Here's an intro to a detailed write-up on leaves which are good for health when consumed... It's kinda lengthy so I've broken it up into segments... Here's the first instalment - Espen
It is easy to overlook leaves. Often used as salad fillers or unseen herbs that add oomph to dishes, edible green leaves are some of the most nutrient-dense foods.
Chlorophyll - responsible for the green in leaves - is being investigated for preventing and treating cancer. While the jury is still out on the direct health benefits of chlorophyll, greens offer much more beyond their pigment.
Abundant in countless substances - minerals that maintain overall health, antioxidants that disarm free radicals, specific nutrients that stimulate detoxification, and chemicals that cleverly convince cancer cells to self-destruct - leaves are particularly potent health boosters.
So, kick-start your annual "this year, I will eat healthily" promise by teaching your taste buds to turn over a new leaf.
Start by selecting fresh leaves. Take in the vibrant, intense colours, each hue representing a different blend of nutrients. Prepare them lightly and enjoy their earthy, slightly peppery taste.
Here are a few ideas for colouring your plate in different shades of green - and a touch of red.
CORIANDER
Coriander leaves have a sharp, fresh flavour, with a hint of citrus - which comes from their rich volatile oils. These aromatic oils are thought to kill microbes. Some animal studies have shown that these leaves might help lower blood sugar and improve the profile of fats in the body. In ayurvedic medicine, coriander leaves are used as a liver tonic. And experiments done in Japan have found that the herb helps the body flush out the heavy metal toxins like lead, cadmium and mercury.
GOTU KOLA
This is also known as brahmi and Indian pennywort.
Well before anti-ageing became a buzzword, gotu kola was used in Chinese medicine as a tonic to extend life. Legend has it that a Chinese herbalist used the herb to stretch his life to 256 years!
While that experiment has not been repeated, studies have found that gotu kola offers other important health benefits.
It appears to increase mental acuity. Research has found that this herb boosts memory, improves learning capabilities, and possibly even combats some of the memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease. An overall nervous system tonic, gotu kola is regarded as one of the most spiritual and rejuvenating herbs in ayurveda and is used to promote a sense of calm. It is believed that the herb works by balancing the right and left hemispheres of the brain.
One study demonstrated that over a period of 12 weeks, 30 developmentally disabled children showed an improvement in concentration and attention levels after taking gotu kola.
The herb is rich in chemicals called triterpenes, which promote healthy formation of collagen in bones, cartilage and connective tissue - this makes it powerful as a treatment for wounds and burns.
Gotu kola also strengthens blod vessels, which in turn improves blood flow, and makes this plant valuable in treating varicose veins.
The fresh herb can be bought at wet markets and is also available in supplement form from pharmacies.
Note: Pregnant or nursing women, or those who are trying to conceive, should not use high doses of gotu kola, typically found in extracts of the herb.
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