The Amazing Benefits of Passionflower

Passion fruit is a widely loved tropical fruit that is incredibly delicious and characteristically purple or yellow. Low in calories, and high in nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants, passion fruit is a popular addition to a healthy and balanced diet. While we all know and enjoy this exotic power fruit, have you heard of the other ‘passion’ superfood?

There is a miraculous herb that is part of the passion fruit’s Passiflora family, which is believed to have been used medicinally for its incredible capabilities since around the 16th century. This herb goes by the name of passionflower.

This gentle calming flower is native to the Americas, growing throughout South America and parts of the southern United States. This herb was originally used to treat gastrointestinal spasms and heal bruises and cuts.

Modern-day evidence supports its use as an herbal medicine with a plethora of perks. There are many benefits of passionflower including its ability to aid insomnia, anxiety, inflammation, and high blood pressure, just to name a few.

With that said, why is passionflower such an incredible natural medicine, and why do we need to start shining a light on not just the fruit but the flowering herb of the Passiflora family?

Let’s discover the benefits of passionflower and discover why it is one of the best teas to help you sleep.

Anxiety and Depression Relief

Numerous researchers have found passionflower to work in helping treat anxiety. Passionflower is believed to increase the amount of GABA through GABA receptors. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that can counter neurotransmitters that cause excitement, potentially helping regulate mood and causing a calming effect, decreasing the activity of depression-inducing brain cells.

A clinical trial found that this herbal remedy may work in the same way as anti-anxiety prescription drugs. Medications for anxiety such as (Xanax) alprazolam and (Valium) diazepam are synthetically designed to also increase the measure of GABA in the brain.

Another study comparing passionflower and a common pharmaceutical drug used to treat generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) called oxazepam, found that passionflower was just as effective for treating patients diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). There were more cases of impairment of job performance in the patients that took oxazepam.

Natural Sleep Aid

As we mentioned, passionflower increases the amount of GABA through GABA receptors, and GABA can quiet tension and nerves. Since passionflower is an anti-anxiety and mildly sedative herb, it is an incredible herb for inducing a good night's sleep.

Drinking passionflower tea has been shown to improve sleep quality and aid anxiety-associated insomnia.

One study in mice suggests that passionflower had a positive effect on sleep patterns and helped the mice fall asleep more quickly.

Another double-blind, placebo-controlled study of forty-one participants (18-35 years old), had participants drink purple passionflower tea and fill out a sleep diary every night for seven days. After the week had passed, those who had consumed the passionflower tea reported significantly better and improved sleep quality compared with the placebo.

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Abilities

Passionflower is a powerful antioxidant. It is a rich source of flavonoids, antioxidant compounds, and phenolic compounds including vitexin and quercetin.

Quercetin in particular has been shown in many studies to be effective in eliminating free radical molecules and inhibiting inflammatory enzymes and strengthening antioxidant defense systems in the body. This can help in relieving nerve pain and inflammatory-related pains.

Lowers Blood Pressure

Research has found that passionflower can lower blood pressure and regulate blood pressure levels in people with mild hypertension.

One study conducted by the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry tested the effects of passionflower skin extract on blood pressure. The study found that blood pressure levels were reduced significantly. Since the passionflower extract contains a relatively high concentration of GABA, researchers believe the GABA-induced antihypertensive effect.

Another study published in 2018 presented results that suggested that passionflower can be used to manage blood glucose and cholesterol levels.

The Incredible Benefits of Passionflower

Whether you’re looking to improve falling asleep, staying asleep, anxiety, or even help manage blood glucose and cholesterol levels, passionflower is an amazing herb for natural improvement you didn’t know you needed. The benefits of passionflower are endless and incredible.

How to Take Passionflower

Passionflower provides not just natural healing purposes but also food flavoring. Passionflower has a mild floral taste with a light sweet aftertaste. Passionflower can be found in teas, liquid extracts, capsules, and tinctures.

Tea is probably the most popular way to enjoy passionflower especially for those looking for improved sleep. Passionflower is often combined with other calming herbs in tea blends, such as valerian root, chamomile, lemon balm, and skullcap. All four of these herbs are amazing for sleep inducement and quality rest. A warm cup of tea combining these powerful herbs can be soothing for sleep promotion, anxiety reduction, or simply relaxation.

For an ultimate flavorful, anxiety reducing, relaxing herbal elixir… let us here at Wise Ape Tea do the work for you.

We’ve perfected an amazing adaptogenic super-herbs combo to support your nightly zen and daily relaxation. Our adaptogenic tea blend Orange Dreamiscle includes passionflower and is designed to calm the mind, reduce stress, and help you sink into a restorative night's sleep.

Organic, all natural, whole leaf ingredients, biodegradable pyramid tea bags, plant-based, non-GMO, and plastic free. Orange Dreamiscle tea blend tastes like gentle chamomile with a hint of vanilla cream paired with a mellow orange zest. Trust me, our Orange Dreamiscle tastes oh-so-divine and contains the benefits of passionflower and more.

(Please note: if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have a medical condition or take medications, it’s always best to consult with your doctor before adding anything new like herbs to your diet. As always, talk to your doctor before taking any new herbal supplement.)

What is your FAVORITE Benefit Of Passionflower?

Let us know your thoughts on Instagram at @WiseApeCo and/or use the hashtag #WiseApeTribe and we’ll share it!

This informative article is written, by Sophia McKenzie. Sophia is head content creator and writer, for several premium websites, where her expertise lies in health, nutrition, and wellness. Her content focuses on providing and sharing doable solutions to help people truly thrive and live their happiest, healthiest, fulfilled lives.