INHAS - For the mother, leaves katuk are plants that are often heard. Pregnant mothers who are breastfeeding and infant daughter, is often recommended to consume leaves katuk. This plant can reliably smooth milk (breast milk) is a staple food of the baby. Besides useful for mothers, katuk leaves are also commonly used for menyayur. Created vegetable nodes or dioseng-oseng, katuk leaf is healthy food ingredient that is also tasty. But if only limited usefulness katuk leaf itself?
Maybe a little ironic that although the leaves katuk've often heard, there are still many people who do not know what exactly it leaves katuk. Katuk leaves has a scientific name Sauropus androgynus. This plant is widely spread in Southeast Asia. Katuk leaves usually grow in the lowlands and easily grown to become a living fence.
In Vietnam, katuk known as rau ngot, while the Chinese call it mani cai. In Java, leaves katuk called kebing and katukan, in Malay katuk is a spy, in Minangkabau, people call Simani, while in Madura, the term kerakur better known.
Leaves katuk included in the shrubs. If it grows, the height can reach up to 2 to 3 m. The leaves grow alternately on one stalk. The shape is oval tapered leaves, bone pinnate leaves, leaf edges flat, and base blunt. Very green leaf color when young, but becomes greenish brown when it is old. Katuk leaves have a purple flower.
Nutrition On Leaves katuk
In the leaves katuk there are a lot of content substances that are very useful for the human body. The nutrients found in the leaves katuk include vitamin A , B, and C, fat, protein , calcium , iron , and phosphorus. Researchers speculate that the chemical ingredients contained katuk, namely sterols that have estrogenic properties, providing hormonal effects that trigger milk production so that it becomes more. In addition, researchers also discovered that the leaves contain ephedrine katuk highly effective for treating influenza.
Benefits Leaves katuk
We already know that the leaves katuk is particularly useful for the production of milk. However, seeing how many nutrients that are contained in it, would merely increase the milk is not only the sole usefulness katuk leaves. Here are some other uses katuk leaves:
smooth milk
Cleanse dirty blood in the female reproductive organs
Cure fever, ulcers, and ulcers
Yaws or treat skin infections
cure constipation
preventing osteoporosis
treat influenza
Adding sperm production
Enhancing immunity
Help eyesight
It turned out that indeed have utility katuk leaves very much. Everyone can take advantage of this plant, not just the mother.
Katuk leaves benefits for married couples
As we have seen above, leaves katuk have chemical compounds. These compounds, called phytochemicals have medicinal properties. There are seven chemical compounds in it that stimulates the growth of steroid hormones (progesterone, testosterone, estradiol, and glukokortiroid) and eicosanoid compounds. If a woman taking her, the active compound will stimulate the female hormone. The skin becomes smooth and soft hair to be healthy as well. For men, the compound stimulates the hormone might thus higher vitality.
For married couples, to have children is a huge boon. However, it is not uncommon after many years of marriage, still they are not blessed with offspring. Eating leaves katuk highly recommended for couples who wanted to have children, especially for men. By eating the leaves katuk regularly, sperm production will be increased, as well as quality.
It was not just the leaves that are useful, but also its roots. People often utilize ancient roots katuk leaves as traditional medicine to overcome the fever and Anyang-anyangan.
Read also other articles:
Benefits of Moringa Leaf and nutrition
Benefits and Benefits for Health Daun Sirih
Basil For Health Benefits
It should be considered in processing the leaves katuk
When cooking katuk leaves, there is nothing too special for how to process similar to green vegetables are another, although for some people, the taste leaves katuk not senikmat taste other green vegetables like spinach are more common. But still, there are things that need to be considered. One of them is the length of cooking. The leaves are cooked too long katuk quality will decline because the nutrients flowing out. Fry leaves katuk not too advisable. But adding milk when cooking is pretty powerful way to increase the benefits of leaf katuk as pro-vitamin A in it would react to vitamin A.
The side effects of leaf katuk
Although katuk leaf is a plant that is very useful, we still have to be careful because it was consuming excessive katuk leaves have unpleasant side effects. Because the leaves are papaverina katuk, which is an alkaloid that is also contained in opium or opium, excessive consumption will lead to poisoning. In addition katuk excess consumption will adversely affect the lungs that results in permanent bronchiolitis disease.
Besides both cases, the research conducted in Taiwan says that consumption leaves katuk raw ongoing basis as much as 150mg per day, which is a considerable amount, as long as two weeks to seven months will result in shortness of breath, loss of appetite, and difficulty sleeping.
Because of the side effects tersebutlah, limit consumption katuk leaves are highly recommended. Consumption of raw katuk leaves are also not recommended. It would be better if katuk boiled before consumption for heating can eliminate anti-protozoa properties. If it is so, toxins in the leaves katuk can be reduced or even disappear altogether.
