Sorrel was known to man even in the times of Ancient Greece, and from the 12th century this plant became popular almost all over the world. Traditional medicine used sorrel for medicinal purposes, it was believed that this plant had hemostatic properties, healing, and even could protect a person from plague.
Benefits and harm of sorrel
Before using sorrel as food, people for a long time used it exclusively as a medicinal plant. Today, sorrel is popular, first of all, as a food product, which brings a significant benefit to the body:
- Improves the function of the digestive tract. The leaves of sorrel have laxative properties, and seeds, on the contrary, will help with diarrhea. The benefit of sorrel is also that it is able to prevent the processes of putrefaction in the intestine.
- Decoction of the leaves helps to sooth toothache , reduce bleeding gums and even able to rid of scurvy.
- Useful properties of sorrel are also in the general strengthening effect. This plant helps with beriberi, strengthens immunity, therefore, increases the body's resistance to colds.
- Positively affects the heart, liver, relieves headache.
- Perfectly suited for use during the slimming process, because the caloric content of sorrel is minimal and by 100 g is only 19 kcal, so during the diet this plant can diversify the menu without fear for its shape.
Despite the considerable benefit, sorrel still has some contraindications:
- It is not recommended to use this plant for people who have violated water-salt metabolism.
- Excessive use of sorrel can contribute to the formation of kidney stones, provoke inflammation of the joints in arthritis and rheumatism.
- In large quantities, sorrel can negatively affect the work of the stomach.