By Obiabin Onukwugha
Nature provided us with lots of herbs and leafs, not just for food or beautification of our surroundings but for medicinal purposes.
Nigeria boasts of huge vegetation because most of its communities and region are rain forest. But due to lack of government political will for research and development, most of their medicinal uses are not known.
Waterleaf, (Talinum triangulare), a green leafy flowering plant grows in many communities in Nigeria. It is celebrated for its added taste to soups like “Edi kan ekong”, “Okazi”, “Atama”. Mixing water leaf with butter leaf for egusi soup is also a great delight.
However, beyond its flavour, waterleaf has been found by researchers to possessing medicinal attributes.
Waterleaf can serve as a part of a weight-loss diet due to its high fiber content, and its leaves are used to treat several diseases, including measles. Also, leaf and root extracts of waterleaf are used for treating asthma, fresh cuts, scabies, anemia, and high blood pressure (hypertension).
The leaves are excellent for diarrhoea, liver enlargement, and hepatitis and prostate. It is an excellent immune booster to those who often feel weak and tired.
Prostate enlargement is an age-associated prostate gland enlargement that can cause urination difficulty. With this condition, the urinary stream may be weak or stop and start. In some cases, it can lead to infection, bladder stones and reduced kidney function.
To treat prostate enlargement, boil the roots and take half glass twice daily.
Aside consuming it through regularly eating it in soup, extracting and drinking the juice is another miraculous way to treating sicknesses fast with waterleaf.