Have you ever heard of a plant called bitter? It is a plant of the Asteraceae family, very common in the states of Espírito Santos, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and São Paulo.

It can provide a number of health benefits with regard to the treatment of some illnesses.

Depending on the location, the amargosa may also be known by the names of bacanta, bacarida, cacália-bitter, cacliadoce, coot amara, coot-do-mato, carquejinha, chinchimani, chirca melosa, condamina, cuchi-cuchi, quimsa-kuchu, quinsu -cucho, quina-de-condamiana, sedge-of-balaio, three-ears and broom.

Medicinal properties of bitter

The plant is used to treat various health problems. That’s because it contains anthelmintic, depurative, which aids in digestion, diuretics, stomach stimulant, hepatoprotective and liver. However, before making use of these properties, it is important that the doctor is consulted.

The plant can treat diseases such as liver and throat disorders, thrush, anemia, blood circulation, pharyngitis, fever, liver, organ weakness, spleen, gallstone, diarrhea, diabetes, gout, jaundice, inappetence, urinary tract inflammation, intestine, poor digestion , pancreas and rheumatism.

The plant can also be used to assist in the weight loss process. But be careful! As previously stated, only the doctor can outline the best way to use it.

Contraindications

The consumption of the plant should be avoided by pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding. It’s also good to keep an eye out for excess intake as it can be detrimental to your health.

How to use the bitter

First of all, it must be clear that the part of the plant that contains the medicinal properties is the stems. To prepare tea from the plant, you will need to cut the stems, without damaging the roots. After that, let them dry in a ventilated place, under the heat of the sun. When they are dry, you can powder them by storing it in tightly capped jars.

bitter tea

To prepare the tea from the plant, just reserve the equivalent of one cup (of tea) of water, or 200 ml, and one (of teaspoon) of bittersweet. Bring the water to a boil. Once it is boiling, add the plant and allow it to boil for another five minutes, before turning off the heat.

Then, just leave the container with the tea covered for another 10 minutes. Before ingesting, use a sieve to remove the plant. The recommended amount for daily intake is two cups.