|
|
Ampalaya is a remarkable health food.As the English name suggests (bitter melon), the melon has a bitter taste due to the presence of momordicin. Ampalaya is a vegetable grown throughout the Philippines. It is mostly cultivated, although wild forms can be found. the Ampalaya is both a nutritious vegetable and a trusted medicinal herb that grows abundant in many regions in Asia and South America. Ampalaya comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. The typical Chinese phenotype is 20 to 30 cm long, oblong with bluntly tapering ends and pale green in color, with a gently undulating, warty surface.
Today, the Bitter Melon is well-accepted as a useful supplement and is readily available in many commercial variants all over the world. Bitter melons are seldom mixed with other vegetables due to the strong bitter taste, although this can be moderated to some extent by salting and then washing the cut melon before use. Ampalaya, until recently has been proven to be an effective herbal medicine for many aliments. Most significant of which is for Diabetes. Ampalaya contains a mixture of flavanoids and alkaloids make the Pancreas produce more insulin that controls the blood sugar in diabetics.
Aside from Ampalaya’s medicinal value, it is good source of vitamins A, B and C, iron, folic acid, phosphorous and calcium. Ampalaya is also rich in antioxidants that protect the cells of the body from damage of free radicals (metabolic by-products, usually waste). Ampalaya is noted to be an effective component in herbal medicine, and the fruit is known to help treat, or alleviate the symptoms of rheumatism and gout and ailments of the spleen and liver. The traditional remedy is made by pounding the raw fruits into a bitter liquid, or by boiling the leaves and fruits for a few minutes, the resulting water then drank as a herbal tea.
As the acrimonious fruit is renowned for its many healthful attributes. For coughing, fever, worms, diarrhea, diabetes, drink a spoonful every day of grounded and juiced ampalaya leaves. For new health conditions, the fruit and leaves can both be juiced and taken orally. For wounds, burns and new rind diseases, you may use the fruit’s warmed leaves to the stricken region. Taking juice made from acrimonious gourd too helps in the handling of impairment, which is mainly caused by unsound eating habits and regular dietary practices. This fruit not simply is better at relieving an indigestive circumstance, but too aids in treating impairment.
Guava is a tropical fruit that is like the shape of pear, with green rind and pinkish or white flesh and small seeds. Some people say Guava is better than orange because guava contain more Vitamin C than citrus fruits (the edible rind contains a lot of it) and it contains appreciable amounts of Vitamin A as well. They are also a good source of iron and pectin, an enzyme used in making jams as well as promoting digestion.
Once they’re ripe, eat them quickly because they’re only at their peak for about two days. The guava leaf extract is also effective in treating gastrointestinal problems as it is rich in quercetin and other flavonoids. A drug used for the treatment of diarrhoea has been developed using guava leaves for this very reason. The bark extract is also supposed to protect the heart and improve its functionality and has been recently used to treat irregular heartbeats in South America. Guava leaves are also supposed to be good for weight loss.
The benefits of guava include controlling blood pressure, lowering cholestrol, battling diabetes, combating cancer and protecting prostrate!
Diarrhea & Dysentery: Guava is very rich in astringents (compounds those make your gums feel tighter and fresh after you chew guava leaves or eat a raw guava or use some toothpaste) which binds up loose bowels in diarrhea. These astringents are alkaline in nature and have disinfectant and anti-bacterial properties, thus help cure dysentery by inhibiting microbial growth and removing extra mucus from the intestines. Further, other nutrients in guava, such as vitamin-C, Carotenoids and potassium strengthens and tones up the digestive system and disinfect it. Guava is also beneficial in gastroenteritis due to reasons stated above.
High amounts of Vitamin C compared to other fruits. The flesh usually provides 230 mg per 100 gram (3.5 oz) Vitamin C. However, the level varies from 10 to 410 mg per 100 gram depending upon the variety. This can be compared to the recommended daily allowance which is only 60 mg of Vitamin C per person per day.
