Bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) is a vegetable that tastes bitter and is eaten by a lot of people because it has a lot of health benefits. Bitter leaf is also known as Onugbu, Shiwaka, and Ewuro by the Igbos, Hausas, and Yoruba in Nigeria. Bitter leaf has a number of medicinal values and incredible benefits for human health. Bitter leaf is commonly called Onugbu in Nigeria.
Bitter leaf is a plant that is native to Africa. It can be found growing in most regions of the sub-Saharan region. Bitter leaf is used in the preparation of a wide variety of food specialties, African dishes, and African cuisine. Bitter leaf is also widely employed in traditional medical treatment.
Due to the fact that it contains a variety of essential nutrients, including vitamins, proteins, and mineral salts, this medicinal plant plays a significant role in the diet of humans. Not just the leaves, but also the stems, blossoms, and seeds of the plant can be used for medicinal purposes; the leaves are just one component of the plant.
Health Benefits Of Bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina)
1. Reduces the Pain of Stomach Ulcers
Bitter leaf has a long history of successfully treating stomach ulcers. It is rich in potent anti-oxidants, which are beneficial for protecting the lining of the stomach. Because of this, bitter leaf has been shown to be effective in the treatment of stomach ulcers. According to the findings of recent studies, the antioxidants found in bitter leaf are the components of this plant that are responsible for its beneficial benefits on the stomach.
2. Promotes Weight Loss
Compounds present in bitter leaf aid in body fat burning. The plant helps you burn extra calories while reducing bad cholesterol from your body. For this reason, drinking some bitter leaf juice can help you lose weight.
3. Improves the production of breast milk
Researchers have also found that bitter leaf juice promotes labor traditionally and helps nursing moms produce more breast milk. The washed roots and stalks of bitter leaf can be boiled and consumed as a natural worm expeller.
As an alternative, the fresh leaves are properly cleaned to remove bitterness and then used to make “Ofe Onugbu,” a type of beef soup.
Drinking bitter leaf juice or its hearty soup can assist to enhance milk flow and improve the quality of breast milk. Meanwhile, nursing mothers are fed the dried, powdered bitter leaf orally in some regions of Nigeria to encourage milk production. Although similar behavior has been discovered in recent animal research. Additional human research are necessary.
4. Helps in keeping teeth and bones in strong condition
The bitter leaf’s vitamin C content is a potent antioxidant mineral that plays a specific function in the body’s preservation of strong bones and teeth, as well as the prevention of shortages in this crucial vitamin.
With other nutrients that will also help to build your bones and teeth, a glass of bitter leaf juice will provide you with a sizable portion of your required daily intake of the vitamin.
Bitter leaf has a small amount of vitamin K, which aids in more than just blood clotting; it also prevents osteoporosis, a condition that weakens bone tissue.
5. Helps in treatments Insomnia
A lot of people struggle with sleeplessness. It is a condition that makes it difficult for you to fall asleep. Some of the bitter leaf’s qualities can calm your nerves and promote sleep. Bitter has historically been used to treat insomnia because of this.
6. Reduces Excessively High Blood Pressure
Bitter leaf juice has been shown to be beneficial for lowering blood sugar levels and maintaining healthy blood pressure levels. A second aspect that can further assist in the treatment of the ailment is the antioxidants that are found in the bitter leaf.
According to the findings of a study that was published in the Journal of Food Biochemistry, bitter leaf has the ability to suppress certain processes that occur within the body. As a result, it may have a beneficial effect on hypertension.
Patients who suffer from hypertension and diabetes are often advised by their doctors to consume bitter leaf because the potassium it contains is an effective treatment for hypertension. Additionally, bitter leaf flushes out the accumulation of salt, which prevents sodium levels in the bloodstream from rising to dangerously high levels.
7. Enhances Fertility
When it comes to the positive effects that it has on a woman’s reproductive system, bitter leaf extract is truly remarkable. Consuming juice extracted from bitter leaves may improve a woman’s chances of conceiving. This is due to the presence of chemical compounds in bitter leaf extracts, such as edotides, which support hormonal balance and stimulate the immune system to aid in the battle against toxification. Your likelihood of becoming pregnant will increase once the hormonal imbalance in your reproductive system has been corrected.
