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Burdock – 7 Amazing Benefits & Nutrition Facts

Burdock is a wonderful herb known for its numerous health benefits which include, aiding in digestion, detoxifying the liver, and balancing hormones. It is also good for improving skin quality, reducing inflammation, and lowering blood pressure. 

What is Burdock?

Burdock is the name of a genus of the flowering biennial, whose scientific name is Arctium. Remember the small burrs that often get stuck on your trousers or socks when walking in a forest? Those small hooking burrs come from the burdock plant, whose plants, leaves, and stems hold significant value as herbal or alternative remedies. ^[1] [2]

Burdock root can be eaten in large quantities as a root vegetable and is very rich in important fibers. The dried leaves and seeds can also be used to extract burr oil, which has a wide range of medicinal uses.

The first use of burdock root is recorded in the medieval period, but it is also known in Chinese herbal medicine, and likely dates back considerably further. There are a number of ways to prepare this flowering plant, as either a food or herbal medicine, making it highly sought after around the world, as several species have spread globally.

Nutrition Facts

Burdock root is a powerhouse when it comes to the nutrition profile. According to USDA, it provides energy, carbohydrate, protein, and fiber. Amongst minerals, it contains calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and selenium. It is a good source of vitamins that include vitamin C, B vitamins, choline, vitamin E, and vitamin K. ^[3]

It also provides amino acids that include the following:

• Aspartic acid
• Glutamic acid
• Arginine
• Proline
• Lysine

Health Benefits of Burdock

Let’s take a closer look at the impressive health benefits of this herbal plant.

Regulates Blood Pressure

One of the aspects of burdock that doesn’t get enough attention is its impressive ability to lower blood pressure. The plant’s high concentration of potassium, a vasodilator, helps relieve tension within the cardiovascular system by relaxing the blood vessels and arteries. ^[5]

Aids in Digestion

The most well-known use of burdock is as a digestive aid for many reasons. The high concentration of fiber in it helps stimulate the digestive system and moves food smoothly through the bowels, thereby relieving constipation and preventing bloating, cramping, and ulcers. Inulin, a particular type of soluble and prebiotic fiber found in burdock root, is able to reduce inflammation in the gut and eliminate many types of harmful bacteria that can cause diarrhea and gastrointestinal problems. ^[6]

Controls Diabetes

Although all types of fiber are able to regulate the balance of insulin and glucose in the body, inulin is particularly effective and has been directly connected to reducing the development and severity of diabetes and diabetes-related symptoms. An animal study found that burdock extract has a hypoglycemic effect, helping in the management of lipid profiles and enzyme levels in people with diabetes. In fact, it was used in Iranian traditional medicine for this purpose. ^[7]

Detoxifies the Liver

The chemicals that give burdock its bitter taste, also stimulate bile production and digestive juices in the gut, which helps the liver to rapidly process toxins and flush them from the system. Clearing toxins from the blood is one of the main purposes of the liver, and burdock’s organic compounds and components have been directly linked to improving this function. ^[8]

Skin Care

One of the most common side effects of constipation, high toxicity in the blood, or poor dietary habits is skin inflammation, manifesting as spots, pimples, acne, rashes or discoloration. Many herbalists recommend burdock root supplements and herbs for the treatment of skin conditions, as this powerful herb can solve the underlying problems of toxicity or constipation in a fast and efficient way, leading to clearer, healthier skin. ^[9]

Promotes Hormone Balance

Having a hormone disorder can be destructive and difficult. To avoid that, you should add foods and herbs to your diet that can regulate hormonal activities in the body. Burdock is able to help the liver metabolize certain hormones, like estrogen, which can rebalance the body’s hormone levels. Excess estrogen is the cause of various dangerous or even deadly hormonal disorders, so adding some burdock root to your weekly diet is never a bad idea! ^[10]

Boosts Immunity

It has significant levels of vitamin C and vitamin E, both of which act as antioxidants in the body to eliminate free radicals, which means that burdock is a major booster of our immune system. These antioxidants have been linked to preventing infections, supporting proper growth, and repairing the body’s cells and tissues.

