Bitter leaf is not a vegetable that is unknown because many people are familiar with it since it can be found easily around us. The leaf is a vegetable that our mothers are making use of when they want to prepare melon soup. As good as this leaf is for our health, many people do not know any benefit that
its consumption can bring to us. Owing to its bitterness, human beings dislike it because it is something sweet that the yalways demand for. They are ignorance of the fact that eating too much sweet things can cut short someone’s life.
In Nigeria, bitter leaf is mostly known as “Ewuro” among Yoruba while it is known among Igbo as “Shiwaka” and Housa known it as “Onugbu”.Scientifically, bitter leaf is called “Vernonia Amygdalina” among scientists.
Bitter leaf tree is not a new discovery; it has been in existence for very long time now but yet people do not know what benefits they can extract from its consumption. They are not aware that there are some diseases that this plant can cure in human beings’ systems.
WHY DO WE NEED TO INCLUDE BITTER LEAF IN YOUR EATING?
VARIOUS VITAMINS
Bitter leaf contains large quantity of Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E. Naturally, Vitamin B1 is needed for cellular respiration and blocks stunt in human being's development. It also prevents us from a disease known as Beriberi. Vitamin A is good for our skin protection by protecting our skin from being dried all the time. It is also good for our eyes. Vitamin A prevents people from being blinded. Some people cannot walk at night due to one problem or the others that are troubling sight.. There are many other eyes related problems that this bitter leaf can cure. Vitamin B2 on its own side works against cracking of skin around various parts of the body. Not only that, Vitamin E works to defend cell membranes from oxidation. Lastly, Vitamin C functions to protect our teeth, skin, and to protect us from Scurvy. Can we now see that bitter leaf cannot be overemphasized when we are talking about plants, fruits or foods that are generating Vitamin for human beings’ healthy growth?
PREVENTION AGAINST HEART ATTACK, HEART DISEASES AND STROKE
Bitter leaf also protects people from having heart attack and stroke. Many people had died prematurely due to these two dangerous occurrences that can happen to any human being at any period of time. That is why it is good for old people to love bitter leaf. This is because this bitter leaf works against development of cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol is substance that can be found in human blood and some tissues of the body. Cholesterol can insulate heart attack at any time. Not only heart attack, there are some other heart diseases that too much of cholesterol can bring into body system.
PREVENTION AGAINST DANGER OF OXIDATION
As I said earlier that oxidation is not good at all for our body system. Bitter leaf produces Vitamin E that does protect our body system from danger of oxidation. Oxidation nemesis is produce by bitter leaf.
PREVENTION AGAINST BREAST CANCER
Breast cancer is a disease that many women are facing. It is better for our women to be doing what can protect them from having such disease rather than looking for its cure after getting contacted by breast cancer. Bitter leaf consumption may free you from this bad disease.
Other functions that bitter leaf generates for human benefit include:
- Reduction of heavy weight
- It cures pile
- It nourishes the skin, making it looks fresh and smooth.
- It produces more breast milk for a mother who in position of feeding baby or babies.
- Drinking of bitter leaves juice can expel worms out of your body.
HOW TO PREPARE BITTER LEAF FOR EASY CONSUMPTION?
The first and most popular way to intake bitter leaf is by preparing soups using this leaf. There is a well-known soup that we can refer to as “bitter leaf soup”. Here, I can remember that when our mothers want to cook bitter leaf soup, they will prepare it just the way they cook normal vegetable without much difference.
In fact, there are some intelligent individuals that use bitter leaf tree like brush to wash their teeth. It is not that they do not have brush or that their brushes had gotten lost; it is just that they want to feel the bitterness of the tree not only in their mouth but also to benefit from it. It is also because they have understanding of its valuable function in human body system. You too can do this.
Lastly, the other way to intake bitter leaf is by extracting juice from it for drinking. How can you do that? Go and get enough bitter leaves. You can add little water to the leaves and blend them together, then squeeze out your juice from that leaves. If it is bitter too much, you can add some milk with it or any fruit like orange or pineapple juice.