Hawthorn, also known as Crataegus spp., are thorny shrubs and trees that grow in Europe, Africa,  East Asia, and North America. Throughout these regions, hawthorn was used in culinary and traditional medicinal practices [**]. 

Hawthorn berries are edible and can be made into drinks, wines, jellies, jams, and syrups, and the leaves and flowers can be used to make tea [***]. 

Throughout Europe, hawthorn is considered a medicinal plant. In Germany, extracts from the leaves and flowers of hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha and Crataegus monogyna) are used to treat mild to moderate chronic congestive heart failure [*].

The medicinal use of hawthorn berries in China dates back to 659 AD, and it was used to treat dysentery. Other historical record also indicate that dried hawthorn berry (Crataegus pinnatifida) was used to treat chest pain, hernia, indigestion, blood stagnation and other ailments [*].

Hawthorn contains over 150 natural compounds including polyphenolic compounds, triterpene acids, choline, acetylcholine, trimethylamine, caffeic and ascorbic acids (vitamin C), vitamin B1, B2, and B6, 17 amino acids, adenine and adenosine [**]. 

Hawthorn is rich in flavonoids and procyanidins that demonstrate antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, vasorelaxing, and hypolipidemic effects. It contains glycosides that demonstrate cardioprotective and neuroprotective properties [**]. 

Hawthorn has also shown anti-anxiety, gastroprotective, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, and antimutagenic effects [***]. 

Although hawthorn has many potential health benefits, additional research is necessary to determine its efficacy and mechanism of action in various disorders. 

Due to hawthorn’s many purported health benefits, it is a common ingredient in “healthy” food. 

Hawthorn berry extract is formulated into dietary supplements that claim to support heart, immune, and digestive functions. 

The popularity of hawthorn berry has led to hundreds of brands flooding the marketplace; however not all supplements are created equal! Unfortunately, more than 90% of hawthorn berry supplements in the market simply DON’T WORK!

We understand the challenges in finding the right supplement for your health needs. That’s why we gathered years of research and made this guide to help you find the top-rated formulas that work for you.

Things To Be Cautious About

Has your brand been third-party tested? You should never buy supplements that don’t have Certificate of Analysis. The studies should be conducted in labs that are not affiliated with the manufacturer. These labs verify the product for safety and potency.

Does your hawthorn berry contain cheap synthetic fillers? Some brands add artificial fillers to cut cost to offer cheap products. Some of these cheap fillers we found were titanium dioxide and artificial coloring. You should never purchase cheap products when it comes to supplements.

No return policy or customer service – A reputable supplement company will offer 100% money-back guarantee policy and provide customer support through phone number and email. We noticed many formulas out there are just copies of the top-rated brands. They don’t offer an easy refund policy or don’t even have a phone number to prove they are real.

Top 3 Hawthorn Berry Supplements

The result: we reviewed over 100+ brands of Hawthorn Berry Supplements in the market and complied a list of top 3 formulas based on effectiveness, safety, pricing, return policy, and overall customer satisfaction.

1. Herb Pharm Hawthorn Blend

  • Shipping & Return Policy 97% 97%
  • Customer Service 95% 95%
  • Essential Ingredients 94% 94%
  • Effectiveness 96% 96%

Note: we test purchased this product. We can confirm on-time delivery, reliability and quality product from this brand.

*Individual Results May Vary – Ratings are based on Society Health Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. We encourage consumers to research by visiting each product websites for more information.

2. Swanson Hawthorn Berry

  • Shipping & Return Policy 95% 95%
  • Customer Service 96% 96%
  • Essential Ingredients 96% 96%
  • Effectiveness 94% 94%

Note: we test purchased this product. We can confirm on-time delivery, reliability and quality product from this brand.

*Individual Results May Vary – Ratings are based on Society Health Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. We encourage consumers to research by visiting each product websites for more information.

3. Botanic Choice Hawthorn Berry

  • Shipping & Return Policy 95% 95%
  • Customer Service 94% 94%
  • Essential Ingredients 97% 97%
  • Effectiveness 94% 94%

Note: we test purchased this product. We can confirm on-time delivery, reliability and quality product from this brand.

*Individual Results May Vary – Ratings are based on Society Health Ranking System and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. We encourage consumers to research by visiting each product websites for more information.

Ranking Factors

Shipping & Return Policy: we check the shipping and return policy of each recommended product to make sure these brands stand behind their products.

Customer Service: we contact the top rated brands through email, chat or phone to make sure they are responsive and can answer potential questions customers might have.

Essential Ingredients: we verify the ingredients in every top rated brands, their safety and dosage amount in comparison with the latest scientific studies.

Overall Effectiveness: we check with real customers through their reviews and testimonials to make sure the top brands are as effective as they claim to be. We recommend the top 5 formulas based on their average score.

We highly recommend our reader to do their own research, read real reviews and contact any brands directly to make sure they can provide the products and services based on their needs.

1. Herb Pharm Hawthorn Blend

  • Shipping & Return Policy 97% 97%
  • Customer Service 95% 95%
  • Essential Ingredients 94% 94%
  • Effectiveness 96% 96%

*This is a subjective assessment based on the strength of the available information and our independent research and customer feedback. Results may vary based on individual.

Disclosure of Material Connection: we only recommend products and services which we believe will add value to the users. However, you should assume the owner of this website and/or blog has an affiliate relationship and/or another material connection, to any suppliers of goods and services that may be discussed here and may be compensated for showing ads or recommending products or services or linking to the supplier’s website.

Sources and Citations

1. Roles and Mechanisms of Hawthorn and Its… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7047282/
2. Polyphenolic Composition of Crataegus monogyna… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4586556/
3. Comparative Protective Effect of Hawthorn Berry… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3719480/