About Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits of WaterLeaf

Waterleaf is an annual herbaceous plant of West Africa that is seen in most of the states in Nigeria mainly in the south. It is called Gbure in Yoruba; Mgbolodi in Igbo, in Edo, it is regarded as Ebe-dondon and generally referred to as waterleaf.

This vegetable contains lots of water and nutrients such as minerals, vitamins, crude fibre, lipids, crude protein and other which make them nutritious and medicinal in several ways such as:

1. Enhances Cognitive Ability

Regular consumption of this vegetable has a good effect on the cognitive ability because of the presence of certain constituents which helps to improve cerebral blood flow and cognitive function.

And due to its ability to improve effective flow of blood, it helps the brain to function adequately by supplying it with adequate oxygen as well in order to prevent/improve Cerebral Hypoperfusion, Schizophrenia as well as death of the brain tissues.

The presence of iron which is a micronutrient found in waterleaf helps also in the strengthening of the brain muscles and tissues which helps in the improvement of the human brain, thereby improving the cognitive reasoning as well.

2. Improves the Blood Cells

The crude protein contained in waterleaf is an important supplement both in quality and nutritional perspective which play a very important role in the human blood cell.

It functions when it comes to blood cells in the body can’t be overemphasized. It is believed to help in the adequate pumping of blood and its supply and as such is used in many cases such as in the treatment of anaemia.

It generally helps in improving the blood cells which includes both the white and red blood cells, and with the content of iron as well helps in this case.

3. Promotes Heart Health

Waterleaves, when consumed on daily basis, perform a key role in the maintaining the cardiovascular system.

It helps to keep the heart healthy by regulating the activities of the heart and reduce the risk of related heart diseases as well as stroke by adequately supply of blood and oxygen to the needed areas.

It also helps in reducing the cholesterol levels in the blood, which is good for the prevention and improvement of heart-related conditions.

4. Eliminates Infections & Diseases

Contain certain properties such as antibacterial properties, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties that help to suppress the growth of bacteria, fungi and inflammatory diseases in the body.

It has been proven effective for the treatment of some diseases like Atherosclerosis which results as the arteries in the body is been accumulated with fats and cholesterols thereby making the walls of the artery to be narrow.

This makes the blood flow to be interrupted and can even cause a total blockage in the artery thereby leading to many health conditions like stroke, heart attack and more.

Waterleaf consumption has been locally used in the treatment and prevention of this health condition, for more effective results, the leaf should be washed and properly squeezed to extract the juice which has to be taken orally.

There is no measurement for the quantity of waterleaf juice to be taken but it should be moderate.

5.  Repairs Body Tissues

They are a good source of vitamins such as A and C which helps to repair the body tissues and promote good eye vision.

One of the main functions of vitamins C is to help in the normal body tissues repair and growth, it acts as an antioxidant as it prevents oxidative stress which is caused by the free radicals from damaging the body cells and tissues.

It makes the skin smoother and prevent dryness, as well as helps in the formation and improvement of the skin pigment.

6.  Strong Bones and Teeth

The presence of calcium in this vegetable helps in maintaining strong bones and teeth, in general, gives support to the body skeletal structure and improve skeletal function.

Calcium is very vital in the formation of bones in the body, and the content of this mineral in waterleaf makes it one of the foods suitable for those who have bone conditions such as osteoporosis, fracture, and more, as it can help in its improvement.

7.  Helps in Digestion

Waterleaves are an excellent vegetable that is 100% healthy for the body even when consumed together with the stem which helps to reduce constipation and aid in proper digestion of food.

Problems with indigestion seem to alleviate when waterleaf in eaten and helps to soften the stool as well but when eaten in excess can cause a little stomach discomfort.

8.  Good for Weightloss

It serves as a weight loss diet due to the amount of fibre content in it. But should be taken on a regular basis either used in a salad or steamed to a certain temperature.

The fibre content makes the stomach fuller thereby eliminating the chances of craving for more food, its water content also helps in this case, which makes it one of the vegetables to be added to our daily meal for proper weight management.

In as much as it helps to improve weight, we have to also eat healthy at all times for the effectiveness of this nutrient.

9. Improves Blood Clotting

Waterleaf has a great effect on the blood which makes it one of the vegetables which have to be incorporated into our daily meal due to its effectiveness.

It helps in the improvement of blood clotting and prevent new ones from forming just like thrombus which might be formed in ones of the blood vessels interfering with the flow of blood.

