How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Count The Ways

They say that hawthorn uplifts your spirits. I can attest to this, as I was immediately excited beyond all reason when I was outside in my backyard and spotted some hawthorn berries on the ground. It was literally like the heavens opened up and sprayed a celestial glow upon me. Okay, word of caution: herb nerd alert! Maybe everyone wouldn't be as excited as I was, but they truly set my heart aflutter when I realized how plentiful they were in my own backyard. Good thing they are known to be a heart remedy because mine was ticking a bit faster than usual at this discovery! 

Hawthorn trees may be in your backyard too. I had no idea I had any until a couple of years ago, when I spied their bright red fruit hanging in the fall. Upon further inspection, there appeared to be more trees along that "column" of trees that skirt our property line. Foraging for their berries can be a quest that is taken each fall, as finding their bright red berries is akin to an Easter egg hunt, or it is for me at least. Under our hawthorn trees lie ivy, and around them are thickets of shrubbery, so this is no easy task. It made it all the more exciting though, especially when I had to brush away leaves or pull ivy this way and that way to reveal a big ruby berry. This is just my experience though. Perhaps your trees are not as shrubby as mine. In North America alone, there are literally hundreds of species of hawthorn (Crataegus spp.). The trees themselves are thorny, boasting huge spikes that not only protect them, but help in their identification. In the spring, the tree blossoms with white flowers. All aerial parts (leaves, flowers, and berries) are edible. In the spring, you can add young tender leaves to a salad. The flowers, leaves and berries can be dried and made into an herbal tea, or blended with other herbs like ginger or cayenne to increase circulation or maybe combine with rose hips in winter for an anti-oxidant booster. But don't stop there. 

I am just scratching the surface of this herb's benefits. Most people who have heard of hawthorn know of its benefits for the heart. Like I said, it is a heart tonic. The berries are said to increase the strength of heart contractions and help support a reduction in cholesterol and plaque deposits in the arteries. The bright red color of the berries is a sign of these properties, derived from high levels of polyphenols and flavonoids. They have high antioxidant levels too, and this helps support damaged tissues, as well as help to maintain healthy arteries. Hawthorn berries also are said to not only physically aid your heart, but also are said to help emotionally by boosting your mood. They certainly boosted mine just gazing upon them! They can help you calm down, supporting your nervous system to assist with anxiety, irritability, grief, and stress. The heart really DOES go on, especially if you help it with a dose of hawthorn each day. 

Aside from these medicinal uses, you can also enjoy hawthorn in other ways. For me, I like to make a cordial with it, which is really quite delicious! To make this, I infuse the berries with a liqueur, in a quart mason jar, and sit it in a cool place for several months, before straining and bottling. Another thing you can make is a syrup. This is done by first making a simple syrup (one cup water to one cup sugar or honey), then adding hawthorn berries (half cup dried or 1 cup fresh). Simmer for 15 minutes, then allow mixture to cool overnight before straining. Bottle it and make sure to label. You can do any number of things with this syrup, like adding it to sparkling water or using as a topping for ice cream. Keep it in the refrigerator and use for up to 3 weeks. Other things you can try making are hawthorn berry wine, hawthorn jelly, and a hawthorn ketchup. This year I am also planning on adding some to our cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving. They really are a great addition to many things, not only tasty, but also good for you. Hawthorn is full of pectin (more pectin than maybe any other berry). This makes it great for your gut, as it is a pre-biotic. It is no surprise that hawthorn is such a mood booster. It literally seems to be the secret connection between health and happiness. We should all count the ways in which we can incorporate it into our lives, as well as the lives of our loved ones.