Weekly Contest | THE BITTERLEAF PLANT |#Club5050
This is called bitterleaf plant with botanical name vernonia amygdalina .
It is a shrub and is found mostly in Africa. Nigeria, Tanzania majorly.
Right from the ancient times our fore parents had succour in this particular plant.
Just as its name reads, this plant is very bitter to the taste and has in it many beneficial medicinal attributes.
Uses/ Importance
This plant is a vegetable so is used to prepare diverse dishes in Africa. Like where i come from, it is used to prepare a soup known as 'Efere Etidot' Efrere means soup and Etidot, bitter leaf, meaning bitterleaf soup.
It is washed a number of times and sieved to reduce its bitterness but not eradicated completely.
The juice from this leaf has been proven miraculously to treat a number of ailment and dieseases.
In this post i will outline here in this post seven (7) uses/ importance of the bitter leaf plant:
1. Used in the treatment of diabetes:
Unbelievable but true. Reasearchers have proved continuously that the chemical properties in this plant herb helps lower blood sugar levels.
2. Fertility booster
Bitterleaf herb improve the quality of sperms.
It is also useful for couples who are trying to conceive as it washes out toxins from the internal system stabilizing hormones.
3. Cancer treatment
The bitterleaf plant contains anti-cancer properties which can limit or hinder the growth & development of tumours in the human body.
4. Malaria treatment
It may interest you to know that bitterleaf juice contains quinine effective in the treatment of malaria. Many drink this juice to treat and suppress their malaria symptoms.
5. Lowers high blood pressure
The chemical properties of this plant helps in the management of high blood pressure as its tackles cholesterol thereby lowering blood pressure.
6. For skin infection
Owning to its anti- fungal ingredients. The paste from bitterleaf is applied topically for the treatment of skin infections such as ringworm and eczema. It has proofed effective.
7. For healthy liver / kidney
This herb is good for keeping our livers and kidneys healthy, it detoxifies and is recommended for general metabolism.
It is plucked, washed and pounded in a mortar then squeezed to extract the juice, a pinch of salt could be added before drinking.
Ps:- As we all know this popular saying which reads:
Too much of everything is a disease
This herb contains hundreds of properties used for different purposes so at that, it should be drank with caution on a short term and not continuously over a period of time.
This mixture is not ideal for pregnant women.
Shout out to our contest organizer @abu78 and community @steemhealthstyle.
Join in the contest friends:
@vic-essien
@johuaetim
@ndianabasi
Thanks so much for this wonderful lesson taught. I would like to read more of this from you. Great entry. Wish you the best of luck in this contest.
Thank you.