestnut is to treat hemorrhoids. As horse chestnut acts as an astringent, then it is valuable to treating hemorrhoids. Consequently, this herb will reduce and relieve the pain of the hemorrhoids as well.
4. Enhances Fertility
It is known that horse chestnut can be beneficial to enhance fertility. This herb has the components which take part in promoting the fertility health. Hence, by consuming horse chestnut, you will not only achieve the best health results but also with the better fertility health for sure.
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5. Helps with Cancer
Cancer is the chronic diseases which need very intense treatment and prevention. To prevent the risks of cancer, we have to apply the healthy lifestyle as well as consuming best and healthy foods. For the example, we have to consume antioxidant foods which prevent the growth of cancer cells.
As the consequence, horse chestnut can also help you deal with this disease. Due to the presence of anti-inflammatory effects, then horse chestnut will also help with cancer. It will help killing cancer cells and stop the growth of cancer cells in the body. Thus, if you want to cure or prevent cancer, then consuming horse chestnut is a great way to go.
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6. Boosts Circulation
One of the health benefits of horse chestnut is the way it boosts the circulation in the body. In this case, the horse chestnut can be processed as the extract for treating blood circulation problem called chronic venous insufficiency. As a result, with the good body circulation, then you will also help to promote the vein health as well. Moreover, you can prevent the presence of cramps for sure.
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7. Strengthens Veins
Horse chestnut has the major role in protecting the vein and promoting the vein health. These benefits are related to the presence of aescin in horse chestnut. At this point, aescin is the one which has antioxidant and protects the collagen and elastin. These proteins form the structure of veins as well. As a result, they will maintain the strong and the healthy vein as well.
8. Treats Chest Pain
The seeds of horse chestnut have been used for natural medications such as rheumatism, neuralgia, and hemorrhoids. The seeds act as a decongestant, expectorant, and tonic as well. As the consequence, the extracts of the seeds contain the saponin known as aescin to promote the tone in the walls of the veins. As a result, it will improve the circulation through the veins. Then, with these great functions, horse chestnut can help to deal with chest pain.
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9. Treats Arthritis and Rheumatism
It is known that horse chestnut has been used as the traditional medication for arthritis and rheumatism for centuries. The horse chestnut seeds will be extracted into the powder form and will be used for the traditional remedy. Though the seeds are toxic, there will be methods which rid them of their toxicity. For example, American Indians people roasted, peeled, and mashed the nuts which are poison, then leached the meal in lime water for several days to be eaten as a food.
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10. Cures Kidney Stones
Horse chestnut can be consumed in the tea form which is also frequently used by Turkish alternative medication. As the consequence, it will be beneficial to pass kidney stones and treat vascular issues.
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11. Treats Malaria and Dysentery
It is shown that horse chestnut branch bark can be used as the natural treatment for malaria and dysentery. Thus, if you want to get rid of the risks of malaria and dysentery, then horse chestnut might be the good option then.
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12. Relieves Joint Pain
In fact, the proper use of horse chestnut can bring many health benefits to our body. In this case, the leaf of horse chestnut can be used for relieving joint pain as well as treating arthritis and menstrual pain as well. What the great benefits, right?
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13. Helps Losing Weight
The aescin content found in horse chestnut is such a valuable thing. Surprisingly, aescin has a role in losing weight. Thus, by consuming horse chestnut, it will not only help you to deal with health problems, but it also helps you to get rid of fats. For the tips, to lose more weight, you can consume best diet foods such as fiber foods and green vegetables to have the healthy diet for sure.
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14. Heals Bruises
The next health benefit of horse chestnut is the way it helps to speed up the healing process of bruises. This benefit is also related to the presence of aescin in horse chestnut. Indeed, with the best benefits provided by horse chestnut, then you will have no doubt to consume it.
15. Cures Leg Ulcers
Not only for promoting the body function, but horse chestnut will be beneficial to cure leg ulcers and frostbite. It can be applied externally as a lotion or gel. Indeed, the gel and oil are extracted from the seeds. Thus, applying the horse chestnut oil to the affected area may help you then.
16. Acts as Anti-Aging Toner
As horse chestnut contains the antioxidant properties, then it will be beneficial to be used as the anti-aging toner. The extract of this herbal plant can promote blood circulation as well as toning and strengthen the fragile veins and capillaries. As a result, using horse chestnut as the skin creams and lotions will help to reduce the wrinkles and cellulite for sure. What is even greater from horse chestnut is the way it moisturizes the skin and helps you achieve the healthy and glowing skin. For the tips, to achieve the healthy skin and prevent the earlier aging signs on the skin, you can also consume other foods which have high levels of antioxidants like orange, kiwi, and green vegetables as well.
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After knowing the health benefits of horse chestnut, then you can find the information on the tips for consuming horse chestnut below.
Tips for Consuming
- If you want to consume horse chestnut, then take notes that raw horse chestnut seed, flower, leaf, and bark are unsafe and can cause death when taken by mouth by adults or children.
- Next, you can find horse chestnut in health food stores and pharmacies. Then, you have to find the ones which are standardized to 16 to 20 percent aescin content.
- Moreover, people who have kidney or liver impairment are advised to not consume horse chestnut. Moreover, it is best for pregnant women to avoid horse chestnut.
- People with diabetes should avoid horse chestnut as it might lower the level of your blood sugar. Also, if you have bowel or stomach disorders, then it is best not to consume this horse chestnut as it might irritate the gastrointestinal tract.
- Last, consuming horse chestnut may give you side effects such as nausea and stomach discomforts. Also, you may suffer from allergic reactions, headache, dizziness, and itching. Thus, contact or talk to your doctor is the best thing you can do.
To conclude, horse chestnut can be your natural treatment as you have to take some notes and instructions before using it. Also, as you have read before, horse chestnut provides the great health benefits such as strengthening the vein for sure. Thus, if you want to boost your health, consuming horse chestnut with a right way is great to do.
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