Introduction
Bitter leaf (vernonia amygdalina) as the name implies is actually a bitter plant whose leaves extracts, stem and barks are used for culinary, medicinal and curative purposes. It can also be used as vegetable for preferring popular better leaf soup know as Onugbu, Shiwaka and Ewuro by the Igbos, Hausa and Yoruba respectively.
They are eaten as leaf vegetable in several Africa countries and exported to other part of the World. It has a height of 23 m when fully grown; the plaint bears fruits which has slightly hairy small nut in side.
The seeds can be cultivated or stem use to propagate the plant. It takes about 2-3 weeks to germinate during the dry season. So its important to water in nursing bed to enable it grows well. It is harvested during the rainy season, (May-August) by cutting the leafy shoots, over varieties of bitter leaf includes V. Calvoana, V. Colorala, and V. Amygdalina.
Vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf) is a popularly consumed in many homes in Nigeria as a vegetable in soup preparation, while the Infusion is used in Folk Medicine. Bitter leaf is an iron weed which flourishes in a variety of climates. It bitter taste is caused by sesquitterpene, lactones, (Vernodalin Vernolepin).
Bitter leaf as the name implies actually is a bitter plant whose leaves extracts stem and barks are used for culinary, medicine and curative purposes. Vitamins in bitter leaf include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, B1 and B2 vitamin. It has the following nutritional contents: protein 33.3%, fat 10.1%, fibre 29% ash 11.7% and tannin 0.6%, therefore bitter leaf is very important for people health.
Health Benefits of Bitter Leaf
Bitter leaf (vernonia amygdalina) is a vegetable used for preparing popular. Better leaf soup. It is also known as Onugbu, Shiwaka and Ewuro by the Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba respectively.
Bitter leaf according to Muanya (2013) has the following health benefits:
- It speeds up metabolism and therefore is greater for weight loss.
- Bitter leaf juice relieves fever and feverish condition lake the squeezed juice 3 times daily until the symptoms disappears.
- It also helps to reduce high sugar level in the blood and great for diabetes patient.
- Squeeze the fresh leaves on your palm and apply its juice on skin rashes, eczema, ring worms and any superficial skin amount, you will notice a change few days, don’t apply to open wounds.
- Bitter leaf is said to smooth and also cure pile
- Taking a cup of bitter level juice a day is a great way to detoxify the body from harmful toxins.
- Bitter leaf juice nourishes the skin.
- Bitter leaf also cures mill stomach ailments
- The washed roots and stalks of bitter leaf are boiled and the infusion is talking as a worm expeller. A cup of bitter leaf infusion taking first thing in the morning before meals.
- Bitter leaf juice is used by local women in Guinea-Bissau to contract the uterus after child birth and therefore should not be taking during pregnancy or if you are trying conceive because of high intake might cause miscarriage.
- Cup of bitter leaf juice a day, energies you o-yes it does
- The plant is use for the treatment of Jaundice, Diarrhoea, Hepatitis B and C, Cancer, Diabetes and Tuberculoses with the development of bitter leaf base dietary supplement have shown great promise in chemical studies.
Nutritive value and its composition
Herbal preparation with bitter leaf as its active ingredient which strengthened the immune system through many cytokines and chemokines regulation (Muaga, 2013). This helps not only to lower the body sugar level sufficiently. It also plays a role in the repair of pancreas. Adding bitter leaf to your healthy diet may reduce the risk of chronic disease like breast cancer and type 2 Diabetes. Bitter leaf is a traditional ingredient in Africa countries. Bitter leaf can reduce the total cholesterol. The anti-oxidant properties of bitter leaf help to fight against disease. Staying physically active, eating a low fat diet and maintain a healthy weight can reduce the risk of breast cancer in women. (Edeojactal and Ejoh, 2005).
Bitter leaf is an abundant source of the poly-unsaturated fatty acids, linoleic and linolenic acid these poly unsaturated fatty acids have been found to be protective against cardiovascular diseases (Tapsell, 2006). Adodo (2009), states that bitter leaf is a real wonder of nature. It is useful in the multi-healer. It should be taken always, for good health (Sweet, 2010). It is a body cleanser that cures pile. It is a plant that is known to cure almost all human health problems (Oko, 2007).
Its composition
Nutrient
Protein 33.3%
Fat 10.1%
Fibre 29.2%
Ash 11.7%
Tannin 0.6%
Minerals like
Na, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe 1015.4 mg/100g
How to extract bitter leaf
Munaya (2013), says that this can be done the old school way of rubbing the clean leaves in between your palms will the help of a litter of water and squeezing out the juice from the leaves. You can also use a juice cup or blend the leaves with a little of water in a blender and strain out the extract with a clean clot coffee strainer or a sieve with a tight mesh. Bitter leaf juice on its own is quite bitter and fumes taste makes it unbearable for a lot of people. So to reduce the bitterness of the bitter leaf juice simply blends it with spinach or ugwu leaf (fluted pumpkin). If you find it extremely bitter then add some sweet fruit to it such as pineapple, apple, orange, etc. Dry bitter is also potent but has to be properly cleaned before used.
Potency of bitter leaf preparation
Bitter leaf juice relates potency for as long as a mount of when kept. A large quality can be prepared, stored in cane and some honey added to preserved it.
It may lose its bitterness but the efficiency remains. It is recommended for the treatment of skin infection like ring worm by applying liquid, allow for easy digestion of food in the stomach and help in body weight loss (Okoli, 2007).
