• Home
  • Herb School
  • Favorites
  • blog
  • About
  • Contact
  • Apothecary Shop
  • Cart
  • Best Blogging Tools For Beginners
  • Nav Social Icons

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Herb School
  • Favorites
  • blog
  • About
  • Contact
  • Apothecary Shop
  • Cart
  • Best Blogging Tools For Beginners

ALONG THE MEADOW

Corn Silk Tea Recipe + Benefits

August 6, 2022 · In: featured, herbs, recipes, skincare

Corn silk tea.

I hate to think about all the corn silk that I wasted over the years not knowing it held so many wonderful medicinal benefits. Oh well, know better do better. Hopefully after reading about the benefits of Corn silk you will be convinced to try it in your tea too!

Benefits of Corn Silk

Corn silk (Zea mays) has historically been used as a diuretic and cooling remedy in Mexico. In folk medicine it is known as a remedy to give children for bed wetting. Many herbalists also suggest adding watermelon seeds to the Corn silk for this.

Corn silk has a special affinity for the urinary tract and is very useful when someone is experiencing a UTI. There are many other conditions that could potentially benefit from drinking Corn silk tea such as prostatitis, postpartum bladder weakness, interstitial cystitis, kidney stones, loss of bladder control due to age, gout, hyperglycemia and also hypertension. Corn silk is rich in antioxidants, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, amino acids, magnesium, calcium and potassium.

herbal actions

  • Diuretic
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Antiseptic
  • Demulcent
  • Nutritive
  • Vulnerary
  • Astringent
  • Hypotensive

“Pharmacological studies (in vitro and in vivo) have shown its remarkable bioactivities as antioxidant, hyperglycemia reduction, anti-depressant, anti-fatigue and effective diuretic agent.” This was the conclusion of an excellent review on the scientific research of Corn silk which can be found here.

There is more exciting research showing Corn silk can be used topically to reduce discoloration. According to the study the application of corn silk extract on faces with hyperpigmentation significantly reduced skin pigmentation without abnormal reactions. 

Corn Silk Tea for Weight Loss

One other great health benefit of this Corn Silk tea recipe is that it could possibly help with weight loss. One study shows it’s ability to reduce fat accumulation and control body weight.

How To Make Corn Silk Tea

This Corn Silk tea recipe is so simple! You can use fresh or dried Corn silk for tea. One ear of corn should give you enough silks for 2-3 cups of tea. Dry any extra you have for future use. I leave the silks unchopped because it is easier to remove from the water after steeping. Gather what appears to be a Tblsp worth and place in a mug. Pour hot water over it and let steep for 10-15 minutes. Sweeten with honey and drink 3 times daily for acute issues. I like a bit of Hibiscus and a squeeze of an orange slice in mine because it’s flavor is so mild.

Corn growing in a field.

Other Corn Silk Uses

If you aren’t much of a tea drinker or thinking that it might be hard to get your child to drink the tea then consider making a tincture from cornsilk. Simply fill a jar 2/3 of the way full with fresh corn silk and top with vodka. Cover and let sit for 4 weeks shaking frequently. If you happen to be reading this post and the growing season for corn is over then you can grab a premade tincture here or dried Corn silk in bulk here.

One way I sneak herbal teas into my kids diets is by using them in smoothies. You could add frozen strawberries, bananas and honey to the Corn silk tea and make a healthy smoothie! Read more on the smoothies we make here.

If you would like to test out Corn silk for your skin at home I would suggest either infusing dried Corn silk into witch hazel to use as a toner or making a Corn silk infused oil. In both recipes I would fill a jar halfway full with dried Corn silk and top with either witch hazel or jojoba oil. Place a cap on the jar and let sit for 4 weeks shaking frequently.

Pin it for later:

Pinterest pin image for Corn silk tea.

  • Share
  • Email

By: melissavines · In: featured, herbs, recipes, skincare

you’ll also love

Simple Healing Salve
mulled wine recipe cocking on stovetop with brandy, orange slices, star anise, cloves and cinnamon sticksMulled Wine Recipe
A smoothie a day.

