And the sad part is that whenever it is used for cooking, almost all the nutrients are washed off the leaves. Even the leftovers are further lost to the cooking process: Thus leaving just a minute portion of its richness for our consumption.
Of course, bitter leaf has a bitter taste and it is true that most people can’t withstand it. But remember that the best of medicines comes with a bitter taste; and bitter leaf is ranked high among them.
From treating malaria, typhoid, diabetes, diarrhea, tuberculosis, gallstones and kidney disease, to the prevention of cancer and lowering of hypertension, the health benefits of bitter leaf goes on and on and on.
Read on to see some of the health benefits of this miraculous plant known as bitter leaf.
1. It relieves stomach ache
Almost everybody knows this because it is a well-known remedy for stomachaches. All you need do is to chew the tender stem of the plant like a chewing stick and swallow the bitterness and the ache will stop within few minutes.
An alternative is to pound the fresh leaves in a mortar and press out the juice. Add a pinch of salt to three tablespoons of the undiluted juice and drink. You will experience relief in no time.
2. It fights prostate cancer
Research has shown that prostate cancer is common among men who are over forty years old. And one of its known symptoms is difficult and painful urination.
Bitter leaf, on the other hand, is very good for this ailment. It increases the flow of urine and reduces the pain, as well as regulates the spread of the cell.
To fight prostate cancer with bitter leaf, simply squeeze the fresh leaves in water and take a glassful four times daily while you constantly go for a checkup. You’ll urinate frequently, but don’t worry about that because it is part of the cleansing process.
3. It fights pneumonia
Pneumonia is a lung inflammation disease caused by bacterial or viral infection, in which the air sacs fill with pus and may become solid. Inflammation may affect both lungs (double pneumonia ) or only one ( single pneumonia
However, the miraculous plant is powerful enough to combat this condition.
And tackle it, squeeze the fresh leaves of the plant in water and take a glass-full thrice daily. Always remember to warm the solution on fire each time before drinking.
Do not boil, just warm. And continue the medication for a month.
4. Insomnia
Insomnia is a condition that promotes habitual sleeplessness. And as funny as it may sound, there are a lot of people experiencing this condition.
This group of people finds it impossible to sleep at night and no matter how hard they try, their effort is always met with wakefulness.
However, studies have shown that Bitter leaf extract has done wonders for those suffering from sleeplessness. Simply take two glasses of bitter leaf solution every night and you will experience a calmness that comes with relaxation and sleep.
5. It enhances fertility
Studies have shown that bitter leaf boosts the chances of pregnancy among women who are finding it difficult to conceive. And this because the detoxification power of bitter leaf helps prevent the pollution of the antibodies that fight diseases, initiate tissue repair and regeneration.
This is known to boost the fertility of the ovaries, significantly; as well as eliminating ovarian cyst and premature ovarian failure.