"Anything that's bitter, is beneficial."
In the Northern Philippines, Ilocanos are known to eat weeds (the edible ones of course!). Only in college that i've heard not all do in the country. Well ok then. As a child, we don't question it as everyone in our household and in the neighbourhood. Of course, there would be families who aren't keen as some weeds are so bitter in taste. Perhaps this includes the rich families as everything they eat are bought. One of them is Bitter Leaf. In Ilocano, we call it PAPAIT. As PAIT in english means bitter, PAPAIT signifies it's very bitter. Simple as that.
Growing up, it's a normal edible food on the table. But as our backyard was full of trees, we don't look down at the ground to be checking any edible weeds but up looking for a ripened fruit. Maybe we have loads then unrecognised and unappreciated. I certainly remember one of my aunts buying some. Contrary to before, we have a lot now just creeping up all over, more so on plots that's frequently watered.
Called a carpetweed, they tend to crawl and expand around its' main root, spreading and covering the soil. They do keep the soil intact and prevent dust from forming. The above photo is just one growth, having multiple tiny branches that are also branching out and criss-crossing each other.
When young, even the roots are edible apparently. This we have not tried but only the young leaves, flowers and stalks. When making salads, only those young parts are used, the rest discarded. When watered, re-growth is quick but leave for about a week for the next harvest, unless some parts weren't touched on the first harvest.
Accordingly, this common weed can be found in Australia, India and some parts of Africa. I am not aware of its' usage in these countries but it would be interesting to know.
As with any green, leafy vegetables, it is fact that they are a source of iron. The bitterness is just a thought that there might just be other benefits because of it it. Anyway, it's food!
An article here listed an extensive benefits and uses unknown to most. Not only as rich in IRON, it is also a CALCIUM source. Isn't that something? A study by Kumar et al. in 2009 entitled Antioxidant and antihyperglycemic activities of
methanolic extract of Glinus oppositifolius
leaves found a significant result of lower blood glucose on their subjects.
Diabetis is a known risk factor for Heart Disease. In saying that, the occurence of Heart Attack and Stroke for a diabetic person is higher from those who don't have it as it destroys blood vessels and nerves to the heart and the brain. From the American Heart Association, one in 40 seconds die of a Heart Attack, this being the top cause of mortality worldwide.
Can heart disease be prevented?
As a cardiac nurse, my focus tend to sway towards food that are acknowledged or have a great potential in preventing or treating the risk factors for heart disease. I suppose i find it easier to remember on what they are for. As most studies, old and new, have rats as subjects, this places a huge limitation on what these natural resources can to our health and the impact it can do to healthcare worldwide.
Perhaps as more and more people are looking for other alternative to prevent and more importantly to cure diseases the natural way, that the time of constantly relying to our medial practitioners for cure is declining. Traditional medicine is losing its' allure, not just because it is expensive and that the trust easily given before is becoming a distrust from people's hospital experiences. The people of today is wiser and have experienced effective alternative modalities.
So, can heart disease be prevented?
I believe it can. If good food is medicine, one's lifestyle need to be in accordance too to prevent not just heart disease but other deadly diseases out there. Of course, other factors play a role in disease formation from our environment BUT there are also things that we can control.
References:
Sarsalida
Antioxidant and antihyperglycemic activities of
methanolic extract of Glinus oppositifolius
leaves
Heart Disease
All images were taken with my Samsung Galaxy S7. Footer by @bearone.