Though thrombus can be termed healthy when it functions to stop bleeding on injuries by making the blood to form a clot but can be termed unhealthy when the clot formation tends to block the blood vessels.

Therefore, the intake of waterleaf in whatever form can help prevent such occurrences and even help improve existing ones due to its anti-inflammatory properties and others.

10. Promotes Eye Health

Vegetables are essential for the overall health which includes the eye as well, as they mostly contain the vitamin A which function to improve the eye health.

Waterleaf contains vitamin A which helps to enhance vision in poor light and as well helps in the improvement of the skeletal tissue and the skin due to its content of vitamin A1 as known as Retinol.

Vitamin A can help in providing the eye with the necessary nutrients which it needs to prevent some of the eye-related conditions like cataracts, macular degeneration and more. Therefore, the intake of waterleaf in the right amount will result in a healthy eye.

Waterleaf also contains the vitamin C which helps to maintain a healthy eye by preventing the retina from damages which might be caused by free radicals and other health conditions that affect the eyes like dry eyes, conjunctiva haemorrhages and even cataracts.

Nutritional Values of Waterleaf

The below table is based on 2000 Calorie Diets

Nutrients	Values
Calories	23
Total Carbohydrates	4g
Protein	2g
Total Fat	0.4g
Trans Fat	0g
Saturated Fat	0g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	36mg
Vitamin A	54%
Vitamin C	47%
Calcium	11%
Iron	25%

Waterleaf is rich in Vitamin C, Protein, Calcium, Iron, Pectin, Vitamin A, as well as other essential nutrients and minerals.

Where is WaterLeaf Grown?

Waterleaf is a native to West Africa, Central America, Caribbean, and Mexico where its cultivation is believed too have started before migrating to other tropical areas like some parts of North and South America, and Asia.

In many places where it is grown, it has names allocated to it which includes Lagos bologi (Nigeria), Philippine spinach (Philippines), Surinam Purslane, Ceylon spinach, Florida spinach and more.

Waterleaf is best cultivated during the raining season and posses a short lifespan which could be less than 4 months.

Waterleaf Juice

Most people may not be versatile with waterleaf juice as it is mainly used in cooking serving as an important vegetable in many local cuisines in Nigeria.

The juice of waterleaf is very beneficial to health and is effective in increasing the blood level and also in the treatment of many health conditions which it has proven successful.

To get the juice;

• Wash the waterleaf thoroughly to remove dirt and sand
• Don’t pluck the leaves from the stem as both are medicinal and contain various degrees of nutrients.
• Cut it into tiny pieces in order to enable easily squeezing or pounding.
• Then squeeze effectively and strain the juice.

Alternatively, some grinding machine like a blender can do this work, but in case there is none the above method should be considered.

Is Waterleaf Good in Pregnancy?

Waterleaf is most times called the “blood pumping machines” as it plays a vital role in the adequate production of blood in the human body. 

It is good for pregnant women as it helps increase their blood levels and as well, supply them with other vital nutrients which the body needs.

Culinary Uses of Waterleaf

Waterleaves are generally good and beneficial to human health. The uses are versatile such as for culinary purposes, they are used to prepare waterleaf soup, waterleaf stew or sauce, yam, salad and more.

In the southern part of Nigeria, waterleaf is used in making special soup known as Edikang Ikong and Afang (predominant in Cross River and Akwa Ibom), Mgbolodi Soup and more.

Medicinal Uses

Waterleaves have been used in many ways serving diverse ranges of medicinal purposes. In this case, its juice, stem, leaves and roots are all considered effective as they have proven successful in the treatment of measles.

It can also treat insomnia, anaemia, malaria, arthritis reduce blood sugar and blood pressure. It is also used in the treatment of diarrhoea, improve weakness and more.

Side Effects

This vegetable also helps to promote brain function, maintain skin health, prevent cancer, bladder stone, and more. On the contrary, consumption should be limited in people suffering from kidney disorder and gout.

It is effective for improving constipation just as most vegetable does but when it is eaten in excess can cause stomach upset and frequent stooling.

Conclusion

Waterleaf should not be underrated, as it has many benefits which it has to offer when we consume it adequately. Its richness in many vitamins and minerals makes it one of the vegetables we should add to our daily meal for an effective result.

'Antibacterial' chemical in toothpaste could strengthen bacteria

New research finds that triclosan, a popular antibacterial chemical, could have the opposite effect and make bacteria more rather than less resilient to antibiotic treatment.

