SWEET BITTER LEAF
NNOLI SYLVESTER CHIKELUE@sylvesternnoli140312
3 months ago
Funny enough, what normally comes to the minds of many when the word bitter is mentioned, is vernonia amygdalina [bitter leaf]. We often hear people voicing out adages like ‘they are so proud to be among the very few who can stand in front of a bitter leaf tree and still tell it how bitter it taste’. No doubt, in the part of the world where I come from, bitter leaf becomes the perfect description of bitterness, making it a little bit awful to the ear when people hear of the phrase ‘sweet bitter leaf’.
Apparently, we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover because bitter leaf seems to be one of the sweetest creature nature has ever released to mind kind, seeing the enormous benefits one can derived by the consumption of this leaf on daily basis. Most medical experts have found out over the years that the consumption of the bitter leaf on daily basis can help someone in reducing his\her high sugar level, making it moderate and also repair his/her pancreas.
Other researchers are of the opinion that the consumption of the bitter leaf solution at night before bed will bring on calmness and relaxation that helps relieve insomnia.
Furthermore, the extracts from this wonderful plant could be used as broad spectrum antibiotics in the treatment of wound infections because it has antibacterial effects on these pathogens.
The health benefits of vernonia amygdalina cannot be over emphasized; it reduces the risk of cancer with its numerous anti-cancer properties like the andrographolide compound. It improves body metabolism and with vitamin E it fights free radicals which have harmful effects on the body system. It also improves digestion in the body system, aids in weight loss, enhances fertility, it’s good for bones, and it treats stomach upset. It even reduces fever and so many other things because its medical benefits seem endless.
Nevertheless, amidst all these medical benefits, lies a moral lesson when the phrase ‘sweet bitter leaf’ comes up. It entails hard-work, persistence and diligence by the way we blanch the green leaf, getting the bitter level down until it becomes tasty. It denotes that no matter how hard and rough a situation is, with hard work, persistence; one can achieve a greater result at the end and no matter how awful a road seems, there would always be light at the end of the tunnel.
BY: SYLVESTER CHIKELUE NNOLI
