The garden of Eden must be very powerful. The same applies to gardens across the nations of the world today because of many fruit and vegetable with compelling medicinal value found in them. Waterleaf is one such vegetable. We will focus on it in this edition. Waterleaf (Talinum triangulare), is one of those underrated and undervalued plants in Nigeria. Some even regard waterleaf as a nuisance, a stubborn weed that grows all year, though it flourished more during the rainy season.
If you care for your health, not satisfied with just being alive, but being well, then you need waterleaf. It is an edible leafy vegetable that belongs to the Portulacea family. It was initially found in West Africa but has now spread across to other parts of the world like Asia and South America. Waterleaf is a herbaceous perennial plant that has its stem above ground. The seed sprouts as a tiny, aqua-colored plant before growing into a more conspicuous plant with larger leaves.
In many scientific studies and trails, waterleaf showed that it could inhibit proliferation of cancerous cells and shrink tumors. Other studies have been focused on its cerebral-protective potential, and it indicates that consumption of waterleaf enhances brain activities and protect brain tissues. Waterleaf is also a good remedy for insomnia (sleeping disorder).
Waterleaf contains more proteins than cashew nuts, more pectin (a food fiber that helps digestion) than apples, and also have a high level of vitamin B, essential amino acids, omega3-fatty acids, resins, iron, calcium, copper, lead, manganese, and zinc. It is also a rich source of carotenoids, vitamin C, A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, alpha, and beta tocopherols. The pounded waterleaf is applied to soothe inflammations. An infusion of the leaves is taken as a diuretic. For prostate enlargement, the roots are boiled. The dosage is half a glass twice daily. Waterleaf is excellent and safe for pregnant women and growing children, as it boosts their blood levels. Eating waterleaf regularly as soup helps to regulate hypertension and diabetes.
While waterleaf is very beneficial when it is taken as a vegetable, dried herbs, and infusion. However, juicing is the way to go if you want the best out of waterleaf. What is juicing? Juicing is a process whereby you extract vitamins, minerals, and liquids from fruits and vegetables. To juice waterleaf, chop waterleaf, both stem, and leaves, into pieces, in the same way as you do if you want to cook it. Then put two or three handfuls in the blender and add one liter of water. Blend in the same way as you blend your tomato or fruit. Sieve out the chaff, and you will be left with a dark green liquid, packed with vitamins and minerals. Ensure you drink and finish the whole drink within 10 minutes. Do you feel tired and weak every time? Are you battling with diabetes, hypertension, and arthritis? Are you prone to frequent bouts of malaria? Have you been diagnosed with cancer or you want to prevent it? Do you want glowing and youthful skin? I strongly recommend you take waterleaf juice twice a week. A trial will convince you.
In a nutshell, the properties in waterleaf have the following health benefits:
v Prevention of heart diseases and stroke
v It enhances cognitive ability
v It has a range of biological and pharmacological uses like anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial functions. It could also be mixed with alligator pepper and avocado in the treatment of hypertension.
v The perfect remedy for weight loss
v Treatment of diabetes
v Reduction of blood cholesterol level and
v Helps as a laxative. Its antioxidant properties make it useful in the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases.