Word of Caution: Though this is rare, there are limited allergies associated with consuming burdock. Consult a doctor before adding it to your health regimen. Also, for those using potassium-sparing diuretic therapy, eating too much of this herb (with its significant levels of potassium) may aggravate the system and result in potassium toxicity. As always, everything should be consumed in moderation. 

by John Staughton (BASc, BFA) last updated - May 02, 2024

Ask A Nutrition Professional: Can Eating Raw Zucchini Cause Pain?

Expert opinion from Leticia Soares

Postgraduate Degree in Public and Family Health/Bachelor Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics · 5 years of experience · Brazil

Eating the raw vegetable contributes to the greatest enjoyment of all its health benefits. Raw zucchini, as well as all foods consumed in natura, must be very well washed and sanitized. When consumed in moderation raw zucchini is not harmful to the body. However if eaten in excessive amount it can cause a laxative effect and lead to diarrhea, vomiting, bloating and flatulence in some individuals. 

Expert opinion from Hannah Purtle

Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics · 1 years of experience · Australia

Raw zucchini can taste very bitter due to a compounds called cucurbitacin's. In high does cucurbitacin's can be toxic. If you have a sensitive stomach or at higher risk of food borne illness (for example during pregnancy or weaker immune system) it is safer to cook zucchini to minimise the risk of food borne illness.

Expert opinion from Carolina Castro

PhD Candidate (Health Services), Post Graduate Functional Clinical Nutrition, Bachelor's Degree Nutrition and Dietetics · 7 years of experience · Australia

If is consumed in excessive amount can cause abdominal pain and digestive issues due to higher amount of fibers and may contain also phytates.

Disclaimer: This is for information purpose only, and should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. These are opinions from an external panel of individual doctors or nutritionists and not to be considered as opinion of Microsoft. Please seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns. Medical advice varies across region. Advice from professionals outside your region should be used at your own discretion. Or you should contact a local health professional. 

Five things I wish I knew before starting hormones as a trans person

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is, for many trans and non-binary people, a huge step in transitioning, but the process can be complex and confusing.

While the goal of HRT is to help a person feel more comfortable in their body and help them express their true gender identity, the treatment can have lots of subtle side effects that might not be immediately apparent. 

Speaking as a trans woman on hormones, the first few weeks can feel incredible but also like emotional whiplash. Hormones change the way you can handle certain emotions or feelings and fundamentally shift your perspective in interesting ways.

Here are just a few of the things I wish I had known before I started hormone replacement therapy.

HRT is a process

If you’ve ever taken any long-term medication, you’ll know that it isn’t as simple as a one-time prescription, but involves plenty of follow-up sessions and frequent shifts in your dosage.

Hormones are no different. An integral part of HRT is keeping tabs on your hormone levels and seeing how your body responds. This is especially important to help prevent any internal liver damage. 

The early stage of hormone treatment involves taking a low-level dose and gradually moving to a more appropriate prescription. It may sound frustrating, but these things take time.

Learning how to measure your hormone levels once you receive your blood test results is also helpful – particularly while under private healthcare – since having a better understanding of your levels can help inform you about the next

steps.Is it cold or is it just me?

Despite what the internet may tell you, the real key to a trans woman’s heart isn’t a Swedish shark plushie or a jar of gherkins – it’s a coat to handle how chilly it feels all the time!

As it turns out, hormone therapy actually changes how the body regulates cold. While the level at which temperature affects you – as with many changes from HRT – may vary from person to person, estrogen augments the way the body stores heat because of the way it affects the skin. 

According to research published in the Autonomic Neuroscience Basic and Clinical Journal, estrogen will cause lower body temperatures because it directly affects blood flow and dilates blood vessels, meaning that the body is less able to store heat for longer amounts of time.

This is completely natural and is a byproduct of the feminising effects of estrogen, though it may come as a surprise to those who weren’t aware of the changes. Your first winter on HRT will be a doozy, so be sure to wrap up warm.

