The bitter leaf is a plant that is a member of the daisy family. It grows in tropical Africa. It has always been used since ancient times. And it has a lot of medicinal uses. Bitter leaf has antifungal, antimalarial and anti-bacterial properties. It has strong antioxidant agents that are very good for health.
The bitter leaf is so bitter that even touching them make your hands bitter. But the health benefits are nothing to be compared with how it tastes. The bitter leaf is an African herb that is used in cooking many delicacies and also serves as herbal medicine to treat several illnesses in the body. The health benefits of bitter leaf are so sufficient that many people can’t do without it.
This is the list of nutrients in bitter leaf
- Proteins
- Fiber
- Carbohydrates
- Calcium
- Iron
- Phosphorus
- Sulfur
- Copper
- Ascorbic acid
- Selenium
- Potassium
- Sodium
- Manganese
- Zinc
- Magnesium
- Carotenoid
And more…..
As you go through this article, we will take you through everything you need to know about bitter leaf which is also known as vernonia amygdalina, and its benefits.
Here are the 20 Health Benefits of Bitter Leaf.
1. It Treats Malaria.
Using bitter leaf to treat malaria has been the most known health benefits of bitter leaf because it has a high amount of quinine in it, which is a natural anti-malarial formula. People have been using a bitter leaf to treat malaria since the beginning of time.
How to use; if you have malaria, you can squeeze out the juice of the bitter leaf, sieve, and drink it at least three times a day for an efficient cure of malarial /fever.
2. Soothable for Stomach Ulcers.
Another health benefits of bitter leaf are for easing stomach ulcers. It has potent antioxidants that are adequate for maintaining every aspect of the stomach. This is why bitter leaf can be used to deal with stomach ulcers. According to research, the antioxidants in the bitter leaf are accountable for these optimistic gastric outcomes.
How to use; Rinse your bitter leaf very well and blend, use your sieve and filter the water and drink morning and night for a better result.
3. Helps in Weight Loss.
Bitter leaf has some chemicals that aid in burning that extra body fat you have always wanted to get rid of. The plant is valuable in eliminating bad cholesterol from your body and burns excess calories. That’s why a glass of bitter leaf juice is useful for your weight loss.
How to use; squeeze bitter leaf with scent leave together and filter in a bowl, take this mixture morning and night and see the outcome.
4. Heals Fungal Infections.
Another great health benefit is that bitter leaf has powerful anti-fungal properties that help heal fungal infections like magic.
How to use; pluck a few bitter leaves, squeeze out the paste and place it on the affected area to treat your fungal infections.
5. Deals with Skin Conditions.
If you turn your bitter leaf into a paste, it can be used to treat your skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, ringworms amongst others. This herb has numerous antimicrobial effects that help in dealing with numerous skin conditions.
If your skin is sensitive, please consult with the best dermatologist before assigning any home remedy to your skin.
6. Controls Blood Pressure.
One great health benefits of bitter leaf are that the bitterness helps to reduce the sugar in the body, thereby, lowering high blood pressure. Bitter leaf has some solutions that function simultaneously to regulate blood pressure. The antioxidants properties are said to be responsible for this health benefit.
Secondly, the bitter leaf helps in regulating bad cholesterol, in this way it also assists in controlling high blood pressure.
How to use; wash and squeeze out the bitter leaf with water and sieve, then drink 3 times daily.
Read Also:14 High Blood Pressure Food to Avoid
7. Keeps the Bone And Teeth Healthy.
Bitter leaf has Vitamin C as a strong antioxidant. Vitamin C is very good for strong and healthy teeth. Drinking of bitter leaf juice can help better your oral health. Similarly, the bitter leaf also has vitamin K and numerous other minerals, that helps your bones stronger and healthier. The use of bitter leaf can prevent the weakening of bones tissues, also known as osteoporosis.
How to use; Take the juice morning and night for fast relief.
8. Controls Blood Sugar.
Bitter leaf is very bitter just as the name implies. But if you can overlook at the bitterness, you will get a very great benefit from it.
The bitter taste of bitter leaf defines its function in regulating blood sugar. According to numerous research, the bitter leaf can help in treating or even curing diabetes. The phytochemicals, vitamins, and other nutrients such as proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, ash, and additional vitamins in the bitter leaf are known to help regulate your high blood sugar levels.
How to use; drink bitter leaf juice regularly for a fast result
9. Reduces Risk of Cancer.
The bitter leaf contains some very powerful anti-cancer properties like andrographolide compound which has been scientifically found to be effective in treating prostate cancers, gastric cancers, colon and other types of cancer.
And bitter leaf has properties to slow down the growth of tumours and prevent cancer cell development.
How to use; chewing of bitter leaf and regular intake of the juice does it.
10. Improves Fertility.
Bitter leaf is adequate when it comes to fertility for both men and women. The chemical compounds present in bitter leaves enhance sperm quality. And on the other hand, it has an adequate reaction on the fertility of females.
It also enables detoxification in the body, it helps in equalizing the hormones of females. Compounds like edotides help in balancing the hormones and enhancing the immune system. That’s why the usage of bitter leaves can enable you to get pregnant.
How to use; take the juice at least morning and night for better results.
11. Good in controlling STDs.
Bitter leaf has very high antibacterial properties. Its paste can be utilized to regulate the external manifestation of STD by rubbing the paste on the genitals.
How to use; squeeze the bitter leaf to form a paste and rub in the affected area to heal.
