What is salicylate?
What does salicylate do? What is its function?
Where is salicylate found?
What can it do to people who are salicylate sensitive?
I found myself asking all these questions after I had an anaphylactic attack due to an over-accumulation of salicylates in my system. It scared the shit out of me. My life was never going to be the same again. I could not tolerate even small amounts of it. And the worst part was that it exists in FOOD! Especially fruits and vegetables! My FAVOURITE! And synthetic salicylate is found in almost EVERY day-to-day products! How was I going to live my life?
Salicylates are chemicals which are found naturally in some plants, which are stored in the bark, leaves, roots, skins and seeds. Salicylate protects the plants against insect damage and disease which are caused by bacteria, fungus and viruses. Salicylate is often concentrated just under the skin of fruits and in outer leaves of vegetables. Salicylate is at its highest in unripened fruits. But the level decreases as the fruits ripen.
The History of Salicylate
Salicylic acid is an acid which is derived from the bark of the willow tree. The willow tree bark has been used since the early times (especially by the Native Americans) as a remedy for pain, inflammation and fever. The first documentation of the medicinal use of salicylic acid was by the ancient Greeks at about 500 BC.
The History of Aspirin
A German man, by the name of Johann Buchner who was working at the University of Munich was the first to distill from willow bark the substance he called 'salicin' after the Latin name for the willow tree, 'Salix alba'. In 1829, a French chemist, Henri LaRoux, perfected the extraction technique. And in 1853, Charles Gerhardt, invented aspirin, though it wasn't marketed until the Bayer company patented the formula in 1899 (click here for Aspirin's history)
Salicylic acid is a very popular treatment for acne and is used in chemical peels to improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, blemishes, to help keep pores clean and prevent acne and sun damage.
Salicylic acid is also used as a treatment for skin conditions like psoriasis, warts and calluses. Because salicylic acid has anti-inflammatory properties, it can sooth the skin while exfoliating it.
Coming soon: Salicylate in Everyday Products