It is not just a vegetable it is also a medicine that cures a good number of ailments and lowers cholesterol

By Benprince Ezeh

BITTER leaf is a very homely plant; wherever it grows it flourishes and remains evergreen. In Nigeria, the Igbo call it Onugbu; Yoruba call it Ewuro and Hausa call it Shuwaka.

Perhaps, its most distinctive part is its bitterness. Every part of the plant is bitter; the leaves, stems, root, and bark. The Igbo use it mostly as a vegetable, while the Yoruba use it more as medicine.

It’s popular among the old people for its bitterness, something young people dislike it for. Incidentally, the best of medicines comes with a bitter taste; and bitter leaf is ranked high among them. It contains plants compound which contributes to its bitter taste and play a pivotal role in moderating the blood sugar levels and lowers high blood pressure. Chewing fresh bitter leaf or drinking the juice extracted from the leaves reduce the level of sugar in the blood and control blood pressure due to the bitterness.

From treating diabetes, malaria, typhoid, diarrhea, tuberculosis, gallstones and kidney disease, to the prevention of cancer and lowering of hypertension. Its health benefits go on and on and on.

Felicita Ogbu, a doctor, 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,” he said.

According to Ogbu, for the whole system to function well, it’s 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.”

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 helps in mopping off impurities from the body,” she said.

Ani also said that it 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 off excess fats in the body,” she said.

Chioma Ezeh, an educationist and a mother, said that bitter leaf is part of life and one of its major benefits is that it cures malaria and typhoid. “As a mother, I always drink the juice when ever my stomach ache me and I don’t hesitate in giving my children and also uses it in treating several infections such as skin infections, wounds, mouth inflammation and tuberculosis”, she said.

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– Mar. 01, 2019 @14:03 GMT |