What Is Igbo Name For Garden Egg Leaf

Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits of Garden Egg Leaves

Garden Egg Leaf, just like other vegetables, contains essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals in a reasonable quantity which play a crucial role in human health improvement.

These vegetables are known as natural blood-pumping vegetables, especially when eaten raw. In West Africa, notably in Nigeria, where it is found in great quantity, it is calledAkwukwo Anyara in Igbo, and its seed is also calledMkpuru Anyara,Efo Igbo in Yoruba, andGanyen Gauta in Hausa.

They are considered curative and nutritious diets due to their nutritional contents as medication to specific ailments and substitutes for medical supplements.

Garden egg leaves or African eggplant leaves contain Vitamin B, C, potassium, and calcium, which are beneficial to human health in several ways, such as the following:

1. Improves Kidney Health

It helps toprevent dialysis by thetotal cleansing of the kidney naturally .

These leaves serve as detoxifiers to the kidney, and it's more effective when eaten raw or converted into juice by boiling for few seconds and then filtering the liquid in a container; you can take this juice three times per day or more.

Eating garden egg leaves will naturally help cleanse the kidney by filtering the blood and unwanted materials from entering the organ.

It also prevents any form of kidney-related issues, especially those that disrupt blood filtration and purification like kidney failure.

The mineral potassium, which is present in garden egg leaves, also helps the kidney filter blood.

2. Good for Pregnant Women

Garden egg leaves are ahealthy vegetable for pregnant women because they contain many vitamins and minerals required for an improved health condition during pregnancy.

As it helps provide good development, average weight, andprevention of congenital disabilities for unborn babies.

3. Promotes Fertility

Like the garden egg itself, many African cultures believe that the garden egg and its leaves represent fertility and have been used locally to treat infertility and libido issues.

Though there is no scientific proof to back this up for now, in many locals where it is used for this purpose, they believe it works and helps boost their sexual health for both men and women.

4. Can Prevent Cancer

Garden egg leaves contain an anti-inflammatory property, making them one of the suitable vegetables to reduce swelling and prevent cancer-causing inflammations.

These vegetableshelp prevent cancer formation due to the presence ofphytochemicals that fight free radicals that are prone to cause inflammations that might lead to cancerous diseases in the body system.

5. Promotes Weight Loss

Garden egg leaves are used inmanaging obesity andreducing the level of cholesterol in the blood due to somemicronutrients.

With the level of cholesterol in the body being low, it can quickly achieve weight reduction; it does not only help in weight reduction but also maintains a fresh and toned skin when consumed in reasonable quantity regularly.

Adequate intake of garden egg leaves is required in this case and for anyone who wants to lose weight or improve heart health.

It is recommended that you eat healthily to improve the effectiveness of the garden egg leaves as it concerns weight reduction and its other health benefits.

6. Serves as Blood Tonic

Garden egg leavesserve as a blood tonicfor people suffering from a blood shortage or are anemic. It has long been a miracle vegetable for weak patients and is most recommended by medical experts to increase blood levels.

To get this benefit, it is advisable to get the fresh leaves, wash them in clean cold water, slice and eat it raw. It can be prepared with Ukpaka (fermented oil bean seeds), crayfish, salt, and oil to serve as a side dish or squeezed to get the juice.

Whichever way it is consumed, it performs the same function.

7. Regulates the Heart Beat

Potassium , which contains a critical salt, helps maintain the heart condition and regulate blood pressure. It makes this leaf very important for heart health.

One of the vital functions of potassium to the heart is to help regulate heartbeat; therefore, having too much (hyperkalemia) or low potassium (hypokalemia) can cause changes in the heart rhythm, which is dangerous to health.

8. Reduces Sugar Levels

It may be new to some persons, but it has been locally used to reduce blood sugar levels due to its high fiber and magnesium content. It is also low in carbohydrates which makes it a good food source for diabetic patients.

Foods rich in fiber are slow to digest, unlike some carbohydrates, and do not provide the body with any calories. This makes the blood sugar levels more stable, eliminating the fear of a spike in blood pressu re.

For reducing your sugar level, it is best eaten raw or drank as juice.

9. Helps in Digestion

One of the benefits of fibers in food (fruits or vegetables) is their ability to help digestive processes.

Fibers don't get digested in the body or slow down digestion, which helps in effectively maintaining the movement of materials in the human digestive tract.

This improves the digestive system and increases the bulk of the stools.

Garden egg leaves are rich in this content and should be consumed adequately to aids in proper digestion, maintain the digestive tracts, and help in constipation reduction.

10. Prevent Stomach Ulcers

An ulcer is caused by the inflammation of the stomach linings, which causes soreness and can be aggravated by consuming certain foods that are too acidic.

Waterleaf has been used traditionally in the treatment of stomach ulcers due to its possession of some anti-ulcer properties, which has been found effective after a recent experiment on rats.

Origin of Garden Egg Leaves

Garden egg leaves orAfrican eggplant leaves are native to West Africa, predominately cultivated in Nigeria, and are grown and consumed more in the southern part of the country.

The leaves of this garden egg are specific to theBitter Eggplant, which is known as Mkpuru Anyarain Igbo. It is characterized by its minor roundish nature, green in color, and has a bitter-sweet taste.

Garden Egg Juice

Like other green leafy vegetables, the extraction of its juice is the same, and garden egg leaves contain lots of nutrients. Its juice is also fortified with these nutrients, which have been effective in many ways that benefit our health.

To get the juice;

Wash the garden egg leaves thoroughly to remove dirt and sand.
Cut it into tiny pieces to enable easy squeezing or pounding.
Then squeeze effectively and strain the juice.

Culinary Uses

Garden egg leaves are used in food preparation as condiments and are primarily used for preparing different types of foods such as Garden egg leaf soup, vegetable yam, sauce, etc. It is also used as a vegetable in Abacha (tapioca) and other local cuisines.

Medicinal Uses

As Herbal medicine: The leaves are medicinal in many areas and have been proven in a diverse range of ways to help in the treatment of many health conditions, and as such as been used traditionally in the treatment of indigestion, infertility, anemia, and much more.

Side Effects

Consumption of garden egg leaves causes no notable side effect unless on those allergic to it.

Conclusion

The nutrients in the garden egg leaves are gained when eaten raw or used for culinary purposes, medicinal and curative areas. It is a nutritious vegetable commonly knownas a blood tonic and its Kidney disease cure effects. Still, the nutritional benefits are not just limited to that as there are many benefits it offers, as mentioned above.

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