Fresh eucalyptus has so many benefits it’s crazy to think that it’s a plant that has been available to us for ages and is just now being discovered and utilized. Here’s a quick list of key benefits our fresh eucalyptus can provide you:
- Eucalyptus is widely used as a natural cold remedy and is a common ingredient in cold and cough products.
- Research has shown that it can decrease mucus and expand the bronchi and bronchioles of your lungs.
- Serves as a natural anti-inflammatory agent.
- Eucalyptus has been found to decrease nasal congestion, cough frequency, and cold-related headaches.
- It can be used to improve asthma symptoms.
- Using eucalyptus may improve dry skin by increasing its ceramide content. Eucalyptus leaf extract has been found to boost skin ceramide production, water-holding capacity, and skin barrier protection.
- Eucalyptus contains many anti-inflammatory compounds, such as cineole and limonene, which may act as all-natural pain relievers.
- Eucalyptus is widely believed to decrease symptoms of stress. People experience significant reductions in anxiety after inhaling eucalyptus. Researchers believe that it decreases the activity of your sympathetic nervous system — your stress response system — and increases the activity of your parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation.
- Fresh eucalyptus is a natural insect repellent, mainly due to its eucalyptol content. Research has shown that its effective at warding off mosquitoes and other biting insects for up to eight hours.
- For many years, eucalyptus oil has been used to relieve coughing. Vicks VapoRub, for example, contains a percentage of eucalyptus oil.