Pau D'Arco / Lapacho Tea

Lapacho is an evergreen tree, with rosy coloured flowers. Nearly 100 species of lapacho trees are known, but only a few of these yield high quality material, and it takes extremely skilled gatherers to tell the difference. Lapacho is also known by the Portuguese name of Pau D’Arco, and by tribal names such as Taheebo and Ipe Roxo.

The native Indians of Brazil, northern Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia and other South American countries have used lapacho for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. Lapacho tea is also called the “tea of the Incas.” This herbal tea, which is popular in South America, provides a number of health benefits. It is made using the inner bark of the lapacho tree called the Pink Ipe that is native to South America. This herbal tea does not contain caffeine, and it is rich in essential vitamins and minerals that help maintain health and vitality. Lapacho tea, for example, contains iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, iodine, boron and barium.

Health benefits of lapacho tea:

It treats and prevents different diseases, such as arthritis, diabetes, bowel problems, bladder infections, asthma and cancer. Its use in many ways parallels that of the immuno-stimulants echinacea on this continent and ginseng in Asia, except that its action appears to exceed them both in terms of its potential as a cancer treatment. The absence of side effects makes lapacho a treatment of choice even in conjunction with standard forms of therapy. The user has nothing to lose and much to gain from the judicious use of lapacho.

- It has laxative effect. Regular use of lapacho will maintain regularity of bowel movements. Users of lapacho universally report a pleasant and moderate loosening of the bowels that leads to greater regularity without any unpleasant side-effects such as diarrhoea.

- It works as a natural antibiotic.

- It has anti-aging effect. Trials show definite inhibition of free radicals by lapacho constituents. Free radicals are even heavily implicated in the normal aging process. Reversing their action has become big business in world health circles.

- It boosts the immune system and reduces the chances of contracting a medical condition due to its rather potent antimicrobial effects.

- It increases blood and bone marrow health. Increased red blood cell production would improve the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. This, in turn, could have important implications for the health of tissues throughout the body.

- It reduces the symptoms of the flu, colds, fevers, burns, respiratory distress, skin irritation, yeast infections, bone infections, dysentery and other infectious diseases.

Is also useful for treating chronic conditions such as lupus, psoriasis and Parkinson’s disease.

- It is useful in combating the side effects that commonly occur with different medications such as dizziness, nausea, anemia and diarrhoea.

- It reduces pain, inflammation and other symptoms of arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory effects.