The saw palmetto, also known as Serenoa repens, is a fan palm that bears a large, reddish black fruit. The fruit is an important source of nutrition for both humans and wildlife, as it is rich in fatty acids and phytosterols. Saw palmetto extract also has a number of potential medicinal uses for the treatment of conditions like an enlarged prostate, or benign prostatic hyperplasia. It is often used for colds and coughs, sore throat, asthma, chronic bronchitis though there is insufficient evidence to rate its effectiveness.
Step 1
Eat saw palmetto in the form of a dietary supplement. The recommended dosage is 320 mg a day either in a single or split dose, taken with food. The supplement should be a fat-soluble liposterolic saw palmetto extract containing 85 to 95 percent fatty acids and sterols.
Step 2
Eat 1 to 2 g of saw palmetto in berry form. The berries may be dried, cut or powdered.
Step 3
Drink saw palmetto as tea. Purchase prepackaged saw palmetto tea bags and steep in a cup of boiling water for three to five minutes. Because its fatty acids are not soluble in water, you may not reap the presumed health benefits.
Things You'll Need
- Dried saw palmetto berries
- Saw palmetto herbal supplement
- Saw palmetto tea bags