12. Improves Detoxification.
Bitter leaf is outstanding for its detoxifying properties. Its juice can be used to detoxify your body. Toxins in your body can result in numerous health difficulties like infertility, metabolic ailments, cancer, etc. And it is substantial to detoxify your body from toxins.
That is why the bitter leaf is very effective for your health as it enables you to detoxify your body.
Read Also:7 Amazing Benefits of Adding Mushrooms to Your Skincare Routine
13. Good for the Liver and Kidney.
Another good health benefits of bitter leaf is that it helps improve the liver and kidney. The kidney is a very important part of the body. If the kidney does not work well, the entire body breaks down.
Bitter leaf has detoxifying properties, which is why its use can be very effective for your liver and kidneys. These crucial organs are essential to the normal functions of the human body. That’s why their health is extremely crucial for us. Utilizing bitter leaves can enable you to give rise to your liver and kidneys healthy and effective.
Apart from the fact that it has numerous health benefits, you should also bear in mind, that too much of everything is bad. So the vital aspect is to keep a check on the dose of any therapy. Bitter leaf has many therapeutic medications in it. That’s why it also has side impacts if taken in a vast percentage.
As you read on we will be talking about some of the side effects.
14. Eliminate Worms In The Body.
Excess worms in the body can cause discomfort, causing vomiting or stomach bite. That is why you need a bitter leaf to help with this parasite.
Bitter leaf has an anti-parasitic property. Which if’s used can eradicate or eliminate the worms from your digestive system.
You can try the usage of bitter leaf if you are suffering from worm infestation in your system.
How to use; intake of bitter leaf juice will do justice.
15. Improves Milk Production Breastfeeding Mothers.
Bitter leaf is also recounted to have properties that boost milk production in breastfeeding mothers. That’s why its use can be worthwhile for mothers who are attempting to boost their milk supply.
16. It’s a Remedy for Abdominal Ailments.
Apart from stomach ulcers, the bitter leaf can also treat medical ailments like diarrhea, dysentery, stomach distress, and numerous extra stomach-associated difficulties. That’s why drinking bitter leaf juice is useful for your gastrointestinal health.
17. Treats Pimples On The Face.
Bitter leaf has a bunch of vitamins and enables in eliminating toxins from your body. That’s why its usage can enable you to deal with the pimple on your face.
How to use; You can drink bitter leaf juice for this intention, or you can apply the paste of the bitter leaf on your face to see the outcomes
18. Deals with Insomnia.
A lot of people battle with insomnia. It is an ailment in which you can’t fall asleep. Bitter leaf has some properties that can enable you to calm your mind and enable you to fall asleep. That’s why bitter leaf has traditionally been utilised to deal with insomnia.
How to use; one cup of bitter leaf juice with a pinch of salt a day goes a long way
Note that it is of most importance to wash your bitter leaf thoroughly be use whether fresh or dry as it may contain some dirt that might be harmful to your health
Read Also:6 Simple Steps to Cure Toilet Infection
19. It Restores Memory Loss.
The health benefits of bitter leaf juice are that it restores memory loss even though it could be an indication of diabetes or another ailment of its own. Regardless, bitter leaf is very good for dealing with memory loss.
20. Help to Safeguard the Body Against Contaminants.
Bitter leaf is effective in safeguarding the body against contaminants that come from cigarette smoke and other gas that may be harmful to your health.
How to use; constantly chew the bitter leaf but be sure to wash it first.
Now, all these benefits and more are the work of bitter leaf to our health both internal and external benefits.
When you cook with bitter leaf the taste and aroma it delivers are heavenly but too much of it has its effect just as they say “too much of everything is bad” and you should also know that everything that has a good side also has a bad side attached to it.
We will be looking at a few effects of the bitter leaf when taking too much of it.
Side Effects of Bitter Leaf to Your Body.
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It Can Cause Allergic Reactions.
For those that have unusual allergic reactions, it is advisable to talk with your doctor early before drinking or utilizing bitter leaf extract as it may not be adequate for your health. And if you are utilizing the leaf juice remember not to overuse it, there should be a limit.
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Don’t Give Infants.
Bitter leaf, especially the extract should not be administered to infants in any way at all as the therapeutic medications in it might be too much for their body to comprehend.
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It Should Not Be Taken by Pregnant Women.
In as much as it is not known by anybody of the side effects of bitter leaf to pregnant women, it is still not advisable to take the juice without consulting your doctor first as the baby in the womb is most paramount in this case.
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Avoid Usage if You Have a Heart Condition.
As you already know, the bitter leaf can regulate blood pressure because of this it can lead to unwanted heart conditions. It’s necessary to talk with your physician first before taking the extracts.
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Don’t Consume Too Much Bitter Leaf Juice at a Time.
Bitter leaf extracts have no other known side effects on humans or animals apart from the ones that are spoken of above. Nonetheless, scientific indication instructs that bitter leaves should not be eaten up in high percentages because, at high portions, it comes to be toxic and harmful to human cells.
Also, it is vital to point out that the roots contain toxic chemicals that may result in poisoning and should be consumed in minimal percentages after adequate purification.
How to Preserve Bitter Leaf Juice.
To save time, you can make a large quantity of this juice in one go. Then add some amount of honey to preserve the solution.
Note: Bitter leaf extract when stored for lengthier than twenty-four hours will lose the bitterness but the usefulness remains.
Conclusion.
Bitter leaf is an outstanding plant that serves so many things, it’s a medicine, it’s a herb and also perfect for cooking.
The wonderful thing about this herb is that it grows anywhere, it’s common and can even be found in your compound but its benefits are immeasurable. Try this plant today and you won’t regret it.
