In our locality, herbs and vegetables play a very invaluable role in our general well-being, we cannot play down the health benefits of drinking bitter leaf water on an empty stomach. Herbs in general are used as food, native medicine, divinations and worship in African traditional religions and so much more.
Known in the botanical and scientific sphere as Vernonia amygdalina, Bitter leaf is known to be useful in so much. We put it in our soups, in our herbal medicine, to help keep stop nausea and so much more.
The Bitter leaf plant belongs to the daisy family and is tagged to be a small shrub native to tropical Africa. Normally the plant generally reaches a height of 2 to 5 metres (6.6–16.4 ft). The leaves are up to 20 cm (7.9 in) long and elliptic. It has rough bark.
Because of its bitter flavour, Vernonia amygdalina is frequently referred to as bitter leaf in English.
Depending on the tribe and language, the leaf has different names it bears. In Nigeria, the Yoruba people call it Ewuro, the Efik call it Etidot, and the Igbo refer to it as Onugbu. The Tiv people call it Ityuna and the Hausa either call it Chusar-Doki or shuwaka and the Edo call it Oriwo.
Other African tribes and languages also have their names. The Cameroonians call it Ndoleh, the Akan people of Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Togo call it Awonwono; The Luganda people of Uganda call it Mululuza.
The Acholi people also from Uganda call it Labwori; while their Lugosa counterparts call it Olubirizi. The Luo people of Kenya know the plant as Olusia.
Uses of bitter leaf
Bitter leaf has been known to be useful in many spheres. We will be listing them below:
a. Brewing Beer
Breweries have substituted the leaves of the bitter leaf plant for hops because of their bitter flavour and taste. Moreover, it has been helpful in prolonging the shelf life of locally produced sorghum beer. Beer made in-country from sorghum is a common local alcoholic beverage.
Hops contribute to a beer’s ability to stay fresh for a longer period of time, maintain the head of foam that is essential to a beer’s scent and flavour, and, of course, offer “hoppy” flavour, aroma, and bitterness.
The grade of the bitter leaf extract from the analysis performed may be deemed to be good because of the similarities in characteristics between the regular commercial hops and the bitter leaf qualities.
b. In food
In equatorial Africa, the leaves are a common ingredient in soups and stews from many different cultures.
They can be cooked whole after having most of their bitterness washed away with salt and palm oil and served with fish, meat or other proteins. Sometimes, they are cooked with other vegetables like okra and Ugwu (fluted pumpkin leaves) after being processed. You could also have it cooked with ground Egusi (white-seed melon).
These soups are usually eaten with Eba (ground cassava morsels), pounded yam, semolina or wheat morsels.
c. As teeth cleaning agents
The twigs and sticks from the bitter leaf plant are used in many cultures as a chewing stick to clean the teeth and promote oral health.
d. In soap making for skin care
If alternative therapies have failed to address your skin issue, try adding bitter leaves to your black soap mixture.
Using bitter leaf soaps is just one way to take advantage of the advantages bitter leaves have for the skin. If you use the leaves regularly, they will help your skin glow and shine. The leaves may be combined with honey or shea butter.
Recommended – Can Drinking Cold Water Prevent Pregnancy? The Science & Myth
Health benefits of drinking bitter leaf water on an empty stomach
There are various health benefits of drinking bitter leaf water on an empty stomach, they are listed below:
1. Treating prostate cancer
Bitter leaf is believed to have the potential for preventing disease. The plant may increase survival rates, according to the same study.
It is believed that bitter leaf’s ability to prevent prostate cancer is due in part to its high concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals like flavonoids.
2. Anit-inflammatory functions
This is one of the health benefits of drinking bitter leaf water on an empty stomach. The bitter leaf plant’s young leaves, as opposed to the older ones, have garnered recognition for their significant anti-inflammatory properties, which have been demonstrated in animal models.
3. Diabetes treatment
Bitter leaf has also been known to contain anti-diabetic compounds which can help people with diabetes live a better, healthier life
Blood sugar levels are believed to be lowered by a combination of phytochemicals, vitamins, and other nutrients like proteins, lipids, carbs, ash, and other elements found in the bitter leaf.
4. Enhancing metabolism in the body
Vitamin B1, commonly known as thiamine, is present in bitter leaves and is crucial for the body’s ability to metabolise lipids, amino acids, and glucose. Thiamine is a vital nutritional supplement found in naturally bitter leaves that aids in the oxidation of fatty acids to create the synthesis of lipids, one of the body’s crucial activities.
5. Curing fever
Flavonoids, which are found in bitter leaves and have potent antioxidant properties, can be used to treat a number of medical conditions, including high fever. Typhoid fever is a bacterial illness that has historically been treated with bitter leaf in traditional medicine.
