Beauty and Brains: Wellness Benefits of Dahlia Extract

Originally published October 23 - updated April 2024

Key Takeaways

• • Dahlia has been used for centuries as food and medicine.

  • Modern research shows its petals may help calm brain inflammation and support balanced glucose.

  • Sulfuretin and other compounds show early promise for nervous system protection.

  • Our Dahlia Extract is organic, small-batch, and grown in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

  • Customers love it as part of their daily steady-energy and digestive wellness routine.

Dahlia flowers are arguably my favorite of all flowers. Endless varieties of golden fibonacci spirals and sacred sea anemones of visual delight - they are, truly joyful. But, did you know these beauties offer more than just visual appeal? 

Until recently, I did not! But, after a recent rabbit hole of investigation, it turns out Dahlias possess both beauty and brains. Some exciting recent studies have begun to uncover what indigenous cultures have known for years -  the potential health benefits of Dahlia Extract. 

A Brief History and Overview

While not as well-known as herbs like chamomile or elderberry, Dahlias actually have a deep traditional legacy in ancestral and indigenous medicine. Long before they brightened our gardens, Dahlia species were cultivated in Central Mexico, Yucatán, and Guatemala as both a food crop and a medicinal plant.

The Aztecs knew the Dahlia as acocotli or cocoxochitl, meaning “water pipe,” a nod to its hollow stems and its connection to water flow in the body. Traditionally, the tubers were prized for their high content of inulin, a natural prebiotic fiber that supports healthy digestion and balanced glucose metabolism. They also contain minerals like potassium, calcium, and magnesium, along with antibiotic compounds in the skin of the tuber.

Today, modern science is turning its attention to the petals, where researchers have discovered a fascinating trio of plant compounds that may help us live with a little more balance in our modern world.

What Makes Dahlia Extract So Special

A 2023 clinical study (Life Metabolism) revealed that Dahlia pinnata petals contain three key flavonoids: butein, sulfuretin, and isoliquiritigenin. These compounds appear to work best together to:

• Reduce inflammation in the brain’s hypothalamus, a key center for metabolism

• Improve insulin signaling in the brain and body

• Support healthy glucose tolerance in both mice and humans

• Restore a sense of internal steadiness

One of the most exciting parts is that these molecules work best as a trio. On their own, butein didn’t do much when taken orally. But when combined with sulfuretin and isoliquiritigenin, all naturally present in Dahlia petals, they improved how the brain and body process insulin.

Why the Brain Matters for Balance

Most people don’t realize that healthy glucose control isn’t just about the pancreas; it actually starts in the brain. When the hypothalamus becomes inflamed, it can’t read insulin signals properly. This can lead to blood sugar swings, fatigue, and that feeling of never feeling quite steady.

Dahlia Extract may help by calming that brain-based inflammation, letting your body’s own pathways find their natural rhythm again. It’s a gentle, flower-powered nudge for your system’s “command center.”

Emerging Research: Nervous System and Cellular Protection

Beyond its potential role in healthy glucose balance, these same compounds hint at other possibilities.

Sulfuretin, one of Dahlia’s unique flavonoids, has shown in early research that it can block an enzyme called hyaluronidase — a substance that can encourage the progression of certain diseases, including multiple sclerosis and some cancers. Researchers at the University of Portland and Oregon Health & Science University found that sulfuretin, isolated from Dahlias, was able to inhibit this enzyme in lab models.

This work is still early, but it opens the door to the idea that Dahlia’s flavonoids may help protect healthy cells and support the body’s natural repair processes, especially where chronic inflammation and cell damage are involved.

These findings are new and still unfolding, but they remind us that a flower so loved for its beauty might someday help us guard what’s beautiful inside our bodies, too.

Gut, Metabolism, and Daily Balance

Another compound, isoliquiritigenin, has shown promise for supporting a healthy gut microbiome and calming inflammation in fat tissue, which hints that Dahlia Extract may help harmonize the gut-brain-metabolism axis — an important piece of feeling steady and clear day to day.

And let’s not forget Dahlia’s roots. The traditional tubers remain a rich source of inulin, a natural fiber that helps feed your gut’s good bacteria.

Our Story: How We Began Crafting Dahlia Extract

Here at LeeHouse, we’re proud to say we were among the first modern makers of small-batch Dahlia Extract. Long before these research papers made headlines, we were captivated by the plant’s quiet intelligence and the old stories tucked inside its golden petals.

Our pure, potent Dahlia Extract is made from organic Dahlias grown right here in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California. It’s some of the cleanest soil and richest land you’ll find anywhere. Every flower is tended with deep care - we grow our own yellow and orange dahlias as well as purchase dahlias from our friends at a local Dahlia Farm - there's more to this story that I'll shre later but let's just say our Dahlia Extract is truly community medicine!

We’ve been providing Dahlia Extract to our community since late 2022, and the stories we hear from customers are pretty profound.

A Personal Note

For me, Dahlia is more than just a product. Diabetes runs in my family, as does fatty liver disease, so keeping my blood sugar and liver supported is personal for me. I take Dahlia Extract daily with my meals. I find it helps my digestion stay smooth, helps me rebound if I feel a blood sugar dip coming on, and gives me a sense of steadiness I’ve come to rely on. It’s become one of my daily essentials.

What Our Community Says

"If you have diabetes this is a good thing to take. It works well to lower your blood sugar, tastes ok — this is the only place I can find it. I am so happy!"
— Tracy J., Verified Buyer

"Easy to mix with tea or kombucha. The taste is mild and usually nonexistent if mixed. Super easy!"
— Steve, Verified Buyer

"Loving this high-quality Dahlia Extract! With all its health benefits, I plan to keep using it as part of my health promotion lifestyle."
— Maureen M., Verified Buyer

"This Dahlia tincture is unbelievable! A fantastic product."
— Alan G., Verified Buyer

"Helps a lot! Since being diagnosed with pre-diabetes, this helps me feel more balanced. Thank you!"
— TJ, Verified Buyer

"Always stays fresh, and I like the taste so I’m more likely to use it and recommend it!"
— Faye, Verified Buyer

Rooted in Tradition. Growing With Care.

When you add a dropper of Dahlia Extract to your tea or take it with your meal, know you’re connecting to flowers grown with care on clean, California soil. They’ve been cherished for generations — and now, they’re showing us new ways to support balance and steadiness in a modern world that often feels anything but steady.

Curious? Shop Our Dahlia Extract Here

Citations

• Whitley GR. The medicinal and nutritional properties of Dahlia spp. J Ethnopharmacol. 1985 Sep;14(1):75-82. doi: 10.1016/0378-8741(85)90031-5. PMID: 3910964.
• Mejía-Muñoz, J. M., et al. (2019). Research on dahlia, the national flower of Mexico. In IX International Symposium on New Ornamental Crops 1288.
• Whitley, G. R. (1985). The medicinal and nutritional properties of Dahlia spp. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 14(1), 75-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-8741(85)90031-5
• Smith, J. A., & Johnson, L. M. (2023). Antioxidant Properties of Dahlia Extract. Journal of Herbal Medicine, 13(2), 45-53.
• Michalak, M. (2022). Plant-Derived Antioxidants: Significance in Skin Health and the Ageing Process. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(2), 585. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23020585
• Martínez-Damián, M. T., et al. (2021). Nutritional value, bioactive compounds and capacity antioxidant in edible flowers of dahlia. Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Hortorum Cultus, 20(5), 63-72.