Passionflower: what is it for and how to drink tea

This content is part of the Alternative Medicine category and may contain information that lacks scientific studies and/or medical consensus.

Remember when your grandmother used to say that a passion flower tea is great for calming and providing a peaceful sleep? Yes, she was right. The passion fruit flower, as it is also known, has substances that act in favor of this effect.

Best of all, it’s easy to find. Even though it is originally from the south of North America, the plant has adapted well to average temperatures, being widely cultivated in Brazil.

And although it is not found in its natural version, as it is widely used as a herbal remedy, drugstores and compounding pharmacies sell tablets and capsules with concentrated extracts of Passiflora Incarnata.

In this article you will discover the main benefits of the plant and the best way to prepare and consume tea. Follow it below:

Passionflower Benefits

1. Helps you get a peaceful night’s sleep

Having compromised sleep can generate a series of problems: worsens mood, causes tiredness throughout the day, poor performance in daily tasks. Not to mention the long-term damage to health.

A natural alternative to combat insomnia is passionflower, due to its active ingredients: passionflower, flavonoids, c-glycosides and alkaloids (harmana).

The presence of these principles contributes to increasing levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain, which in turn helps to regulate nerve cells. This effect reduces anxiety and allows for a more restful night’s sleep.

This must be the best known benefit of this medicinal plant. So, having a cup of passionflower tea before bed can be an excellent option if you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.

2. Improves concentration

How many times do we start an activity and not finish it because we got distracted. Want to see an example common to most people? Start reading a book and at the end of the page realize that you didn’t absorb anything because you were thinking about something else.

Did you know that it is possible to avoid dispersions by giving a little strength to concentration? Passionflower helps to better focus on activities. This is because, by causing a greater feeling of relaxation and well-being, concentration levels also rise. Thanks to the phenolic and cyanogenic glycosyl compounds that help neurotransmitters provide this feeling of relaxation.

This plant helps the individual to be more productive . There is even a study in Complementary Therapies in Medicine that attests to the benefits of passionflower in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

3. Contributes to fighting depression

Passionflower acts on the central nervous system, but not just helping to calm and improve the quality of sleep. This incredible medicinal herb also helps to improve the symptoms of depressive conditions.

The chemical components found in it, such as alkaloids and flavonoids, act on the sensation of relaxation , but also cause antidepressant effects in the body.

Therefore, it can be a milder and more natural alternative to synthetic anxiolytics and antidepressants. The risks of “black stripe” medications include various side effects and addiction.

4. Relieves discomfort caused by menopause

She is still a great ally of women’s health, helping to control the famous hot flashes. The symptom is one of the most troubling women in menopause and pre-menopause.

Symptoms of natural hormone decline are associated with low levels of GABA. The components of passionflower help to increase the levels of this acid and the alkaloids of the plant prevent the production of monoamine oxidase, which causes depression during menopause.

Therefore, this medicinal herb acts as an excellent alternative to hormone therapy.

5. Combat Anxiety Disorder Symptoms

Due to the relaxing effect caused by chemical components that increase the production of GABA, passionflower can be an ally of our emotional well-being. Studies indicate that it is effective in treating generalized anxiety disorder, characterized by excessive and disproportionate worry.

6. Supporting weight loss

Passionflower does not have any diuretic substance in its composition or that is associated with fat burning. However, by controlling anxiety, it can be beneficial in cases of binge eating, as nutritionist Adriana Lima explains. Passionflower can be useful for weight loss programs that involve diet and exercise,” he pointed out if the cause of excessive consumption of calories is anxiety.

What is the best way to consume the plant?

In the form of capsules, the nutritionist informs that the recommended dose is 2 tablets (200 mg each) per day, 1 in the morning and the other in the evening.

The ideal is to drink up to three cups a day if you want to consume the herb as a tea. To make the drink, put two teaspoons of the dried plant in a cup of boiling water. Let it sit for ten minutes. Then just strain and drink!

Care and contraindications

Even using a natural treatment that is gentler than conventional remedies, you need to take some precautions. Therefore, even natural remedies, such as passionflower, have contraindications. Check the cases in which its consumption should be avoided.

• During the pregnancy. The herb has uterine stimulating effects, which can compromise the health of the fetus;
• The tea and its extracts cannot be taken together with tranquilizers, anti-allergy and sedatives. Passionflower can potentiate the effect of these drugs’ substances;
• It is not recommended to consume it with alcoholic beverages.

Before using any product for medicinal purposes, whether natural or synthetic, it is important that a specialist is consulted. Self-medication is dangerous!