Horsetail – sources, health benefits, nutrients, uses and constituents at NaturalPedia.com

Friday, July 21, 2017 by Earl Garcia

Horsetail is a perennial plant that belongs to the same plant family as ferns. They are characterized by their hollow, jointed stems that are a rich source of silica. The plant comes in many different names such as pewterwort, scouring rush, and candock as well as shavegrass and horsetail fern. According to the Wellness Mama website, the medicinal plant is valued for its various health benefits and potent disease-fighting properties that promote the body’s overall wellness.

List of known nutrients

The presence of various active compounds makes horsetail one of the most nutritious plants known today. The essential vitamins and minerals found in horsetail include:

Aconitic Acid
Aluminum
Ascorbic Acid
Calcium
Campesterol
Chrome
Cobalt
Equisetonin
Equisetrin
Fatty Acids
Ferulic Acid
Fluorine
Gallic Acid
Galuteolin
Iron
Isoquercitrin
Magnesium
Manganese
Malic Acid
Niacin
Palustrine
Phosphorus
Potassium
Selenium
Silica
Silicon
Tannins
Vitamin B5
Zinc

Medicinal uses for horsetail

Because of its high silica content, horsetail is greatly valued as a bone-enhancing superfood. Silica is among the rarest minerals the body needs for proper function and thus is typically processed as a supplement due to its scarcity. The plant, however, is a rich source of silica that helps bolster bone density and integrity. This makes horsetail an excellent food fare against osteoporosis. The plant is also touted for its anti-inflammatory properties that relieve painful swelling due to injury, arthritis, gout or any other inflammatory conditions.

The superfood is also highly regarded for its ample antioxidant supply and cancer management potential. The antioxidants found in horsetail are known to fend off the negative effects of free radicals on the body. The same antioxidants are known to inhibit free radicals from causing otherwise healthy cells to mutate into cancerous types. Similarly, the plant’s antibacterial and antiseptic properties are found to protect the body against foreign pathogens and substances.

Aside from this, the superfood is also notably effective in staving off respiratory illnesses. The plant contains expectorant properties that rid the body of excess mucus and phlegm, thereby preventing bacteria from inhabiting and growing in the respiratory tract. This makes horsetail the go-to remedy for common coughs and colds. Likewise, horsetail is considered a powerful plant food against a slew of cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

In addition, horsetail contains a diuretic effect the promote urination and toxin elimination from the body. Previous studies have shown that the plant is notably effective in flushing out uric acid from the body’s systems. Moreover, horsetail tea and supplements are found to promote balanced insulin levels in the body. This prevents dangerous fluctuations and helps promote diabetes management.

Body systems supported by horsetail

Horsetail is significantly beneficial to the digestive, immune, and skeletal systems. Likewise, the plant benefits the respiratory, nervous, and urinary systems.

Ways to use horsetail

According to an article posted on the Recipes From the Wild blog, various parts of the plant can be eaten raw such as their leaf sheaths, stems, and roots. The strobil, or the fertile shoots that appear in spring, can be cooked and used as a substitute to asparagus. Horsetail can also be incorporated in various recipes such as stews, soups and stir fries. In addition, the plant can be made into tea. Aside from this, the plant can be processed into other industrial materials such as sand paper, natural fungicide and brass polisher.