Remedy for ulcer stomach, running stomach and piles just squeeze with the juice from the leaf mix with small quantity of water and drink it two times a day. It is a wonderful gift from God to mankind, increase mill production and quality in nursing mother. Cures cough; chew it before going to bed at night and early in the morning before eating. It cures itching, rashes, candid, squeeze or boil the leaves and drink the liquid. Useful in toning vital organs of the body especially liver and kidney (Sotocooro, 1993).
Bitter leaf and women menopause
One of the best natural remedy for the symptom of menopause is bitter leaf. Bitter leaf is one of the best women friendly plant is good for the body either before, during or after menopause. Bitter leaf takes care of such symptoms like hot flashes, internal heat and rheumatism with artificial oestrogen which has its own serious negative side effect.
Bitter leads does not supply oestrogen but helps the body to produce the right amount of oestrogen needed for light function. The fresh leaves of bitter leaf could also be squeezed and juiced into a glass of water. This should be taken every morning and nights to control the unpleasant symptoms of menopause. Bitter leaf is not only good for those who are already experiencing the symptoms of menopause and those who have attained menopause. It is good for the general health and vigour of any women, young or old. (Londus, 2009).
Detoxify your blood with bitter leaf
Bitter leaf juice alone is an anti-dote for malaria, it is anti-bacterial and anti-parasite. Bitter leaf when taken in any form prevents rheumatism, ingestion, scurvy and detoxifies the blood, where there is no medical help, blood oozing from fresh wound can be stopped by squeezing fresh green bitter leaf and dropping it on the wound. What could have been an alarming prevalence of diabetes in Africa is being mitigated by frequent inclusion of bitter leaf in Africa diets. It counters the effects of excess sugar in the blood stream. Thus the juice extract is a regular drink in many rural households. When spiced with other ingredient such as garlic, ginger, pepper etc. the bitterness in bitter leaf is no longer felt. Therefore any soup prepared with bitter leaf is tasty and delicious. The overall benefit of bitter leaf is an important cure for enzyme and rashes that appear on the class of drugs. (Ibrahim Abdurahman, 2010).
Fact about bitter leaf
According to Mbingho (1998), bitter leaf is also referred to as Iron weed; bitter leaf is able to flourish in a variety of climatic unlike other plants which are often native to certain area. Although most population used for the food, bitter leaf has also traditionally been used for its medicinal. Properties now prevent by medical research will around a thousand varieties bitter leaf plants uses range from anti microbial to decorate. Some of the most common uses are noted below.
- Stomach ache: Chew tender stem and swallow the Juice is a well known remedy for stomach aches, alternatively pound the fresh leaves on a mortal to extract the juice, add a undiluted juice and drink this version is reported to bring immediate.
- Skin infections and other ailment: For skin infection such as ring worm, Itching, Rashes and Eczema the pure undiluted extract of bitter leaf is excellent. Simply apply it to the affected pane daily. The roots are used by sufferers of gingivitis and toothache due to anti microbial properties which prevent the growth of bacteria.
- Good for the liver weighing between 1 to 3 kilograms. The liver is essential for the metabolism of fats and protein and must therefore, be well taken care of Alcohol, sugar and processed foods we often feed outside can weaken the liver and make it susceptible to infection, Damage to the liver often different to reverse the bitter leaf has long been used as a tone, and outer vital organs of the body.
- Isominal: Bitter leaf extract has been known to work more for many unable to get restful sleep. Simply take two glasses of bitter leaf solution every night to experience great calm and well being. You may add little honey if you wish.
- Prostate cancer: Bitter leaf helps to reduce prostate cancer.
- Pneumonia: Bitter leaf juice prevents pneumonia.
References
Abosi, A.O, & Resoreta, B.H. (2003). In-vivo anti-malaria activity of v-amygdalina. British Journal of Biochemical Science 60(2):89-91.
Adodo, A. (2009). Native power. Lagos: Benedictine Publication.
Aliyu, H.M. & Morufu, A.I. (2006). Proximate analysis of some leafy vegetables (Roselle, Jute and Bitter leaf). International Journal of
Food and Agricultural Research 3(1):194-198.
Edeoga, H.O. (2000). Nutritional Value of some non conventional leafy vegetable of Nigeria.
Edeoga ,H.O (2005). Phytochemical constituents of some Nigerian plants. Africa Journal of Biotechnology 44(7): 685-688.
Gill, L.S. (1992).Ethno medical use of plant in Nigeria. Benin City: University of Benin Press.
Ibrahim, G. (2010). The use of aqueous extracts of v.amygdalina Del in the control of saprolegniasis in clarks gariepinus, a fresh water fish. Africa Journal of Biotechnology 8(24):7130-7132.
Mbinglo, S. (1998). Surrelon the production of bitter leaf (vernonia spp) in: Bamenda, A (ed). North Western.
Munaya, C. (2013). Bitter leaf-based extracts cures hepatitis co-interaction and others. The Guardian newspaper, July 25, 2013.
Olaofe O. (1992). Vitamin C content of Nigerian food stuffs, Nigerian
Journal of Science B (1 and 2):1-7.
Oshodi, A.A (1992). Comparison of proteins, minerals and vitamin C content of some dried leafy vegetable. Pakistan Journal of Science and Industrial Research 35:267-269.
