Pukka Herbs are one of those companies that give you a warm glow inside, and not just because of the warming Ayurvedic herbs in many of their products.
This innovative company got its start in 2001 when founder, Tim Westwell, placed an ad in a local Bristol magazine to try to find a kindred spirit as enthusiastic as he is about natural health. Up popped Sebastian Pole, a young herbalist brimming with energy and passion. Fifteen years later and Pukka Herbs is a strong, vital brand that achieves exactly what Tim intended: to "connect people with the incredible wonder of herbs."
Pukka Herbs began with Sebastian's commitment to creating a range of delicious, flavourful herbal teas that weren't simply dusty, lifeless analogues of their fresh counterparts. Pukka Herbs teas have become synonymous with the promotion of health, conservation, and the wonder of herbs, all based around the principles of Ayurveda.
Pukka Herbs now offer a wide array of great-tasting herbal teas, supporting digestion, energy, immune function, maternal health, sleep, and other aspects of health.
Sebastian and Tim went on to create herbal syrups, aloe vera juices, and herbal supplements that provide effective support for a range of health concerns, while also supporting the planet. Given that 'pukka' means real, authentic, and genuine, it's no wonder that their rapid growth and success hasn't compromised those original ideals to connect people with herbs in a wondrous way.
The impressive range of Pukka Herbs products now includes those designed to support:
- Detoxification
- Hydration
- General health and wellbeing
- Joint health
- Digestive health
- Weight management
- Energy, sports, and fitness.
One Pukka Herb product, Womankind Cranberry, has been specially designed to support genitourinary tract health. Some 40-50% of women have at least one urinary tract infection (UTI) during their lifetime, and 20-30% of women have recurrent UTIs (Wang et al., 2012).
Cranberry contains proanthocyanidins that prevent bacteria that cause UTIs from sticking to urinary tract walls, and while cranberry doesn't treat existing UTIs it does contain anthocyanins and salicylic acid that may have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects to relieve symptoms (Wallace, 2011).
In a meta-analysis of 10 studies, taking cranberry over 12 months was found to reduce the incidence of UTIs by 35% in women with recurrent UTIs (Jepson & Craig, 2008). In another study, cranberry tablets were found to be twice as cost effective for preventing UTIs, and significantly decreased the number of UTIs annually, meaning that women used antibiotics less often, missed fewer days of work, and had less urgency incontinence (Stothers, 2002).
Pukka Herbs Womankind Cranberry also includes aloe vera to help maintain a balanced system and uses only the highest organic grade, sustainably cultivated herbs.
Other products in the Pukka Herbs range feature sea vegetables and probiotics, and a variety of whole food ingredients packed with phytonutrients. Some of Pukka Herbs most popular products include their Aloe Vera Juice, which supports digestion, Active Turmeric, to provide powerful antioxidant activity, Night Time, to support sleep hygiene, and Elderberry Syrup to give a helping hand to immune function.
References
Jepson, R. G., & Craig, J. C. (2008). Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, Jan 23;(1):CD001321.
Stothers, L. (2002). A randomized trial to evaluate effectiveness and cost effectiveness of naturopathic cranberry products as prophylaxis against urinary tract infection in women. Can J Urol, Jun;9(3):1558-62.
Wallace, T. (2011). Anthocyanins in cardiovascular disease. Advances in Nutrition, 2, 1-7.
Wang, C., Fang, C., Chen, N., et al. (2012). Cranberry-containing products for prevention of urinary tract infections in susceptible populations. Archives of Internal Medicine, 172(13), 988-996.