Where most plants have a myriad of touted health benefits, milk thistle benefits are actually rather narrow.

Granted, any non-poisonous plant is healthy in one way or another, but the narrow field of milk thisle benefits doesn’t reduce its efficacy at all. In fact, milk thistle’s benefit of cleansing the liver is so strong, that milk thistle is often used to treat alcoholics (most effectively helps reformed alcoholics) and those poisoned by death cap mushrooms.

Another of milk thistle’s benefits is that it’s very high in antioxidants. It’s considered a wonderful, mild, daily detox. Because milk thistle stimulates the liver and gallbladder, it may have a mild laxative effect, so you may want to first try it when you’re around home to see whether you’re effected or not.

In addition to cleansing the liver of toxins, one of milk thistle benefits is that it can actually protect the liver from toxins. It can even help to protect the liver from certain drugs that are used to treat schizophrenia. Milk thistle has been used to effectively treat liver cirrhosis and has been shown to help liver cells regenerate.

There are very few side effects, and aside from the laxative effect, are rare. Some of the potential milk thistle side effects are headaches, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and skin rashes.

Milk thistle is available in teas, as supplements, and as milk thistle seed extract. If you can find or plant milk thistle near you, you can even cook it and eat it as a vegetable.

As for how milk thistle tastes, there isn’t much of one. I’ve found that milk thistle tea is rather bland, with a definite vegetable flavor. It tastes as though it should be mucilaginous (read: thick and slimy) but it isn’t in the least. Though the flavor of milk thistle isn’t strong, it is pervasive, and if you find that you don’t like the flavor, you can mix it with a stronger flavored tea (perhaps a mint or fruit flavored tea), or switch to milk thistle capsules.

It may not be easy to find milk thistle tea, capsules, or extract near you. I found Alvita brand milk thistle tea in our local grocery store’s organic section. If you’re unable to find it in your local store, you can buy milk thistle tea and supplements here, and milk thistle seed extract here.

If you found this article on milk thistle benefits useful, please explore the rest of this site for more holistic nutrition information.