Uziza Leaf And its Health Benefit

Uziza leaf is one of the most important plant spices in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria. As you know, spices are very important to meals. But the many natural spices do a lot more than make meals delicious.

This is the exact story with uziza leaf. It contains several nutrients that make it very important for the human body. The nutrients present in uziza leaf help to build your immunity and deal with several ailments.

In this post, we will look at the nutritional content of uziza and also the health benefits of uziza leaf. This promises to be an interesting read so grab a seat and let’s journey together.

The nutritional makeup of Uziza

What is the nutritional makeup of uziza? What makes this plant so special? Here’s a breakdown of the nutrients present in Uziza.

Alkaloids
Dietary fiber
Essential oils
Flavonoids
Glycosides
Peptide
Phenols
Protein
Saponins
Steroids
Tannins

The uziza fruit contains between 5% and 8% of piperine, the chemical responsible for the taste. These fruits also contain a healthy amount of beta-caryophyllene, a popular anti-inflammatory agent. Uziza contains some myristicin, safrole, dillapiol, apiole, and elemicin.

Health Benefits of Uziza

Now that we know the nutritional content of uziza, let’s take a look at the health benefits of this interesting spice. It is interesting to note that uziza has been used in different parts of the country as a remedy to certain ailments. Let’s show you some of them.

Relieving cough and runny nose

Uziza is known for its peppery nature. It is no secret that spicy foods help to clear the throat and relieve a runny nose. When next you develop a cough or have a blocked or runny nose, get some uziza leaves.

To enjoy this benefit, you must first grind the leaves, fresh or dry. After this, pour in some clean hot water and leave it for about ten minutes.

Sieve this mixture so that you can drink the filtrate. The mixture of warm spicy uziza water will clear out the cough and lubricate your throat. This will result in clearer airways for less stressful breathing.

Avoids Constipation

Constipation is a problem associated with difficulty in bowel movement. It is quite uncomfortable, just like many other digestive tract issues. One of the major causes of constipation is the absence of roughages in your diet. Roughages generally help to ease bowel movement.

Uziza contains a lot of dietary fiber which makes it qualify as a roughage. When you add this leaf to your meal, it helps you to meet your daily roughage requirement. This means that you can successfully avoid constipation by taking a healthy amount of uziza daily.

It is important to note that uziza doesn’t treat constipation. This leaf can only help you to prevent the condition. Like we say, prevention is better than cure anyways.

Prevents Cancer

The major cause of cancer is the presence and effects of free radicals. One way to deal with free radicals is to consume foods that are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory content. uziza leaves tick both boxes as it contains a generous amount of both nutrients.

One such content is flavonoid which is recognized as a strong antioxidant. Antioxidants help to neutralize free radicals thus reducing the chances of developing cancers.

Treating Diarrhea

Asides from their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, uziza leaves also possess strong antibacterial properties. It is no secret that diarrhea is a condition caused by the action of microorganisms in the gut.

When you add uziza to your meals, you protect yourself from diarrhea. This is because of the antibacterial action the leaves take on the microorganisms in your gut. Meanwhile, if you have already developed diarrhea, taking more uziza leaves and water will keep you hydrated.

Increases Fertility

Infertility is one of the problems plaguing marriages all around the world today. While most of the measures taken to treat this condition are costly, using uziza leaves isn’t. Combining uziza leaves with honey will help to treat infertility in women.

This same mixture also helps to improve sperm count in men. Several studies have shown that while using uziza leaves is good for increasing fertility, it shouldn’t be prolonged. Prolonged usage may result in adverse effects especially in males.

Treatment of Stomach Ache

Stomach aches stem from several causes. From indigestion to menstrual cramps. Whatever the cause is, stomach aches are never funny. One of the best ways of dealing with stomach aches is to eat a lot of roughages.

Like we stated above, uziza leaves exhibit characteristics of roughages thus can be classified as such. You can add the leaves to warm water and drink the filtrate like with the cough treatment. On the other hand, you can resort to eating the leaves whole. You can also add uziza leaves to your diet in rich amounts to deal with stomach cramps.

There are several other health benefits of uziza leaves. Some of them include:

Improving appetite.
Preventing hypertension.
Preventing diabetes.
Treating rheumatism.
Maintaining a healthy weight.

Did you know that you can use uziza leaves to ward off mosquitoes from your home? Yes, it is possible and many people use it in South-East Nigeria. The secret behind this benefit is the scent of the leaf. Mosquitoes to keep away because of this scent which is why it is used in the production of insecticides.

Does Uziza Leaf affect pregnancy?

This is one very common question people raise when discussing uziza leaves. For now, no link has been established between uziza leaves and pregnancy. Pregnant women can eat uziza even though we advise that they shouldn’t eat it in excess. Generally, pregnant women should stay away from excess pepper and spicy extremely foods.

Conclusion

Every part of the uziza plant presents you with amazing health benefits. We have shown you some health benefits of uziza leaf in this post. Do you think that we left any out? Share them with us in the comments section below.