What Is Ginkgo Biloba?

Ginkgo biloba, a herb rich in antioxidants, is utilized for several health benefits, including the improvement of brain health. Ginkgo biloba is taken by consuming the seeds of the herb or by consuming the extract that comes from the leaves of the plant. The main components known to produce health benefits in an individual who takes ginkgo biloba include flavonoids and terpenoids. Ginkgo biloba trees have been around for a long time because they are included in a small list of tree species with the greatest longevity in the world. Ginkgo biloba trees can grow to an astonishing height at approximately 120 feet and may live for up to a thousand years. They are also extremely hardy trees that hold up well to weather conditions and elements.

History Of Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo biloba trees grow natively in Korea, China, and Japan. Today, ginkgo biloba is grown in regions of Europe and the United States. Ginkgo biloba is one of the few trees in the world that live the longest, and its species dates back to over 200 million years. The ginkgo biloba tree has been coined as a living fossil because it is the only remaining live member left of the ginkgo family. The oldest known ginkgo biloba tree is around 3,500 years old and is located in China. Ginkgo leaf extract has been used for centuries as an ingredient in several different cosmetic products. The seed of the plant is also considered an edible delicacy in countries such as China and Japan. Ginkgo biloba has been planted and used around shrines and in Buddhist practices. Ginkgo biloba trees were present in the zone surrounding ground zero of the Hiroshima atomic bombing in 1945, and were still standing after the explosion. All other plants surrounding the blast died, but ginkgo biloba trees were able to live following the attack and produce non-mutated buds. Today, ginkgo biloba trees are not found growing in the wild, but are intentionally planted in public places like schools, parks, around buildings, and along roads.

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