Jasmine

Jasminum odoratissimum

PART USED: Flower

PROPERTIES: Antioxidant, Antidepressant, Antiseptic, Aphrodisiac, Antispasmodic, Sedative, Expectorant, Galactagogue, Emmenagogue

SYSTEMS AFFECTED: Immune, Cardiovascular, Endocrine/Glandular, Nervous, Digestive

POSSIBLE USES: It is difficult to separate Jasmine’s healing characteristics from those reported for green tea (which my body will not tolerate and may, in my opinion, be highly overrated).

Jasmine flowers make a pleasant and health promoting tea but it should be noted that in the commercial market, Jasmine teas are usually normal tea (green, black, or oolong—anti-Word of Wisdom) that have been flavored with Jasmine flowers to create a unique—and marketable—scent and taste. Jasmine tea first appears in official records during the Song Dynasty, which ended in the 13th Century A.D.

The most prized aspect of Jasmine is the high levels and wide variety of antioxidants that are present. Some of the antioxidants found in Jasmine (catechins) inhibit LDL-oxidation, preventing the buildup of plaque in the veins and arteries.

I had a Jasmine plant for a while which actually flowered once before it succumbed to my version of plant management and the cold climate where I live, and I can tell you that just the smell of those marvelous flowers was so amazing! Some test subjects—those who found the aroma particularly pleasing—had a strong parasympathetic nerve response to the aroma. Their bodies immediately released chemicals that relaxed them naturally and improved their mood. For some other people occasionally, the smell of Jasmine seems to increase anxiety levels if they are exposed to the aroma in high intensities.

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