Scientifically known as Centaurea benedicta, Blessed thistle or St. Benedict's thistle, is a plant in the Asteraceae family, native to the Mediterranean region, from Portugal north to southern France and east to Iran.
Medicinal Uses For Blessed Thistle
Blessed thistle contains chemicals called tannins, which might help with diarrhea, cough, and swelling. People use this herb for indigestion, infections, wounds, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Increase Milk Supply For Nursing Mothers
This herb is primarily used to increase the milk supply of nursing mothers. It is believed to do this by acting on the brain to stimulate the release of prolactin, the hormone responsible for milk production.
Soothe Indigestion
It also acts as a digestive bitter. Blessed thistle is a bitter herb, which, when chewed, increases saliva which can then also cause the release of digestive juices in your stomach which support proper digestion of your meals. Therefore it is used for stimulating the appetite and soothing indigestion.
Blessed Thistle Supplement Varieties
Most of these supplements are made as encapsulated dried herb, a tincture of the same plant parts or loose dried herb. In order to help with digestion, bitter herbs must be tasted, like when you take in a tincture or tea. Encapsulated herbs are swallowed, thus bypassing the taste buds, and will not stimulate digestion.
Cautions & Considerations
This supplement should be used according to labelling dosage and directions. Since Blessed thistle belongs to the ragweed plant family, it should not be used by anyone who is allergic to ragweed.
