 I don't have much time, but you need to know the truth. There are forces out there that want you to think that Burduck is just a weed. It's not. Burduck is not EVIL! Burduck is reported as a noxious weed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This is mostly because, much like its misunderstood friend the dandelion, it can spread itself easily and it's pretty hard to get rid of. Hmm, not looking too good yet, is it? This is also because one Burduck plant can spread around 15,000 seeds. Burduck is a member of the Daisy family and most closely resembles Milk Thistle. The most common form of Burduck comes from Europe, but is used more often in Japan where it's called Gobo. And when we're talking Burduck tea, we're talking about Burduck root, as Burduck roots are where most of the nutrients are. Burduck tea has been used since the time of the Egyptians for various ailments. But let's get into what science says Burduck is good for right now. So you don't see it as the evil scourge lots of people think it is. One of the best things about Burduck root tea is it helps you pee more. Now this is because Burduck is a diuretic and if you've seen my videos on dandelions or kidney health, you'll know that diuretics are one of the best things for helping people move bad things out of their system and to help people who are retaining too much water. This is backed up by research that tells us that Burduck can help purify your blood, remove toxins from your system and increase blood circulation in your body. Granted, there isn't enough research. There's never enough research, apparently. Making Burduck one of those scary fringe herbs people don't want to talk about at parties. But this doesn't mean that Burduck tea can't be great for you, especially in the area of cancer. Recent studies have shown that Burduck could possibly inhibit certain types of cancer. This includes a 2010 study on pancreatic cancer, a 2016 study on breast cancer and a 2011 study on liver cancer. It's almost scary how good this can be. But darkness looms when it comes to blood sugar and diabetes benefits. For while we do have some studies that say it can reduce blood sugar and improve diabetes symptoms, a 2015 study concluded, Rob Burduck Root really doesn't do anything. However, that same study said that fermented Burduck root does help with high blood pressure. So I guess we just have to jazz up our Burduck tea to get these benefits. Also in Burduck tea's corner is Inelin, that wonderful prebiotic fiber that's been shown to help blood sugar levels and digestion. And Burduck root normally clocks in about 48 to 50% Inelin. Yeah! Take that Burduck fear mongers. If you're in Burduck tea's corner, then click that like button and share this out to your friends. Burduck brilliance for all, or at least a couple friends. A 2016 study on 36 people with knee osteoarthritis found that Burduck root tea helped to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress levels. Its antioxidants have been shown to seek out and destroy free radicals that cause aging, arthritis, and a wide range of other ailments. Burduck tea's antioxidants can also be particularly effective for infections. Science now shows that Burduck can be great at fighting tonsillitis, sore throats, and killing biofilms that can cause various infections, such as influenza. A 2015 study even showed that Burduck root can help fight urinary tract infections. So it's not only a good guy, but it's fighting the bad guys. I knew it. And now that you know how awesome Burduck root tea is, we get to what this champion, or perhaps does best. Studies show that Burduck's ability to clear out toxins can help control the redness and soreness that comes with acne, rosacea, and eczema. And its anti-inflammatory benefits can help with some minor burns. Oddly, there aren't any direct studies on Burduck root for its hair benefits. Luckily, there's lots of research around the various components of Burduck root that show it can be very helpful for hair in a variety of ways. And while this can't be substantiated, Maria Treben, who's a famous herbalist who once wrote that a Burduck tea hair wash helped her hair grow back so thick, she could barely brush it. Now, I can't legitimately hype this up too much as there's only one study on rats that showed how the aqueous extraction of Burduck root, correct me if I'm wrong, but that sounds an awful lot like Burduck root tea to me, helped to increase both sexual function and behavior in rats. As for anecdotal evidence, there's some people who say it works better for them than Viagra. And in some cultures, it's given to the bride and groom as a honeymoon joke. So that of course means it has to work, right? The fact that many people see Burduck root tea as an evil entity may be down to the fact that it resembles a true master of malevolence, Bella Donna, a.k.a. deadly nightshade. So if you're picking it fresh, best to make extra sure you know exactly what you're grabbing. Other potential side effects are happily very limited. The main one being that some people are allergic to the plants of the Daisy family. There's also a small chance of developing skin pustules when taken with dandelion. And this is most likely because it's so good at getting toxins out of your skin that those same toxins are causing a problem on the way out. And as usual, you'll need to be careful if you're taking any prescription drugs as Burduck can't interact poorly with some of those. Experts say to be careful using Burduck tea around pregnancy as there's a low risk of it causing spotting and miscarriage. But there isn't actually any science saying how likely this is. Like most advice involving herbs in pregnancy, this is more of a better safe than sorry kind of thing. Do you remember how Burduck root is high in inulin? Some people can be subject to bloating when having too much inulin. Luckily, most people can handle up to 20 grams of inulin a day before problems happen. Large doses of Burduck have also been shown to cause potassium levels to drop. But if you're just having one cup of Burduck tea per day, you really aren't in that much danger of that happening. And besides that, you're in the clear. It's only deadly to animals. Whoa, what? Burduck's sharp, unforgiving burrs can cause skin irritation and infections in dogs, horses, and livestock. Studies have even shown that it can capture birds and bats, killing them when they can't get free. Oh my gosh, Burduck is the bad guy. But that's Burduck burrs. Burduck tea is still a good guy, right? Burduck tea can easily be made by taking 2 to 4 grams of dried Burduck root, then boiling it in 8 ounces of water for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how strong you want it. Keep in mind that some say Burduck has a sweet, mild, and pungent flavor, but others liken it to a dirt-laced artichoke. So you'll probably want to add some honey and some other herbs, like, say, mint, lavender, and hyssop to make it taste better. If you're in the mood for a little less controversial tea, watch this video next. Or if you want some more controversy, try this one. Please be kind, take care of each other, and don't be too quick to judge an herb by its bad reputation.