Hops is a hardy, climbing plant and a member of the Cannabaceae family. It is mostly cultivated in Europe, North America, and Asia for its fragrant, cone-like flower clusters, which are used to flavor and preserve beer. The herb has been used for centuries to add bitterness, flavor, and aroma to beer, but its medicinal uses are just now becoming more widely appreciated. In addition to its medicinal benefits, it is also a delicious addition to beer. Its sweet, earthy aroma pairs well with a variety of beer styles, from amber ales to IPAs. Whether you’re looking for a natural herbal remedy or simply want to add a unique flavor to your favorite beer, hops is a great choice.
Hops Nutrition Facts and Calories Chart
Hops is a powerful herbal remedy that can be used for a variety of health conditions, including anxiety, insomnia, indigestion, and inflammation. It contains compounds that are known to have calming and sedative effects, making it an excellent choice for those seeking natural relief from insomnia and anxiety. The hers is also high in antioxidants, which can help to reduce inflammation and protect against oxidative stress. Nutritional value per 100 g hops:
- Biotin: 0 µg
- Calcium: 25 mg
- Carbohydrates (Carbs): 11 g
- Chloride: 2 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Choline: 2.6 mg
- Chromium: 0.2 µg
- Copper: 0.3 mg
- Dietary Fiber: 6 g
- Energy (Calories): 66 kcal
- Fat: 0.6 g
- Iodine: 0 µg
- Iron: 1.2 mg
- Magnesium: 26 mg
- Manganese: 0.3 mg
- Molybdenum: 0.3 µg
- Pantothenic Acid: 0.2 mg
- Phosphorus: 85 mg
- Potassium: 474 mg
- Protein: 5.2 g
- Saturated fat: 0.1 g
- Selenium: 0.2 µg
- Sodium: 10 mg
- Sugars: 2.1 g
- Vitamin A: 0 IU
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 0.05 mg
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 0.7 mg
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid): 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B6: 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B9 (Folate / Folic Acid): 28 µg
- Vitamin B12: 0 µg
- Vitamin C: 0 mg
- Vitamin D: 0 IU
- Vitamin E: 0.9 mg
- Vitamin K: 16.2 µg
- Water: 8.1 g
- Zinc: 0.6 mg
Hops in India
They are mostly cultivated in the United States, West Germany and Yugoslavia for brewing beer. The bitter taste of beer is derived mostly from the humulone present in hops. The name hops generally pertains to the scaly, cone-like fruit that develops from the female flowers. Apart from beer brewing, it has some other medicinal uses. It is a common ingredient in many over-the-counter sleep remedies.
- Scientific Binomial: Humulus lupulus
- Common English: Common Hop / Houblon
- Ayurvedic
- Unani: Hashish-ut-Dinaar
- Sanskrit
- Hindi / Urdu
- Bengali
- Marathi
- Telugu
- Tamil
- Gujarati
- Kannada
- Malayalam
- Oriya
- Punjabi / Sindhi
- Assamese
- Kashmiri
- Konkani
- Manipuri
- Dogri
- Bhojpuri
Home Remedies
Hops is useful in the treatment of dandruff, diarrhea, nervous heart, infection, insomnia, lactation, nightmares, hysteria, nervousness, sweating, suppurating wounds, irritability, runny sores, abscesses, boils, stress and osteomyelitis. It is a estrogenic herbs, which discourage the loss of calcium from the bones. It is also used in skin lightening creams.
- In the treatment of Crohn’s disease, hops have an antispasmodic action which reduces tension in the body, relieving colic and spasm in the gut. The bitters in hops also enhance the action of the digestive system.
- The combination of valerian and hops is popular in Europe as it shorten the time it takes to fall asleep and to reduce waking up during the night.
- Hop mash or extract is used in the preparation of toothpaste for inhibiting Gram-positive bacteria and in hair preparations for preventing dandruff formation.