Your toothpaste may contain a chemical that could render antibiotic treatment less effective.

Triclosan is an antibacterial compound present in everyday household and personal-care products, such as toothpaste, soap, dishwashing liquid, deodorants, kitchenware, clothes, and trash bags.
Manufacturers add the chemical to these products because they believe it kills bacteria that could make people unwell. However, new research now suggests that triclosan might have the opposite effect.
Petra Levin, a professor of biology in the department of Arts & Sciences at the Washington University in St. Louis, led the new research.
Prof. Levin and colleagues conducted both in vitro and in vivo experiments, showing that triclosan makes bacteria stronger and more resilient to antibiotic treatment.
Using a mouse model of urinary tract infection (UTI), the new study reveals that triclosan can interfere with a certain type of antibiotic and explains the mechanism by which it does so.

Triclosan helps bacterial cells survive

Prof. Levin and her team set out to examine the effect of triclosan in the presence of bactericidal antibiotics — that is, antibiotics that kill bacteria rather than just halting their growth.
The researchers treated Escherichia coli (E. coli) and MRSA bacteria with these antibiotics in vitro and examined the cells' behavior. One group of bacterial cells was exposed to triclosan beforehand, while the other group was not.
"[T]triclosan increased E. coli and MRSA tolerant to bactericidal antibiotics as much as 10,000 fold in vitro," the authors report.
"Triclosan increased the number of surviving bacterial cells substantially," Prof. Levin continues.
"Normally, one in a million cells survive antibiotics, and a functioning immune system can control them. But triclosan was shifting the number of cells," the researcher explains.
"Instead of only one in a million bacteria surviving, one in organisms survived after 20 hours. Now, the immune system is overwhelmed."

WHY EATING BITTER LEAF?

In the light of this, it is vital note that bitter leaves should always be taken fresh in other to enjoy its miraculous health benefits.

Apart from using it for cooking, bitter leaf is rarely used for any other thing because people are unaware of its miraculous health benefits.

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.

The health benefits of  bitter leaf includes the followings:

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.

Good health is wealth, if you are unhealthy you cannot be wealthy, you read on and see the antidote.

Bitter leaf ( is an antivirus herb that fight against diseases). 

You can prevent yourself from been sick.

YOU CAN PREVENT CANCER

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      Paramount top Cancer Causing Foods: Understanding what Causes Cancer

You know the serious terminal illness of cancer. You know the toll it takes emotionally, mentally, socially, environmentally. It causes a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances. in your own mind, thought and body as well as in your relationships with dear ones and family. Cancer treatments can make it hard to do the things you’ve always done as a human being, a parent, or an employee.

There’s nothing in your daily existence that cancer doesn’t touch. It’s an exhausting villain to fight and it wipes you out in so many ways that are hard to elaborate in daily to people who haven’t felt the impression of this horrific disease in their own lives.

What if I notify you that  there is something you could do right now to cut your cancer risk? I mean right away!

Now if you know the protocols or steps to carry out to get rife of cancer would you like to do?

People talk a lot about “antidote” in the health industry but there’s a saying you probably heard from your grandparents that makes a lot more sense…

“prevention is better than cure.”

The Truth About Cancer we discuss on this page and the foods that fight cancer and lower your cancer risk. Now I’m going to talk to you about known, scientifically proven, cancer causing foods that actively increase the chance that you’ll be diagnosed with cancer in your lifetime.

There are cases where it strikes quickly but it is more common when cancerous tumors manifest after years of specific abuse of drugs. Good examples of this are smoking, exposure to radiation (i.e. from cellphones), and overexposure to ultraviolet rays, which result in lung cancer, brain cancer, and skin cancer, respectively.

Remember sugar is a fueling compound of cancer.