Trans fems have periods too!

It’s true! Many trans-feminine people on estrogen experience menstrual cycles similar to that of people with uteruses due to gender-affirming treatment.

Because of the shift in hormones, several trans people on feminising doses have reported that they experience hormonal cycles consistent with premenstrual syndrome. 

Symptoms have been noted to include feelings of anxiety, changes in appetite, mood swings, cramps, fatigue, and more. Bleeding is not part of the cycle for those assigned male at birth (AMAB).

And for any TERFs still reading – no, just because trans-feminine individuals don’t bleed doesn’t invalidate the factual things that are happening to their bodies.

Patience is key

One of the most common things you’ll hear among trans people is how shocked they are at the effectiveness of HRT in how it feminises the body.

The kicker here is that, while emotional changes kick in surprisingly fast, physical changes can take longer to notice – your body needs time to change, after all!

Effects like body fat redistribution and skin softening can take several months to kick in and, even then, their effectiveness can vary from person to person.

According to Gender GP, physical changes such as breast growth, decreased testicular volume, decreased muscle mass and facial hair thinning can take anywhere from 3-6 months to fully get going, while their maximum effect can take years.

Once these changes kick in, they’re very noticeable and can be some of the most euphoric changes HRT offers, they just take time. Keep at it and, before you know it, you’ll notice the difference.

You’re more than your hormones

For some, hormones are an incredibly vital step in their transition and can be seen as the beginning of their journey – I would know, because I felt that way for a long time.

But it’s incredibly important to remember that, despite the amazingly affirming effects that hormones have for some, they are not a criteria for transitioning, nor are they an indicator of how well your transition is going.

Despite wanting to go on hormones since coming out as trans, the truth is that I socially transitioned for years before taking my first dose. I was as valid then as I am now, and the same is true with anyone who decides whether or not hormones are right for them.

This is also just as true if you decide that hormones are not for you. Your decision in what you want to do with your body does not make you more or less valid in your gender identity, and hormones are not an inherent part of everybody’s journey as a trans person. 

Story by Amelia Hansford: Pink News:

‘Hidden’ bacteria could explain chronic urinary tract infections

Certain strains of bacteria are capable of “hiding” in the wall of the bladder, explaining why some people suffer from recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs), researchers have said.

The study suggests a “one-size-fits-all” approach to diagnosing and treating the infections may be inadequate for people who frequently suffer from them. 

UTIs are usually caused by bacteria from faeces entering the urinary tract, and affect women more than men.

To explore the behaviour of pathogens, a team from University College London (UCL) developed three-dimensional cell models to mimic the biological environment and function of human bladder tissue.

The artificial bladders were exposed to a number of bacterial species commonly found in the organ.

Senior author Professor Jennifer Rohn, of the UCL Division of Medicine, said the team “discovered a battleground of diversity” during the study.

“One of the key observations was the importance of persistence,” she added.

“If you want to be a successful pathogen, you have to have strategies that help you to survive treatment and hide from patrolling immune cells, which means you live to fight another day.

“If this happens with a friendly bug, this isn’t a problem, but if the bug is causing an infection, this poses a serious problem for diagnosis and treatment because the bacteria aren’t necessarily going to be detected in a urine sample or be in a position where oral antibiotics can reach them.”

The researchers also found that human cells are “very good” at identifying “friendly” bacteria.

The “bad” bugs tested by the team triggered the production of immune molecules, called cytokines, and the shedding of the top layer of the bladder wall, whereas the “good” bacteria could colonise the bladder wall without triggering an immune response. 

The findings have been published in the journal Science Advances.

Carolyn Andrew, director of the Chronic Urinary Tract Infection Campaign (Cutic), said: “This research has been instrumental in providing unequivocal evidence for our national campaign to improve testing and diagnosis of chronic, persistent UTIs.

“Professor Rohn’s work in this field is a vitally important step forwards and should help tens of thousands of women in the UK to receive effective diagnosis and treatment of a chronic infection in their bladders.” 

Story by Storm Newton: The Independent: