The efficacy of South African leaves

There is an old saying that "medicine and food have the same origin", which means that the food we eat every day has its own unique therapeutic effect. Therefore, many foods can be used as medicine and also as food. The South African leaf is such a thing. It is native to tropical Africa, where it is regarded as a vegetable and can be used as a staple food for soups and stews. In my country, it is called bitter tea and is mostly used to make tea. So, what other effects does the South African leaf have besides being eaten? Let's learn about it below.

1. Medical efficacy

Both sesquiterpene lactones and vernoside in the leaves of South African lily have strong anti-cancer pharmacological activities. South African leaves are bitter and cool in nature, and have the effect of clearing away heat and detoxifying; they have the functions of dissipating heat, cooling blood and clearing blood; they are suitable for lowering blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, treating diabetes, wind-heat or blood-heat skin diseases, and skin itching; they also have significant effects on flashes, presbyopia, myopia and glaucoma.

2. Clinical Application

The decoction of South African leaves can treat fever, malaria, diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis, scabies, cough, headache and stomachache. It has antioxidant, hepatoprotective, gastric acid secretion-promoting, lipid-lowering, anti-malarial and anti-cancer effects. People in Southeast Asia have long used South African leaves to treat various cancers, including breast cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer.

3. How to eat

1. Add two pieces of South African leaves and a green apple (red apples are not as effective as green apples) and blend them into juice to drink. This dietary method is most effective in treating cancer.

2. Spread your favorite jam on two slices of bread and put a piece of South African leaf in between.

3. Wash the South African leaves, fold them into a small ball and chew them, then drink it with cold water. However, you must be able to tolerate the bitter taste. However, as long as you understand the distribution of taste buds on the tongue, you will not feel the bitterness after chewing them in the appropriate position and swallowing them with cold water.

4. Dry the South African leaves and make tea, which is suitable for people of all ages.

5. Take a few fresh South African leaves and soak them in boiling water for a while.

6. When eating South African leaves raw, it is recommended to eat the leaves within five minutes of picking them to prevent the slow loss of antioxidants.

Warm reminder: For most people, eating one to two pieces of South African leaves a day is enough. Excessive intake may put a burden on the kidneys. And because it tastes bitter and is cool in nature, people with weak body, cold stomach, low blood pressure, numbness of hands and feet, anemia, emaciation and frequent dizziness should take it with caution or start with a small dose and observe carefully. It is forbidden to take it during pregnancy and menstruation. When rooibos leaves are cooked at high temperatures, their antioxidant content is reduced, so they are best eaten raw.