Many of you may have bought some of our teas, opened them up, and promptly called or emailed in to ask “what is that white fluffy stuff on the tea? Should I return this?” The answer is no! That’s the good stuff you want. You may not have seen it before now, but that is a very powerful little bark (shredded into “white fluff”), called slippery elm, and it offers a boon of health benefits.
You can find slippery elm in our Allergy Relief Tea, Heartburn Relief Tea, Healthy Colon Tea, and Lung Health Tea. (All of which are organic).
You may be surprised to hear that slippery elm is native to the United States and Canada. As such, it was very commonly used by Native Americans in a wide variety of remedies. Native Americans would use slippery elm to treat fevers, wounds, throats, and even preserve their meat.
Of course, when it comes to treating or diagnosing anything, we recommend consulting a medical professional and doing your own research on each ingredient.
Slippery elm contains something called “mucilage” which becomes a slick gel when mixed with water. Slippery elm is also a great source of antioxidants. It’s for this reason, and its coating properties, that slippery elm has been used to help with all of the following:
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Cough & sore throat
- Asthma
- Bronchitis
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- General inflammation in the urinary tract and intestines
- Heartburn
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Slippery elm’s high calcium content can act as an antacid, making it particularly helpful with heartburn and GERD. Slippery elm’s mucilage works to help lessen inflammation by coating the irritated parts and allowing the body time to naturally heal itself. (This is also why Native Americans would use it externally too, on wounds and scrapes).
Whether you’re wanting to soothe your stomach, throat, or overactive sinuses, this calming ingredient can be a great addition to your regime. Sample sizes are available for purchase in every tea we sell if you want to “try before you buy”, before committing to larger quantities.
Shop Slippery Elm →
