BABUL TREE - ONE SOURCE OF GUM ARABIC: HISTORY, HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF BABUL

BABUL, GUM ARABIC TREE, EGYPTIAN THORN, ACACIA NILOTICA 

The babul tree is a close relative of kikar (Acacia nilotica subspecies indica) and quite prolific in the Punjab region of Pakistan. It is a native of the Indian subcontinent and Egypt going through the African continent to South Africa where it is called lekkerruikpeul or the scented thorn, into the Arabian Peninsula through to Myanmar. It has a fairly slender trunk about 20 – 30 centimetres in diameter and is a slow-growing but reasonable long-lived tree. It is a pioneer species which can regenerate waste land as the seeds with their hard outer husks can germinate within two weeks.

  It is a source of gum Arabic, used as an emulsifier and in the cloth manufacturing industry and in the manufacturing of paper. It is also used in the production of matches, ink and candles. True gum Arabic comes from Acacia Senegal, but the red gum from the babul is of good quality. The gum will exude spontaneously from the trunk for about five weeks, but the process of harvesting it is helped by making incisions into it. The gum from this tree is red while gum Arabic is white. The gum hardens into ‘tears’ the size of a pigeon’s egg.  

  It is thought that this was the burning bush of Moses mentioned in Exodus chapter 3 of the Bible, with the fire supplied by the parasites which feed off it, Loranthus acaciae.

  This tree has many uses; it is a nitrogen fixer and helps make the soil in which it grows fertile, and the twigs and bark are used in Pakistan as tooth brushes. This can also be chewed to prevent vitamin C deficiency and to strengthen teeth and help fix them if they are loose. The inner bark contains tannin and is used for tanning and dyeing in the leather industry. (It dyes leather black.)

  Shamans use the bark to drive away evil spirits and a more mundane use is fodder for livestock which appreciate the leaves and pods. Goats will climb to reach the lower leaves and brave the thorns to get at them. (I have witnessed this.) Because of the thorns it makes a useful live hedge to prevent wild animals getting into fields.

  The flowers contain various flavonoids, among them catechin and quercetin (also found in apples and many other plants) which are currently being investigated as they have potent antioxidant properties so can help prevent healthy cells being damaged by scavenging free-radicals which can cause cancer.

  The wood is used as firewood and charcoal, as well as for boat-building, water pipes and so on, as its sapwood is water resistant. It is also used to make carts and wheel spokes as well as other agricultural implements, and has uses in the construction industry as it is sturdy and durable.

  The various parts of the tree have been used in traditional medicine wherever it is a native, and Dioscorides (c.40-90AD) wrote about it in his “Materia Medica” calling it akakia meaning spiny, which is where the genus Acacia gets its name from.  The ancient Egyptians carved statues and made furniture from it.

  It has astringent properties making it useful for the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery and is a standard medication for diarrhoea in Nigeria. In Lebanon the gum mixed with orange-flower water is given to people recovering from typhoid fever. In Pakistan the bark and the bark of the mango tree is used in a decoction for tonsillitis.

  In South Africa the Masai have used Babul for courage and they believe it cures impotence. It is also regarded as an aphrodisiac especially preparations of the pods and flowers, in the Indian subcontinent.

  The leaves can be used in poultices and put on ulcers and wounds to help them heal faster. On the island of Tonga the tree is believed to help diabetics eat anything including sugars and starch, in large quantities.

 The bark has been used to treat gonorrhea and leprosy as well as being made into an infusion as an expectorant to stop coughing. The leaves are used for eye problems while the bark is used for asthma and skin diseases either in a decoction or infusion and sometimes made into an ointment with ghee. The pods are used for urogenital problems, and given in infusions for upset stomachs. The leaves, young shoots and pods are given to animals to increase milk production, so the tree has benefits for us in a variety of ways.

  Studies into the babul tree and its properties indicate that it has antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory properties and can help lower high blood pressure as well as constricting veins. It also has anti-platelet aggregating actions in vitro.

  It would seem that many of the uses of this tree in folk medicine may be proved scientifically in the future.

