Meadowsweet has a long and distinguished history of medicinal use and is mentioned in some of the most famous literary works of the middle ages. It was one of the three herbs held to be most sacred by the Celtic druids and was used to flavour mead - hence the name.

Health benefits include: pain relief due to a rich content of salicylic acid, digestive aid, anti-inflammatory, immune system support, astringent, natural insect repellent and disinfectant.

In 1897, the German drug company Bayer synthesised salicin based on meadowsweet; the new drug was named Aspirin derived from the old botanical name for meadowsweet.