- Menopausal Problems: Herb contain 8-prenylnaringenin, which is very useful to treat hormonal activity. A standardized hops extract reduces hot flashes and night sweats. Take 250 mg two to three times daily. Herb reduces anxiety and tension and has mild hormone balancing properties. Hop’s estrogenic action makes them potentially helpful in small doses for menopausal night sweats. For night sweats, try drinking a tea made of this herb if you think you can prepare that in the middle of the night. A gel containing hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and hops extract significantly improved vaginal dryness in postmenopausal women.
- Lactation: Herb promotes lactation in mothers who are stressed and anxious. Fennel and hops make a fine remedy to flow of milk in new mother. Make teas of these and you’ll find milk flowing regularly and when you need it. Nonalcoholic beers that are rich in hops provide the same benefits. One nightly should be enough.
- Pain Relief: Using this herb as a poultice combined with chamomile or poppy is very effective in the treatment of swelling, inflammation, neuralgia, rheumatism pain, muscle spasms, skin ulcers, bruises, and boils.
- Anemia: Hops has a remarkable relaxing effect on the central nervous system. It is also effective for anemia and restoring the appetite.
- Dandruff: To treat dandruff, rub your hair with hops tincture after shampoo. Wash with clean water. It will help to control dandruff.
- Diarrhea: Hops made into a tea have a calming effect and recommended for diarrhea when brought on by nerves. It is also a good tea to make and take if you are restless. A few drops of this herb tincture taken before meals stimulate appetite.
- Insomnia – Sleeping Aid: In case of Insomnia, try this hops herbal drink. Take 2 pint water and bring it to boil. Add 1 heaping tbsp. each of fresh hops and valerian root. Try using fresh herb as hops lose their sedative properties quickly when stored. Cover and reduce heat, simmering for 5 minutes. Remove and steep an additional 45 minutes. Drink 1 1/2 cups at a time to help relax the body and to get good night sleep. You may try adding pure maple syrup before drinking for taste. OR Take 500 mg or 1 to 2 ml a half hour before bedtime. Hops is a nervine that relaxes the nervous system. You may also try to make a poultice of lettuce and hops and mother of thyme to cover your eyes. Sleep should be induced soon after applying it. If sleeplessness is due to depression or low mood disorders please choose a different remedy as hops can make things worse.
Side Effects
Avoid during pregnancy and in cases of depression. Do not take if prone to depression. Handle fresh or dried hops carefully, as they occasionally cause skin rashes. Use in conjunction with pharmaceutical sedatives only under the guidance of a qualified health-care professional. It may exacerbate their effects. Given the potential for increased hormonal activity stimulated by hops, women who have had breast cancer or who are at risk for it should avoid hops until more is known. Hops may have sedative effects, so driving or operating heavy machinery should not be attempted while using hops.
FAQs.
Q. How to make hops extract?
Alcoholic extracts of hops in various dosage forms have been used clinically in treating numerous forms of leprosy, pulmonary tuberculosis and acute bacterial dysentery. This could be due to a couple of antibiotic bitter acids, lupulon and humulon, occurring in the herb. To make a strong extract,
- Combine 1 1/2 cups of cut, fresh hop fruit with 2 1/4 cups of good-quality vodka or brandy.
- Place all ingredients in tightly closed jar for 2 weeks.
- Shake daily.
- After 2 weeks strain through muslin cloth and pour off the tincture.
- Two tablespoonfuls each day taken orally on an empty stomach will help fight infection internally.
Q. How do you make a hops herbal sleep pillow? What herbs go in a dream pillow? How to make Hops pillows as sleep aid?
A pillow stuffed with fresh hops is another traditional and very effective remedy for insomnia. This is very old, country grandmothers folk remedy to get good night sleep. Just stuff your cloth pillow case with some fresh hop flowers. Sprinkle little alcohol on it to release their precious oils. Enjoy pleasant dreams when resting your head on such a wonderful herb pillow. OR Make a pillow by stuffing a cloth drawstring bag, available at craft stores, with a handful of fresh hops, available online. Tie the top shut. Place the bag between your pillow and pillowcase. More important this works for children too. A strong infusion of chamomile, hops, lavender, or lime flower can be added to a warm bath to soothe and calm a baby or child.