The health benefits of guava herbal medicine are truly incredible, and in particular it contains quercetin which is an antioxidant that blocks enzymes that are responsible for building sorbitol, the sugar that forms the cloudy white clusters that cause cataracts. Guava is also rich in folate which helps to fight bad breath that causes gum disease gingivitis.
Combating free radicals produced during metabolism and aids in preventing age related chronic diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, cataracts, heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
Guava can improve your heart health by helping to control your blood pressure and cholesterol. Guava’s ability to lower blood pressure could be the result of potassium. This mineral is an electrolyte that is essential to electrical reaction in your body, including your heart.
Other Benefits: Where to begin? Shall I start with the fact that guava helps control diabetes, protects prostrate, its Lypocene reduces the risk of cancer, the juice of the leaves cures toothache, swollen gums & oral ulcers, heals wounds when applied externally, convulsions, epilepsy, bacterial infections and so on and so forth.
After studying some of the South American tribes that live in the Amazon Rain forest or surrounding areas scientist were startled by the amazing health benefits of acai berry. This fruit which is only found in Central and South America consist of mostly seed with only between 10 to 20 percent being acai pulp which must be processed immediately to keep from spoiling. Acai is full of good benefits for all of us.
Among some of the nutrients that the acai offers are fiber, iron, calcium and the all important essential fatty acids known as Omega-3 and Omega-6 which our human bodies do not produce on their own. The berry also has many other important vitamins and minerals that help our cardiovascular system function better and helps keep inflammations down.
A number of medical research reports state that because of the high levels of antioxidants present in the acai berry it aids in combating early aging and blood circulation. Of course taking antioxidants have been encouraged for our health for years. This fruit far surpasses any other source of natural antioxidants including red wine and even the blueberry.
The acai fruit is a great source of additional fiber intake for those needing a bit more fiber in their diet. It actually encourages the digestive system to work more effectively and at the same time gives a boost to the metabolism for added weight loss as the fat is burned off faster.
The health benefits of acai berry make it the most healthiest fruit known to man at this time. There may be healthier fruit out there but we have not isolated it as of yet. Let me encourage you if you have not tried the acai berry to pick up a free trial offer. You will not be disappointed by the benefits you receive from it.
What is Acai
It has been only recently that the acai berry had been marketed as a dietary supplement, most commonly as a weight loss product. However it has also been touted as having the ability to improve energy levels, sexual performance, digestion, skin appearance, heart health, good sleep, cholesterol levels, and detoxification capacity. Aside from being a good source of fiber and antioxidants the berries also have significant amounts of calcium, iron, vitamin A, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and some vitamin C. In a recent study acai juice had an antioxidant capacity equivalent to that of black cherry and cranberry juice and higher than that of orange juice, apple juice and tea.
Acai Origin
Acai or acai berries are from the acai palm tree. The berries have often been known for their healthful properties. The berries contain natural flavonoids and antioxidants that help enrich the vitality of the body and have recently become one of the most sought-after berries of all time. Global demand for the berries has expanded rapidly in recent years, and acai is now cultivated for that purpose primarily.
Acai Culinary Uses
The juice and pulp of acai berries are used in various juice blends, smoothies, sodas and other drinks. Acai is also traditionally served in South America with tapioca, granola, and ice cream and is also made into a liqueur.
Acai Berries
The acai berry is a small, round, black-purple drupe about 1 inch in diameter, and looks like a grape and has a single large seed about a quarter to a half inch wide. The berries are produced in branched panicles of about 700 to 900 berries. Two crops of berries are produced each year.
Acai Palm Tree
The acai palm is a species of palm tree that is native to Central and South America. These palms, usually found in exotic locales, grow mainly in swamps and floodplains. Acai palms are fast growing and reach the height of about 50 to 75 feet, the tallest sometimes reaching close to 100 feet with leaves measuring close to 10 feet long. They are cultivated for both their berries and for their superior hearts of palm. The soft inner tip of the palm or “heart” is typically eaten in salads.
To view a related article or for great deals on supplements, please visit: http://www.squidoo.com/health-benefits-acai
|
|
