Proven Benefits of Boldo That Will Amaze You

Updated on February 14th, 2020
boldo tea benefits

Boldo is a shrub, which is also known as Peumus boldus. The origin of its name lies in the Mapudungun name – folo.

The major part of this plant gets used for culinary purposes. The leaves of the boldo plant appear just like the bay leaves, which is also a constituent of a green tree.

The places that are native to this plant are – Peru, Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia. The boldo shrub has an imposing history of medicinal uses, and many of the locals do believe in the advantages of boldo plant.

The leaves of boldo have many isoquinoline alkaloids along with 2% essential oil, approximately. The essential oil in it constitutes eucalyptol ascaridole, cymene, and linalool, that are the main ingredients of this oil.

When treating the gallstones, professionals choose boldo along with other herbs, such as white fringe tree and barberry. Mostly the leaves of the boldo plant get used, but some countries do take benefits of the bark too.

Did You Know!

  • It is prevalent clinically because it is a phyto-therapeutic plant, just like the cholagogue and choleretic
  • During the treatment of Chagas disease, Boldo alkaloids are beneficial in breaking the respiratory chain of the parasite

Proven Scientific Facts Regarding Boldo

Science proves various beneficial uses of boldo. Some of its essential facts are –

  1. Boldo acts very efficiently in treating problems related to the digestive system, and cholelithiasis with troubling pain.
  2. The essential oil extracted from boldo have some concentrations of thujones.
  3. After experimenting with a few volunteering rabbits and rats, research indicates that Boldo oil made them feel irritable on certain levels. The reason behind this was that boldo oil is non-phototoxic.

[Also Read: Coconut Oil benefits ]

Boldo Essential Oil

Extraction of Boldo oil:

The boldo essential oil is extracted from the dried leaves of boldo(1). Large fractions of boldo leaves take place by using hot pressurized water or HPW and supercritical CO2. The extraction of boldo oil takes three hours to complete and provides a highly productive boldo essential oil. It gets a high potency of anti-oxidants too.

Uses of Boldo oil:

Boldo oil is useful in treating many problems and illnesses. A gentle massage over the aching areas of the body can cure the pain effectively. Boldo oil is not recommended for aromatherapy, as it is highly toxic. The boldo oil is highly efficient towards rheumatism, and due to its diuretic nature, it also facilitates passage of urine by removing toxins.

Boldo Tea Benefits to Include in your Daily Diet

These amazing boldo benefits can help you out in several simple and easy ways –

1. Helps Treat Gallstones:

cure gallstones
Image:ShutterStock

There are many treatments available to treat the formation of gallstones, but boldo leaves are the most effective and popular measures. The alkaloid present in it stimulates the proper secretion of bile.

2. Prevents Liver-Related Diseases:

Boldo is responsible for cleansing and detoxifying the liver, that ultimately helps in preventing diseases related to the liver.

[Also Read: Liver Detox- Merits and Demerits]

3. Prevents the Body from Harmful UtIs:

The boldo leaves are known for stimulating the release of uric acid(2) from the body. This release helps in the treatment of urinary tract infections.

4. Helps in Preventing Gastrointestinal Disorders:

Boldo leaves can prevent many of the gastrointestinal issues, such as – heartburn, constipation, and other digestive problems.

5. Promotes Mental Health:

Researches show that consumption of boldo leaves can reduce anxiety, by stimulating the neurotransmitters and neurochemicals. Hence, it helps in improving mental health.

6. Boosts the Immune System:

how to boost immune system
Image: ShutterStock

Boldo leaves have a high amount of anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory agents that can enhance the immune system. The anti-oxidants remove the harmful radicals from the body.

7. Detoxifies the Body:

The anti-oxidants present in the boldo leaves are responsible for the detoxification of the body. They prevent the anti-microbial activity and maintain proper functioning of the organ system.

8. It can prevent Bacteria:

Boldo leaves can inhibit the growth of bacteria in the urinary tracts. It kills the growing bacteria and causes its removal from the body.

9. Controls and Treats STD:

Boldo leaves are also beneficial in treating a sexually transmitted disease like gonorrhea. It kills microbial activities in the affected areas and prevents further growth.

10. Cures Rheumatism:

The most common use of boldo leaves is for the treatment of disease or achy joints. A gentle massage of boldo essential oil reduces a lot of pain.

Ways to Use Boldo

The plenty of ways to uses of boldo are –

  1. Due to its herbal nature, the dried leaves of the boldo plant can be used in the form of teabags to prepare organic and herbal tea.  There are many health benefits of Boldo tea, but care should be taken because this is a very strong herb
  2. Boldo oil is responsible for the effective treatment of urinary tract infections, joints, and muscle pain, etc.
  3. Boldo leaves have high amounts of constituents, that’s why people prefer taking the dried leaves in smaller quantities. They can add an intense flavor to meat, during the slow roast. Boldo leaves are also an ingredient of Garam Masala, used in the North-Indian cuisine.

Boldo Side Effects and Precautions

There are no significant side effects of consuming boldo leaves. However, excessive intake of boldo leaves might cause toxicity in your body, leading to many critical problems. You should use it in smaller quantities. Some other side effects could include –

  • Consumption of boldo during pregnancy and breastfeeding might be harmful.
  • It can be unsafe for the people who suffer from blocked bile ducts.
  • One should avoid consuming boldo leaves for up to two weeks prior, in case of any surgery.
  • One should avoid consuming boldo leaves along with alcohol.
  • Avoid having boldo leaves, if you’re on the medications that can alter the blood clotting process and slow it down.

In the cases mentioned above, one should avoid the consumption of boldo leaves, or consult a doctor or specialist, before consuming it.

Boldo benefits are no less than any conventional medicine. You have to take care of the side effects and the precautions to prevent their occurrence. There are several cases of chronic diseases, where boldo essential oil plays a crucial role in treating the causal problem. You can buy anything related to boldo from your nearest departmental or grocery store and enjoy its benefits.

View Comments (0)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Scroll To Top

Sign up for our Newsletter !
Get access to quality &
Natural Health Tips right from the Experts
Subscribe !
Send this to a friend