Glucose – the fuel of life
Sugar is the “white death” and “cancer’s favourite food”.
But this idea that sugar is responsible for kick-starting or fueling a cancer’s growth is an over-simplification of some complicated biology. Let’s know what sugar actually is.
Sugar comes in many different forms. The simplest form is just as a single molecule, such as glucose and fructose. These molecules of simple sugars can also stick together, either in pairs or as longer chains of molecules. All of these combinations of molecules are carbohydrates, and are our body’s main source of energy.
The most sugar familiarity is table sugar, which is a simple sugar that dissolves in a universal solvent (water)  and gives things a sweet taste. Its chemistry name  is sucrose, and it’s made up of crystals of glucose and fructose. Table sugar is refined, meaning it’s been processed to extract it from a natural source (usually sugar beet). Unprocessed foods can be high in simple sugars too, for example honey (also made mostly of glucose and fructose) is nearly pure sugar.
As chains of sugar combine together, they lose their sweet taste and won’t dissolve in water anymore. These chains are known polysaccharides and form a large component of starchy foods. Starchy foods such as rice, bread, pasta and vegetables like potatoes might not taste sweet, but they are high in carbohydrate too.
Sugar, in some form, is in many things we eat. And this is good, because our bodies rely need it to work.
Nearly every single part of our body is made of living cells. And it’s these cells that help us see, breathe, feel, think and much more.
While their roles in our body may differ, one thing all these cells have in common is that they need energy to survive.
Cells somehow need to turn nutrients in our diet into a form of energy that they can use, called ATP. 
Glucose is the basic fuel that powers every single one of our cells. If we eat or drink things that are high in glucose, such as fizzy drinks, the glucose gets absorbed straight into our blood ready for our cells to use. If a starchy food, such as pasta, is on the menu, the enzymes in our saliva and digestive juices break it down and convert it into glucose. And if for some reason there’s no carbohydrate in our diet, cells can turn fat and protein into glucose as a last resort, because they need glucose to survive.
It’s here that sugar and cancer start to collide, because cancer is a disease of cells.
Sugar and cancer
Cancer cells usually grow quickly, multiplying at a fast rate, which takes a lot of energy. This means they need lots of glucose. Cancer cells also need lots of other nutrients too, such as amino acids and fats; it’s not just sugar they crave.
Here’s where the myth that sugar fuels cancer was born: if cancer cells need lots of glucose, then cutting sugar out of our diet must help stop cancer growing, and could even stop it developing in the first place. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. All our healthy cells need glucose too, and there’s no way of telling our bodies to let healthy cells have the glucose they need, but not give it to cancer cells.
There’s no evidence that following a “sugar-free” diet lowers the risk of getting cancer, or boosts the chances of surviving if you are diagnosed. 
And following severely restricted diets with very low amounts of carbohydrate could damage health in the long term by eliminating foods that are good sources of fibre and vitamins.
This is particularly important for cancer patients, because some treatments can result in weight loss and put the body under a lot of stress. So poor nutrition from restrictive diets could also hamper recovery, or even be life-threatening.

A sticky end for sugar research?
Although there’s no evidence that cutting carbohydrates from our diet will help treat cancer, important research has shown that understanding the abnormal ways that cancer cells make energy could lead to new treatments.

Back in the 50s, a scientist called Otto Warburg noticed that cancer cells use a different chemical process from normal cells to turn glucose into energy.
Healthy cells use a series of chemical reactions in small cellular ‘batteries’ called mitochondria. The Warburg Effect, as it was dubbed following Otto’s discovery, describes how cancer cells bypass their ‘batteries’ to generate energy more rapidly to meet demand.
This shortcut for making energy might be a weakness for some cancers that gives researchers an advantage for developing new treatments.
Firstly, it opens up the potential for developing drugs that shut down cancer cells’ energy-making processes but don’t stop healthy cells making energy. And researchers are testing drugs that work in this way.
Secondly, the abnormal processes in cancer cells can also leave them less able to adapt when faced with a lack of other nutrients, like amino acids. These potential vulnerabilities could lead to treatments too.
But these approaches are still experimental, and we don’t know yet if treatments that starve cancer cells are safe or if they work.

It’s certainly not grounds for cancer patients to try and do it themselves by restricting their diet during treatment – and going back to our earlier point, it could be dangerous to do so.

If sugar doesn't cause cancer, why worry about it?
Cutting out sugar doesn't help treat cancer, and sugar doesn't directly cause cancer. Why then do we encourage people to cut down on sugary foods in our diet advice?
That’s because there is an indirect link between cancer risk and sugar. Eating lots of sugar over time can cause you to gain weight, and robust scientific evidence shows that being overweight or obese increases the risk of 13 different types of cancer. In fact, obesity is the single biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking.
It’s added sugar we’re mainly concerned with when it comes to weight gain, not sugar that is naturally found in foods like fruits and milk or healthy starchy foods like wholegrain and pulses (which people should be eating more of*).
*Please note that the intake of vegetable, fruits, wholegrain and pulses as these nutritious foods are also high in fiber- this not helps yours body digest the natural sugar more slowly(which helps you keep a healthy weight),  it also reduces the risk of bowel cancer.