3 Surprising Health Benefits of Goldenseal

When I was little, I had an eye infection, and I remember that my mom used a goldenseal “tea” to wash out my eye. I don’t remember very much about the tea except the very bitter taste when some of it got in my mouth.

Turns out this pungent herb is actually a powerhouse medicinal herb that can be used as a home remedy for many things!

CHOOSING ETHICAL GOLDENSEAL

Like ginseng, goldenseal is also a very powerful and popular medicinal herb. Because of their high value and potency, both plants have been the victim of unsavory harvesting practices that put their entire species at risk. 

In order to meet global demand, ginseng and golden seal harvesting routinely occurs in places where it’s not legal, like national parks, nature preserves, state parks and state forests. Additionally, harvest often occurs out of season, making it impossible to harvest sustainably because seeds are not yet ripe and before plants are fully matured, reducing the overall population.

“Goldenseal is protected on a federal and international level and is listed on Appendix II of the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an international treaty monitoring trade in threatened and endangered species,” reports eXtension.org. “This means that a CITES permit is required to sell goldenseal to other countries. To get such a permit, you need to be able to show that the plants are at least four years old and were obtained legally.”

To avoid supporting illegal practices, choose ethically-wildcrafted or verifiably cultivated sources of goldenseal bulk herbs or supplements from brands you trust.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF GOLDENSEAL

The source of goldenseal’s strength comes from a compound called berberine that kills many types of bacteria and germs, such as those that cause candida (yeast) infections and parasites such as tapeworms and Giardia. Berberine may also “activate white blood cells, making them better at fighting infection and strengthening the immune system” and has been shown to have some antibiotic properties, reports Penn State Medical Center. 

Taking goldenseal in small doses as tablets/capsules (containing the powdered root), liquid extracts, glycerites (low alcohol extracts) or using it topically as a skin wash, is considered safe and can be an excellent natural remedy for the following health conditions:

Indigestion
Hay Fever
Common Cold
Flu
Upper Respiratory Infections
Allergies
Sore Throat
Fungal Infections
Minor Cuts & Scrapes (Disinfectant)
Skin, Eye, and Mucous Membrane Problems (sinusitis, pink eye, and urinary tract infections)