It frequently goes with the roots and leaves of other plants.
6. Detoxifying agent
Nigerians love to consume bitter leaf water as a cleansing beverage. To make it, fresh, bitter leaves are boiled in water.
Also said to have cleansing qualities is the bitter leaf. This suggests that it might aid in the body’s detoxification process.
Bitter leaf was proven to promote the excretion of poisons including lead and mercury in rat research.
In rats with damaged livers, a different study indicated that bitter leaf extract enhanced liver function.
According to this research, the bitter leaf may aid in liver function improvement and bodily detoxification. To verify these effects in people, additional study is necessary.
7. Promoting weight loss
Another of the health benefits of drinking bitter leaf water on an empty stomach is weight loss. It is an excellent form of treatment for shedding the excess pounds you’ve been trying to lose.
Bitter leaf juice, which is high in vitamins and minerals that help accelerate the metabolism and burn fat, can help lower bad cholesterol and extra calories in the body when consumed regularly.
8. Helps digestion and bowel movement
Bitter leaf water stimulates the need to urinate, which regulates your digestive system and aids in colon cleaning. If you are having trouble passing stool or are experiencing constipation, drink enough bitter leaf water.
You may be able to rid your body of waste by doing this. Remember that bitter leaf water is used to cleanse the intestines and detoxify the body.
Bitter leaf is useful in the treatment of gastrointestinal tract illnesses as well as stomach distress, diarrhoea, and dysentery.
9. Energy booster
For some who know the use, bitter leaf water serves as their go-to energy drink. Consuming fresh bitter leaf water on an empty stomach encourages the red blood cells to populate more quickly, which increases your body’s levels of energy.
Read Also – Can Ampiclox Flush Out Sperm Immediately?
10. Fertility booster
When it comes to the benefits it offers to women’s reproductive systems, bitter leaf is particularly amazing. As the chemical constituents in bitter leaf extracts like edotides support hormonal balance and enhance your immune system to help fight against toxification, drinking bitter leaf juice can help a woman become pregnant. Your chances of getting pregnant rise if your genital hormone is in equilibrium.
Bitter leaf’s high folic acid concentration, or Vitamin B9 as it is often called. The neural tube’s development depends on folic acid. It aids in avoiding brain and spinal birth abnormalities.
11. Treatment of other types of cancer
Bitter leaf has several anti-cancer qualities, including the andrographolide molecule, which has been proven scientifically useful in the treatment of prostate, stomach, and colon cancers. Also, research has demonstrated that bitter leaf extract can strengthen the immune system, slow the growth of tumours, and stop the creation of cancer cells.
12. Immunity booster
Bitter leaf water cleanses your body of all impurities, which boosts your immune system and protects you from illnesses of all types.
When your immune system is in good shape, you have a higher chance of fending off infection and avoiding illness.
Vitamins A and C, which are both necessary for a robust immune system, are found in bitter leaf water. White blood cells are essential in battling illness, and vitamin A aids in their production. Strong antioxidants like vitamin C assist to shield your cells from cellular deterioration.
The plant-based chemical quercetin, which has been found to strengthen immunity, is also present in bitter leaf water.
13. Cardiovascular booster
Bitter leaf water is beneficial for your heart health in addition to your digestive system. The bitter leaf contains quercetin, a kind of flavonoid that has been demonstrated to shield the heart and blood vessels from harm. In one study, quercetin-treated rats saw reduced heart and blood vessel damage after experiencing a heart attack.
Since quercetin is a potent antioxidant, it can help shield your cells from harm. This is crucial since one of the primary causes of heart disease is caused by damaged cells. Quercetin also aids in lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, both of which are risk factors for heart disease.
As a result, drinking bitter leaf water on an empty stomach is a fantastic place to start if you want to enhance your cardiovascular health.
Interesting – Benefits Of Bitter Kola Sexually – Everything You Need to Know
How to brew bitter your own homemade bitter leaf water mix
A few basic items are all that are needed to make your own bitter leaf mix to boost your life. The mix is rather straightforward to do.
Ingredients
You would need:
- Bitter leaves
- Water
- Lemon or lime
- And honey to sweeten it a bit if you prefer.
Here is how you prepare it:
- To remove any dirt or contaminants, properly wash the bitter leaves.
- Add the cleansed bitter leaves after bringing the water to a boil.
- For ten minutes or so, let it boil.
- Before adding lemon and honey, turn the heat off and allow the mixture to cool somewhat (to taste).
In conclusion,
The bitter leaf is so much of a natural wonder worker that it is advisable that everyone has one planted in their house and enjoyed from time to time. Take time out to make this mix any way you like and even in soups and stews. You are bound to have a good time at it.
