Featured, Health
The harsh economic reality in the country has forced many Nigerians to look inward in their choice of affordable food and medication. For some medical experts, bitter leaf with its rich medical properties is within reach for the average Nigerian and should therefore be used by many despite its bitterness.
By Benprince Ezeh
AS the high cost of medical services in the country has continued to elude the average Nigerians, many have resorted to the use of natural herbs and plants to take care of their health problems and improve their well-being. One of such popular herbs is the bitter leaf, which has many natural health benefits.
Popularly known as Ewuro by the Yorubas, Shiwaka by the Hausas and Onubu amongst the Igbos, bitter leaf is used in preparing a famous delicacy in the Igbo land. Apart from this, bitter leaf is well known for its healing power when it is chewed or use its juice raw because cooking reduces its potency and medicinal value.
According to some local experts, bitter leaf is generally considered a liver herb because it stimulates, cleanses and supports the liver and gall bladder. The liver, they explain, is one of the most important organs of the body, which has a lot of vital functions that are needed for normal functioning of the whole system of the body. Without the liver all major processes in the body will be paralyzed. Without the liver, fats will not be digested inside the body to be used as energy. Bitter leaf is said to be very helpful in maintaining the livers optimum health to release bile acid every time people eat fatty foods.
Studies also show that bitter leaf can be used to cure kidney-related complications. Bitter leaf also stimulates bile and hydrochloric acid production, stimulates nervous and immune system function. Interestingly, it also combats fatigue and exhaustion. It is obviously one of the very simple and inexpensive natural herbs, which can be used to ensure optimum health and well-being of the body system.
According to a 2005 edition of the African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, chewing the stem of bitter leaf helps to prevent Gingivitis, which is a tooth-gum problem due to its proven antimicrobial activity. Common skin diseases such as ringworm, eczema and others have been successfully treated with bitter leaf because of its antimicrobial effect. The bitter leaf protects the liver from drug induced damage.
Bitter leaf, if incorporated in the diet, can slow cancer growth and even kill cancer cells. The aqueous extract of bitter leaf can also help in inducing labour and where there is no medical help, blood oozing from fresh wound can be stopped by squeezing fresh, green bitter leaves and dropping it on the wound.
Felicita Ogbu, a Nigerian medical doctor based in Ukraine, said that boiling or cooking reduces the potency of most herbs. “The bitterness in herbs, help to tone the vital organs of the body, especially the liver and kidney because of its Vernodalin, Venomygdin and saponin content.
“Bitter leaf on its own is a cure for all, it can be used to cure stomach ache, loss of memory, arthritis, skin infections, diabetes and stroke, prostate cancer, general weakness, cleanses the kidney and liver, high blood pressure and lots more,” she said.
According to Ogbu, for the whole system to function well, it should be taken fresh. “It reduces high blood pressure, improves fertility in both male and female as well as helps one to sleep well when taken fresh without being boiled,” she said.
Emmanuel Enang a doctor with Federal Medical Center, Abeokuta, Ogun state, explained that it is not that bitter leaf can cure diabetes, but it has some sugar controlling influence to a certain degree. “Bitter leaf is able to influence some drop in the sugar level. But it is not supposed to be regarded as an entire medication for diabetes. One can take a handful of fresh bitter leaf, pour in a blender, pour the desired amount of water, blend and strain it, then drink while some people take a handful of bitter leaf and eat too.
“Bitter leaf does not only reduce the blood sugar level drastically, it also helps to repair the pancreas. According to some researchers writing in the Medical Journal of Islamic World Academy of Sciences, the administration of aqueous extract of bitter leaf at a concentration of 500 mg/kg of body weight significantly decreases the level of blood glucose and its efficacy to lower blood glucose level was comparable with that of chlorpropamide, which is a standard drug used in the management of diabetes,” Enang said.
Jennifer Ani, nutritionist and a caterer said that bitter leaf is a healthy sour vegetable. The leaf, roots and the plants are highly medicinal and serve certain nutritional value in human body.
“It contains essential vitamins such as vitamin A, C & E, vitamin B1 & B2. It also detoxifies the body, such as the juice extracted from the bitter leaf which has detoxifying properties that help in mopping off impurities from the body,” she said.
According to Ani, bitter leaf helps in weight loss, treats stomach upset when eaten raw or mashed to get the juice, because it helps in treating abdominal difficulties such as diarrhea and gastrointestinal diseases.
“Eating just a few fresh leaves a day or drinking the juice helps to reduce excess calories, and remove excess fats in the body,” she said.
– May 21, 2021 @ 16:29 GMT
Tags: Health benefits of Bitter leaf