About the author

Melissa Vines is founder and content creator of Along The Meadow. She has training in herbalism and aromatherapy with a background in the skincare industry as an Aesthetician. A passion for nontoxic skincare and wellness has propelled her into a life long pursuit of helping others live a more natural lifestyle as well. Her most important role however is being a wife and mom to 3 amazing kids. Read More…

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Next Post >

Yarrow Styptic Powder Recipe

Primary Sidebar

Connect

herbal remedies cheat sheets

Featured Posts

NORA Tea

Foraging for Beginners

Turmeric Capsules

Support your pet's wellbeing with herbs, only through The Herbarium

alongthemeadow

Last summer when Appalachian herbalist and forager Last summer when Appalachian herbalist and forager, Darryl Patton taught me that you can create immunity to poison ivy’s urushiol by ingesting it I was floored. 😳 The man plucked a leaf off the vine and swallowed it right there in front of me (he’s been doing this a long time folks, don’t try it this way at first). After the shock wore off I realized it made perfect sense! It’s simply a form of inoculation and like treating like. 🌿

Darryl Patton was taught by his mentor Tommie Bass that if you take 1-3 small leaves about the size of a mouse’s ear (the smaller the leaf the less urushiol) and fold them up in bread eat them every couple of days for two weeks you’ll be immune to Poison Ivy. It worked for him and lots of others who have also tried it. Eventually he became so immune that he could pluck off the leaves straight from the vine and eat them! 

Thankfully I have never had a reaction to Poison Ivy that I can remember so I have yet to try this but I am completely fascinated by the concept and believe it to work. Have you heard of this way to gain immunity against Poison Ivy or tried it? 

Another option would be to use the homeopathic remedy Rhus toxicodendron prophylactically. Homeopath Joette Calabrese recommends administering four doses of Rhus tox 30 in one day at the onset of the season and then repeating this one day per week for one month to minimize the intensity of the exposure. 

***Not medical advice!
PSA your liver (and your gut) is where histamines PSA your liver (and your gut) is where histamines are broken down. If you have a sluggish liver then histamines are likely building up in your body causing allergies and histamine intolerance. 🤧 But there’s good news! We can support our liver with hepatic herbs like Milk thistle, Dandelion root, Turmeric, Licorice root and Artichoke.
Have ever made Beet Kvass? I love to add fermented Have ever made Beet Kvass? I love to add fermented foods into my diet and this Beet Kvass recipe from Nourishing Traditions is a favorite! 

Beet Kvass 
• 3 larges beets peeled and chopped (I used gold ones this time but use whatever kind of beets you like)
• 1/4 cup whey or if you don’t have whey pickle or sauerkraut juice will do just fine
• 1 Tblsp sea salt 
• filtered water

Add the beets, whey and sea salt to a half gallon sized mason jar. Fill to the neck with filtered water. Place a lid on and let ferment on the container for 2 days then transfer to the refrigerator. 

For more info checkout my Beet Kvass blog post. Enjoy!
Have you heard of NORA tea? It’s a nourishing bl Have you heard of NORA tea? It’s a nourishing blend of Nettle, Oatstraw, Red Raspberry leaf and Alfalfa that helps to support a healthy pregnancy and delivery. Midwives recommend their clients drink a quart a day. It’s full of nutrients and has many benefits including remineralizing the mother’s body, balancing the nervous system, reducing the risk of excess bleeding and toning the uterus. 

To make at home simply mix 2 parts Red Raspberry leaf, 1 part Nettle, 1 part Oatstraw and 1 part Alfalfa. Optional tasty additions are Spearmint or Lemon balm. Place half a cup of the tea blend in a quart size mason jar and pour hot water over it to the top. Cap and sit on the counter for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight. Strain out the herbs and drink it over ice with some lemon and honey. 🤰🍹 

Read more about NORA tea on the blog or grab it already blended in the apothecary shop. Links in profile!
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Footer

  • Blog
  • Herb School
  • Apothecary Shop
  • Wholesale
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Shipping + Returns
  • Contact

Browse:

Copyright © 2023 · Theme by 17th Avenue

© Copyright 2023 ALONG THE MEADOW