Did you know? Our ancestors were a lot closer to nature than we’ll ever be. Not only were they part of it, but they were also using herbs in order to cure diseases, and even sometimes, to communicate with their gods. The estafiate was one of those plants that were used many centuries ago. Its powerful properties are nothing short of impressive, but you have to be careful to not abuse its usage. With this guide, you will know everything there is to know about the estafiate and how to use it.
Where can I find estafiate?
Without any surprise, you’ll find estafiate on Amazon, at Walmart even, and on many other websites such as Mexgrocer. That being said, is it possible to find estafiate in the wild, and if so, how exactly?
Well, first, you need to know how the estafiate plant looks like. Here’s a list of the main characteristics of the estafiate herb:
- The height of the estafiate is about 1.5 to 2 feet tall. Some estafiate species can grow over 2 feet, which is uncommon but does happen in optimal conditions.
- The leaves of the estafiate are long and triangular, with many little pointy waves on both sides of each leaf.
- While the green and white colors are dominant, estafiate plants can also have a silverish color, with sometimes some subtle tints of purple.
- The estafiate is part of the sunflower family, which is one of the biggest plant families in the world with over 24,000 species and counting.
- Silver wormwood and mugwort are often confused with the estafiate plant but they are not the same.
Now that you know how the estafiate plant looks like, how to spot some wild estafiate in the wild? Like many other sunflower species, the estafiate likes to grow in rocky rich soils located along river banks. However, this plant is pretty strong and can grow in dryer conditions as well, away from any water source. But in general, you will have more chance to find estafiate in places near a water source where the weather is kind of stable.
Finally, the estafiate grows in many countries, such as Canada, the United States, and even in some European and Asian countries as well.
Is it safe to eat estafiate?
Yes, you can eat estafiate but it is recommended to dilute the estafiate in a tea, in a tonic, or in a soup. How does the estafiate taste you may wonder? Well, the taste is extremely bitter, which is a good thing on the health side of things. Since bitter plants often offer great digestive properties, know that the estafiate is no exception. This plant will make your digestive system produce a lot more enzymes than usual, which in turn, will help you digest your food better.
As an extra note, you have to be careful to not overdose on your estafiate taking, as this plant can quickly turn into something dangerous if you do so. Always keep in mind that you should take small doses of estafiate and not more than 2 or 3 times a day.
What are the best recipes with estafiate?
Here are a few ideas we found on the web and that we tested for you. These are the best healthy recipes that you can make at home with estafiate:
- Estafiate and Azahares Tonic
Do you have an acid problem in your digestive system? Fear no more, this mix will help you reduce the acidity in your belly. All you need to do is make a tea with estafiate and azahares. You won’t need much, so keep the doses to a minimum. - Estafiate and Wild Ginger Soup
It is well known that wild ginger is great for improving your digestion, but combined with estafiate, it’s an absolute miracle recipe. You can make a tonic or a tea, or even a soup, ginger tastes great in a rice soup for example. - Estafiate and Chaparro Tea
Drinking a mixture of chaparro armago and estafiate tea can help you treat an intestinal ulcer or worm, as well as some amoebic infections. - Estafiate and Prickly Pear flowers moisturizer
Prickly pear flowers offer antioxidant properties that go well with the estafiate. A mixture of both in your tea can even prevent prostate complications. Furthermore, you can make a cream out of these two and use the latter on your skin and on your face. Just test it out first with a small sample to see how your skin reacts to it. - Estafiate and Peony tea
For women having cramps or PMS, this will be an excellent solution. Just make a simple estafiate tea and add some peony herb. As always, a small dose is the key.
Top 7 Health Benefits of the Estafiate Plant
If you were wondering what are the health benefits of drinking some estafiate tea once in a while, here are the top 7 health benefits of this plant:
- It will heal your bruises and burns
- Malaria treatment
- Rheumatism and Hemorrhoids Treatment
- Very good as a Menstrual Cramps reliever
- It will help reduce symptoms of some types of Diabetes
- Amazing for your digestive system
- It will help prevent and heal from common diseases such as the flu for example
A step-by-step guide to using Estafiate herb in my tea
To make the perfect estafiate tea, follow the instructions below:
- In a teacup full of hot water, add 1 teaspoon of estafiate dried leaves.
- Thereafter, leave to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Finally, remove the leaves and just keep the liquid.
- It’s ready to drink! You can add a sweetener or some honey to make the taste a bit less bitter.
As we mentioned earlier in our guide, it is important to mind the quantity of estafiate you use in your tea and in your daily life in general. This plant is extremely strong and there is a risk of overdose that can lead to severe health problems if you take too much of it.
If you are not sure or would like to know more about this plant, talk to a specialist or a nutritionist beforehand.
