Hops

Hops is primarily known as an important raw material for brewing beer, but the plant also has an attractive appearance and offers pharmacological effects.

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• The Best in Natural Medicine: Organic & Vegan

Hops (Humulus) refers to a genus of plants from the hemp family (Cannabaceae), which is divided into three species. The most important is the common or true hop (Humulus lupulus), which is mainly found in North America and Eurasia. Its origins are still not clearly determined but are suspected to be in West Asia and the Mediterranean region. The plants grow wild on nitrogen-rich soils and can be found in floodplain forests and at forest edges.

Because true hop is the species used as a spice in beer production, cultivated varieties are grown on a large scale. Leading countries in this are Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, and the USA. The largest contiguous cultivation area in the world is located in the heart of Bavaria – the Hallertau.

The relevance of hops as a medicinal plant can be traced back to the hop cones – these are the flower clusters formed by the female plants. They contain essential oil, which is especially rich in humulene and caryophyllene, as well as flavonoids, tannins, and bitter substances.

The bitter substances in hops give beer its characteristic sharp taste and special aroma. But its ingredients give the plant a broader range of effects. Most importantly – besides its use as a beer spice – is its use as a natural sleep aid. Hops are said to have calming and sleep-promoting effects. The plant is used in combination with valerian. The two plants are believed to support each other in their positive effects on sleep. The sedative effect of hops has already been confirmed in laboratory studies. Besides sleep disorders, hops are also used for anxiety disorders.

Furthermore, other effects of hops are suspected, but there is not yet enough research. Some ingredients of the plant are thought to act in the body similarly to the sex hormone estrogen, but science is not yet clear about the consequences.

Hops is a herbaceous climbing plant, with growth heights of up to 6 meters per year being common. Under good conditions, hops can even grow 30 cm per day. In winter, however, the shoots die back every year and sprout anew in spring from the rootstock, which can live up to 50 years.

As a dioecious plant, hops develop either exclusively male or female flowers. Male flowers are formed as racemes in a green-yellow color. Compared to the cone-shaped flower clusters of the female plants, they appear rather inconspicuous.