Benefits of Calendula | Starwest Botanicals

What is Calendula Good For?

Calendula flowers, also known as pot marigold, showcase brilliant golden-orange petals that capture the essence of the sun. Their radiant hue adds a touch of elegance to any herbal creation, product or craft.

If you’ve been wondering what to do with calendula, there are many fun and easy DIY applications of this vibrant herb!

With a history steeped in herbal medicine, calendula is often used to craft soothing teas and tinctures that aid in calming various ailments. It can be infused into a balm, cream or oil for topical applications as well.

Calendula petals can be a delightful culinary addition, used to decorate salads, cakes, or garnish a dish with a subtle, earthy flavor and a pop of colors.

They can also be used as a natural dye to bring a rich color to your favorite fabrics.

Ayurvedic Perspective on Calendula

Calendula exhibits bitter and pungent tastes. In Ayurveda, the taste of a particular herb or food is called rasa. Like most bitter herbs, calendula has a cooling energy, or virya. This means that a tea, toner, or tonic made from calendula may help release excess heat from the body. Calendula is also a common infusion in gentle balms and oils for the skin because of that same cooling, soothing effect.

Another interesting classification within Ayurvedic herbalism is called vipaka. Vipaka refers to the post-digestive effect that a particular herb or food has on the elimination of urine and feces, as well as the nourishment of tissues (called dhatus in Ayurveda).

Calendula and The Ayurvedic Doshas

Ayurveda utilizes a system of the elements to identify three different constitutions, or doshas. The three doshas are called vata, pitta, and kapha. Each person has all three within them, but typically one is strong or more present than the others. If you’d like to learn about your Ayurvedic constitution, take a mind body quiz. To learn more about how calendula relates to the three doshas, keep reading.

With its primarily bitter taste, calendula decreases pitta dosha (the fire element within us) and kapha dosha (the earth and water elements within us). The cooling effect of calendula is especially supportive for those with excess pitta (fire element). Excess pitta may show up as heat, redness, rashes, inflammation, loose stools, irritability, headaches or migraines, raging appetite, acidity, heartburn or reflux.

Calendula Flower Benefits

The bright golden orange calendula is blooming with flower power. This annual flower has been reported to contain lutein, quercetin, lycopene, beta-carotene, and courmins, all of which may contribute to antioxidant activity.

Calendula has been used to support wound healing in herbal medicine for hundreds, if not thousand, of years. Though its effects on the skin have not been extensively studied in our modern world, there is promising research out there.

A 2011 found that a carefully formulated calendula cream “had the ability of inducing skin tightness which prevents the damage of skin and also delays the aging process. The formulation also increased the hydration of the skin … and may also prevent skin alteration and early aging. It also showed some improvement in some elastic and viscoelastic parameters though it was not significant.”

A 2006 study of the potential spasmodic benefits of calendula found “a scientific base for its traditional use in abdominal cramps and constipation.” In folk herbalism, it is classified as a plant that may help reduce or relieve smooth muscle spasm that may be associated with cramps or indigestion.

Packed with potential benefits, there are many ways to use calendula flowers to support your wellness and joy.

Calendula Flower Uses

• Calendula Cream
• Calendula infused oil
• Calendula balm
• Calendula herbal tea
• Calendula natural dye
• Calendula cake/pastry garnish

Where to Buy Organic Calendula Flowers

Order your Organic Calendula Flowers directly from Starwest Botanicals, where we’re committed unwaveringly to sustainability, ethical sourcing, and supporting our communities from seed to shelf. You’ll also find Calendula Flower Powder, in addition to Calendula Flower Extract, for all your at home herbalism needs!

At Starwest, we offer an extensive, diverse, and carefully curated selection of premium-quality botanicals, organic herbs, delicious spices, tantalizing teas, and 100% pure essential oils. If you are passionate about highest quality ingredients and all the standards — from USDA Organic, to Non-GMO, Fairtrade, and more — you are in the right place.

Nature is filled with possibilities for wellness, discovery, and adventure — let’s explore together

Bio

Molly McConnell is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner who is committed to cultivating collective wellness. Guided by curiosity, embodied listening, and the rhythms of nature, Molly’s approach to Ayurveda is intentional and intersectional. As the cofounder ofCultivate Balance, she supports purpose-oriented people to come home to their bodies and restore resilience through nourishment, ritual, and routine. For a more immersive experience,Connect with Molly 1:1 or check outThe Reset for Resilience.

 Preethi, K. C., Girija Kuttan, and Ramadasan Kuttan. "Antioxidant Potential of an Extract of Calendula officinalis. Flowers in Vitro. and in Vivo." Pharmaceutical biology 44.9 (2006): 691-697.

 Akhtar, Naveed, et al. "Evaluation of various functional skin parameters using a topical cream of Calendula officinalis extract." African journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 5.2 (2011): 199-206.

 Bashir, Samra, et al. "Studies on spasmogenic and spasmolytic activities of Calendula officinalis flowers." Phytotherapy Research: An International Journal Devoted to Pharmacological and Toxicological Evaluation of Natural Product Derivatives 20.10 (2006): 906-910.