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

Saturday, September 02, 2017 by Rhonda Johansson

Despite the fact that most people associate camellias with England, they were only brought to Europe by Portugal botanists around the 16th century. Before then, they were used by Chinese and Japanese herbal healers as an overall tonic. Their petals, buds, roots, and stem were traditionally steeped in boiling water until they produced a fragrant green tea which had a taste similar to oolong, and which had the same beneficial effects. Camellias though were noted to be more of a supplement to other herbal remedies and were not usually prescribed on their own. Still, it is important to consider the nutritional profile of these flowers.

List of known nutrients

Alkaloids
Amino Acids
Apigenin
Flavonoids

Medicinal uses for camellias

Camellias are truly fascinating. They come in a variety of shades, from the simpler white to the more shocking fuchsia. They are often referred to as the “poor man’s rose”, due to their petal formation, but they are more similar to green tea in terms of medicinal uses. Traditional doctors believe that camellias — as a tea — are fantastic liver tonics and overall immunity booster. The flowers are said to contain anti-aging, anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, anti-malarial, antioxidant, and recuperative properties.

The flower, as mentioned, is not usually taken on its own. It is normally added as a supplement to more powerful herbs to create a treatment that is both preventive and managerial. Camellias do not address any single acute symptom and are used to boost overall health. Even so, they are observed to be effective in treating abdominal discomfort and can be used to prevent various forms of cancer, including anal, bladder, and breast.

Body systems supported by camellias

Camellias support all body systems, but show particular promise in aiding with liver and kidney function. It is difficult to say whether the flowers themselves are potent in flushing out excess toxins or if they just amplify the effects of the other herbs they are usually taken together with. In either case, camellias improve general well-being.

Ways to use camellias

People can take camellia as a tea. They can use the standard recipe of only a few leaves steeped in boiling water to the more adventurous one, with added ingredients such as anise and sugar.