WATER SOLDIER - NOW RARE IN BRITAIN: HISTORY, HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF WATER SOLDIER

WATER SOLDIER, STRATIOTEA ALOIDES 

As its name suggests the water soldier is an aquatic plant in the Hydrocharitaceae family. It has the distinction of being the only one of its genus which is native to the British Isles, although it is debatable as to whether it is a native of County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland where it grows prolifically. In Britain it is no longer as common as it once was, as in the 17^th century Nicholas Culpeper the English herbalist wrote that it grew in the Lincolnshire fens, where it is no longer found. It has also disappeared from Yorkshire and grows in the greatest numbers in East Norfolk. However it is classed as a noxious weed in some states in the US where it is an introduced species, as its native habitat is Europe, extending to Turkey, and Siberia, in Asia.

  Water Soldier is called by this name because Stratiotea comes from the Greek word for soldier, while aloides signifies aloes. It is also known as Crab’s Claws, because of the shape of the leaves when they start to appear above the water.

  It grows to heights of one metre by one metre, and it only rises above the water’s surface when it is ready to flower, after that, by autumn when the seeds ripen it is weighed down by the calcium carbonate in its leaves and the seeds (which rarely appear in Britain) ripen under water in the muddy bottoms of the ponds, fens, marshes and ditches and other waterways which are its habitat. The parent plant sends out trailing buds of leaves at the end of long runners so new plants form, and the seeds ripened also form the basis for new parent plants.

  When the Water soldier has populated water it can takeover and stunt the growth of other aquatic plants. It can completely take over a ditch or small pond, and although the white flowers look attractive in the flowering months of June to August, it can cause havoc with an ecosystem.

  The leaves look like floating pineapple tops or aloe vera plants. Unfortunately the water soldier’s decline in the UK has been attributed to human activity and the increase in the concentration of chemicals found in the plant’s former habitats.

  In the Lodz region of Poland there is a reference to this plant being eaten in times of famine, although this is the only recorded information about its being eaten.

  Culpeper refers to two types of Sengreen which he called this plant, one being rather like a houseleek, he writes. He has this to say of Water Sengreen:

   “It is a plant under the dominion of Venus, and therefore a great strengthener of the reins (kidneys); it is excellent good in that inflammation which is commonly called Saint Anthony’s fire, it assuageth all inflammations and swellings in wounds; and an ointment made of it is excellent good to heal them; there is scarce a better remedy growing than this for such as have bruised their kidneys, and upon that account pissing blood. A drachm of powder of the herb taken every morning, is a good remedy to stop the terms.”

 

 

  

KUSUM, CEYLON OAK, OR MACASSAR OIL TREE: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF SCHLEICHERA OLEOSA

CEYLON OAK, HONEY TREE, INDIAN LAC TREE, KUSUM, SCHLEICHERA OLEOSA 

This tree can grow up to 45 feet although some are even taller and they grow around the foothills of the Himalayas and are native to Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Thailand and its islands and Sri-Lanka and has naturalized on the Indonesian islands particularly on Bali and Java. It is a member of the Sapindaceae family so is a relative of the soapnut tree (reetha), lychee and rambutan trees, the hopbush (Dodonaea viscosa), and many others. Like the dhak tree, or Flame of the Forest tree, it plays host to the lac insect which secretes resin on its bark to protect itself and its offspring, and which is used in varnishes and also has other industrial uses.

  It is generally found in the Indian subcontinent in mixed deciduous forests and in Java it is found in natural teak forests. It is now being considered as a source of biofuel, and has long been used as fodder for cattle. They are fed its leaves and the seed cake which remains after the seeds have had their oil extracted from them. This oil is known as Macassar oil and another name for this tree is the Macassar oil tree. This oil is used in hairdressing and to promote hair growth. The oil can also be used for cooking and lighting, and is used medicinally in traditional medicine systems for skin problems such as acne, itching, and burns. It is used as massage oil to relieve the pain of rheumatism.

  The oil is also added to bath water and perfumes, and on Java it is used in the batik industry. The powdered seeds are used on the wounds and ulcers of cattle to get rid of maggots in them.

  The oil contains oleic, stearic, gadoleic and arachidic acid and the cyanogenic compounds have to be removed for human consumption.

  The bark of the tree has astringent properties and is used in decoctions and infusions for inflamed skin and ulcers, and to protect against malaria. The bark also yields dye and tannin used in the leather industry. It also contains an analgesic compound, lupeol and betulin and betulic acid, both of which are believed to have anti-cancer properties.

  The heartwood of the tree is used for agricultural implements, cartwheels and spokes, in heavy construction work, for boat building, oil presses, ploughs and has a variety of other uses. It is said that the shellac obtained from the lac insects on this tree is superior to other yields on other trees.

  The stem bark is used for menstrual problems and taken in an infusion. The extracts from the tree bark have antioxidant properties and may help in our fight against certain cancers, although research is still ongoing. The triterpenoids which have been extracted from the bark have been shown in one study undertaken by P. Ghosh et al, 2011, Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Vol.73 (2) pp. 231-33, “Triterpenoids from Schleichera oleosa of Darjeeling foothills and their microbial activity” showed antimicrobial, antifungal and antibacterial activities.

  There have only been a few studies done on this tree, but it seems that it may have many benefits for us including use as biofuel.

DHAK OR FLAME OF THE FOREST TREE-HOST TO LAC INSECTS: HISTORY,USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF THE DHAK TREE

DHAK TREE, FLAME OF THE FOREST, PARROT TREE, BUTEA MONOSPERMA 

The dhak or flame of the forest tree is a member of the Fabaceae or Leguminoseae (beans and peas) family of plants which include kudzu or pueraria, senna, alfalfa, carob, broom, lupins, chickpeas and peanuts to name just a few. Like the red silk cotton tree (Bombax ceiba) it flowers when the tree is bare of its leaves, so it looks like a flame tree with its bright red blossoms. The tree grows to between 12 and 15 metres high and flowers in the winter months between January and March.

 The site’s administrator remembers a time when he was in a village elementary school in Pakistan and a new teacher came. The leader of the group of children decided that they should all come to school the next day with a petal from the flowers of this tree attached to their little fingers. The schoolteacher didn’t know what the things on their one finger were but the kids explained that it was a custom for them to wear their nails long and red on one finger. He said that in future this would not be acceptable for boys, and told them to go home and cut their nails and remove the red. They turned up after a game of cricket, with no petal attached to their fingers. They had attached them with saliva.

  The flame of the forest tree is host to lac insects (Tachardia lacca) which feed on the tree sap and secrete a resinous substance to protect themselves and their offspring. This is formed on the twigs and branches of certain trees such as Acacia nilotica or babul tree, Zizyphus jujube(a jujube {ber}bearing tree) , Zizyphus xylopyrus, Ficus religiosa or peepal and Schliechera oleosa the macassar oil tree or kusum tree. In the past these trees were cultivated to play host to the lac insect as shellac was in demand as a varnish or lacquer (we get this name from these insects). The flame of the forest tree has been cultivated for such a purpose since at least 250 AD when only a red dye from this insect was of value. By 1590 the resin was more important than the dye.

  The tree is used for medicinal purposes wherever it grows, and its natural habitat is the Indian subcontinent and tropical and sub-tropical south-east Asia. It is also known as Palash, Palah and bastard teak. Its wood is durable under water and is sometimes used in wells and for water scoops. The leaves are woven to make plates, rather as the single banana leaf is used in countries such as Thailand. The flowers are used to make a red colouring used in holi.

  In Hindu legends the tree is said to be the physical embodiment of Agnidev, the God of Fire who was punished by the goddess Parvati for daring to disturb the privacy she was enjoying with Shiva. The flowers are used in ceremonies for the goddess Kali with their red being the symbolic sacrifice instead of a human one. The dry twigs and branches make the sacred fire required in such ceremonies.

  Mosquitoes are attracted to the flowers, and lay eggs that will never hatch in them, and the mosquito also dies, trapped in the flowers’ liquid. The gum from the tree is used in some dishes but is astringent as it contains tannin. It has been used to treat leather and used for its astringent qualities in medicine. Wood from the tree is used for fuel and it also produces good charcoal which is why it is becoming a threatened species in Pakistan.

  The mucilage from the tree is used to treat asthma in traditional medicines systems, while the flowers are used for menstrual problems, to reduce swellings, as a diuretic and aphrodisiac, a tonic and to treat recurring gout and even leprosy. The seeds which are single in pods are used to get rid of internal worms, and the leaves are astringent and used as a tonic, diuretic, aphrodisiac, and to get rid of boils and pimples, tumours and piles.

  A decoction of the bark is used for colds and sore throats as a gargle, as well as for coughs, fevers and to promote the menstrual flow. The root of the tree is used in cases of elephantiasis and night blindness while the gum is specifically used for diarrhoea, dysentery and ringworm.  Fresh juice from the tree is used externally on boils and ulcers and internally for sore throats.

  The succulent edible young roots may be eaten raw with salt or roasted or boiled and contain glucose, glycine, glucosides and aromatic compounds while the seeds produce oil. The seeds are pounded with lemon juice and applied to the skin for various problems.

  The seeds may be abortifacient and are may form the basis in coming years of a male contraceptive. The different parts of the tree are still being researched, as the dhak tree may provide us with many health benefits.

COMMON SAND SPURRY - EDIBLE PLANT : HEALTH BENEFITS OF COMMON SAND SPURRY

COMMON SAND SPURRY, ARENARIA RUBRA

As its name suggest, common sand spurry like to grow in sandy soils. There are two types, one which grows inland and one which grows near the coast. It is also known as Spergularia rubra, while the sea-loving one is Spergularia marina. Another common name for the plant is sandwort.

  It is common in Europe and North America, and has pink or sometimes white flowers. Its seeds are edible and in times of famine can be roasted or boiled then ground into meal and mixed with wheat flour.

  It is a member of the Carophyllaceae family of plants, making it a relation of carnations cloves, soapwort and reetha or soapnut.

  It is in this website because it has a reputation for being a lithotropic, meaning that it has been used in traditional medicine for centuries to disperse stones in the kidneys and bladder. It is thought that the infusion of the whole plant, or at least, the aerial parts, relaxes the muscle walls in the urinary tract and increases urine production so that stones are more easily flushed out of the bladder.

  It is common in Malta, Sicily, Algeria and most of Europe, and is related to the sea-marsh sand spurry which is native to North America and which has been used medicinally for the same purposes.

  

AGAR-AGAR - THE VEGETARIAN GELLING AGENT: PRODUCTION, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF AGAR-AGAR

AGAR-AGAR, GELIDIUM AMANSII

Agar-agar is vegetarian gelatine, made from a red seaweed. The best is thought to come from Gelidium amansii, although it can also be extracted from other algae such as those in the genus Gracilaria lichenoides which is found off the west cost of the USA and parts of the Asian coast. Other red algae used for agar-agar are those of the Pteroladia genus. Gelidium amansii is notable for the spiky projections which come from the main branches of the plant.

  A jelly made from agar-agar flavoured with lemon used to be food fit for invalids in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries, although now it is usually not used in medicine. It does have use as a mild laxative however, as it plumps up in water and in the gut, so can help to remove toxins, fats and sugars from it. You can mix it with fruit juice or milk for this purpose, and shreds of it are better than powder. It will work similarly to isphagol or plantain.

  Agar-agar can retain moisture, and so is used in the laboratory as a solidifying component of bacteriological culture. It is used in the food industry and like annatto and gum Tragacanth has an E number, E406. It is used in the food industry and can be found in canned meat products, as well as in medicines and cosmetics. It is also used in dentistry and in the brewing industry where it is used to clarify beer and wines. You can also find it in ice cream and in salad dressings, as it is used as a thickening agent.

  It is believed that the Dutch brought it to the attention of other European nations, after they had taken it from Japan to their colonies in Indonesia, as they had “open ports” in Japan in the 17^th century. The Japanese and Chinese are believed to have been the first people to develop agar-agar from red seaweed.

  Now it is made in Australia, the US, Japan, New Zealand and Russia. After the BSE (mad cow disease) it became more widely used as it is a safe alternative to jelly or gelatine made with parts of the cow.

  As you would expect from an algae, it is rich in iodine and trace minerals, as are laver bread and bladderwrack. You can buy it in transparent strips or powder and use it for aspic jelly. 

DRAGON TREE -ONE OF SEVERAL PRODUCERS OF "DRAGON'S BLOOD": HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF THE DRAGON TREE

DRAGON TREE, DAEMONOROPS DRACO

This tree is native to Sumatra, Borneo and Malaya, and is a palm, a member of the Arecaeae family along with the toddy palm and others. Its main claim to fame is that it provides us with Dragon’s blood which is a resinous substances exuded from its fruit. This tree has catkin-like flowers which are followed by fruit which are pointed cherry-sized berries, with a coating of a reddish resin when ripe. It is this that produces Dragon’s blood. We have few pictures for this tree as other trees bearing dragon’s blood are more popular it would seem, some form the Canary Islands, one from Yemen but this one is of Asian origin.

  The resin is steamed from the fruit or the fruit are boiled, but the resin made in this way is deemed inferior. It used to be used in medicine for its astringent properties and was used against diarrhoea and syphilis.

Dragon' blood resin

  Dragon’s blood comes in tear shapes or in sticks, which were packed in leaves and strips of cane. Today however the tree is over-exploited and used to make rattan furniture and to make Dragon’s Blood ink which is used for witches seals and talismans. It is also used as a body oil and for incense.

  In traditional Chinese medicine it is used to control bleeding and pain, and to improve blood circulation as well as to promote wound healing and tissue regeneration.

  It is also used in varnishes (violin varnish) and was used in China to colour the surface of writing quality paper to make banners and posters for weddings and Chinese New Year.

  This tree is the main source of commercially harvested Dragon’s Blood.

  It gets a mention in this blog site because there has been research conducted into it, and it seems that it has exhibited antimicrobial and antiviral properties in vitro. It contains benzoic acid which has antiseptic properties and dracorhodin extracted from its fruits has been reported to induce human melanoma cell death, again in vitro. Research is still underway to reveal the secrets of the fruit and new flavonoids have been isolated from it, although their properties are still unreported. Although it is early days yet, scientists hope that it may have promising uses against cancer.

KIDNEYWORT ( PATHAR CHAT): HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF KIDNEYWORT PLANT

KIDNEYWORT, NAVELWORT, (WALL) PENNYWORT, UMBILICUS RUPESTRIS, PATHAR CHAT IN URDU

This plant is called Pennywort because of the shape of its leaves which are coin shaped with an indent which makes them look as though they have a navel. The names Navelwort and kidneywort also refer to the shape of the leaves, although, Culpeper the 17^th century English herbalist also says that they are good for the kidneys, hence the name.

  Formerly the Latin name for this plant was Cotyledon umbilicus-veneris, kotyle meaning cup in Greek, umbilicus, navel and veneris of Venus in Latin, so named because ancient herbalists believed that the plant came under the rule of Venus. It is also called Umbilicus pedulinis. It is a member of the Crassulaceae or stonecrop family of plants, which makes it a relative of the houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum) and orpine (Sedum telephium). The leaves look a little like those of the nasturtiums grown in so many gardens around the world. Despite the name Pennywort this plant is no relation to the Indian Pennywort, (Centella asiatica), although this plant is found in parts of Asia where it is used to heal callouses on the feet. The leaf juice is used for this purpose.

  Kidneywort is found in Europe and in western parts of Britain, in Wales, the Clyde Islands in Scotland, and western England, as well as Ireland. It extends through to North Africa from the Mediterranean. In strong sunlight, the flowering tops of the plant can turn red.

  The leaves are edible, but best eaten in early spring or winter, when they have a fairly pleasant mild flavour. They can be cooked or put raw in salads, but are best left alone at other times of the year as the taste is stronger and less pleasant.

  The leaves are used medicinally and have mild pain relieving properties and can be put on scratches too in order to stop the stinging pain and they are also used to put on minor burns and scalds. The juice of the leaves and an extract from the plant was used to treat epilepsy and this use was revived briefly in the 19^th century.

  Nicholas Culpeper has this to say about it in his “Complete Herbal” written in the 17^th century.

 “Government and virtues: Venus challenges the herb under Libra. The juice or the distilled water being drank, is very effectual for all inflammations and unnatural heats, to cool a fainting hot stomach, a hot liver, or the bowels: the herb, juice, or distilled water thereof, outwardly applied, heals pimples, St. Anthony's fire, and other outward heats. The said juice or water helps to heal sore kidneys, torn or fretted by the stone, or exulcerated within; it also provokes urine, is available for the dropsy, and helps to break the stone. Being used as a bath, or made into an ointment, it cools the painful piles or hæmorrhoidal veins.

 It is no less effectual to give ease to the pains of the gout, the sciatica, and helps the kernels or knots in the neck or throat, called the king's evil: healing kibes and chilblains if they be bathed with the juice, or anointed with ointment made thereof, and some of the skin of the leaf upon them: it is also used in green wounds to stay the blood, and to heal them quickly.”

  As it is a member of the stonecrop family it likes to grow in moist, rocky places, so have a look for it next time you are in such a place!

THE CORPSE FLOWER - WORLD'S LARGEST KNOWN FLOWER: HISTORY AND USES OF RAFFLESIA ARNOLDII

THE CORPSE FLOWER, RAFFLESIA ARNOLDII 

The Corpse flower is so named because its scent is reminiscent of that of rotting meat, which attracts the carrion flies that pollinate it in its natural habitat in the tropical rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo. It is a weird plant as it is rootless, stemless leafless and nonphytosynthetic. There was some debate as to whether it was in fact a flower of a fungus and after having its DNA sequenced it was still up for debate. It has been placed in the Euphorbiaceae family- the spurge family of plants along with poinsettia, the castor bean tree and the yucca or cassava, although it is perhaps better placed in its own unique family of Rafflesiaceae along with the other twelve known plants in the same genus.

  The plant is a parasite which grows in Tetrastigma leucostaphyllum a vine which is related to that of the grape. Successful pollination of the flowers is rare and they only open for about five days. The good news is that because of ecotourism and the financial benefits the plant brings to local inhabitants, it is protected by them, but the bad news is that the human disturbance caused by avid sight-seers is causing fewer flowers to bloom in the areas in which they grow. The flowers can measure a metre across and the largest ones can weigh up to 15 pounds which is approximately seven kilos. It is the largest known single flower in the world, which is why it attracts so much attention. The other flowers in the genus are smaller.

  The corpse flower is the symbol of Borneo and figures on stamps and tourist items. All the species in the genus are either threatened or endangered species because of loss of habitat. In traditional medicine the flower buds of this plant are used as aphrodisiacs and to bring pain relief during and after childbirth.

  It is believed that they have not been successfully cultivated outside their native habitat unless the vine in which they grow has been transplanted, although there have been several efforts to cultivate them.

  The first Westerner to have discovered and made notes of this genus was a French explorer Louis Auguste Deschamps (1765-1842). He was captured by the British on his return voyage to France in 1798, when Britain and France were at war. His notes were confiscated and were only rediscovered in the National History Museum, London, in 1954.

  In the meantime the British botanist, Joseph Arnold (1782-1818) and the famous Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles (1781-1826), who founded modern Singapore, came across the species when one was found by a Malay servant of theirs in Sumatra. Shortly after the find Arnold died of a fever, and Lady Raffles had suggested the plant be named after him. In the event, it was named after both men when it was officially described in 1821.

  The fruit which appears after the flowers have withered is food for ground squirrels and tree shrews which inhabit the rainforests.

  J. Hunt Cooke penned these lines after seeing a wax model of this flower at Kew Gardens, London, in 1877.

    “What strange gigantic flower is here

      That shows its lonesome pallid face

      Where neither stems nor leaves appear.”

A fitting description of this flower, one feels.

  

SOY OR SOYA BEANS - USEFUL SOURCE OF PROTEIN: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF SOY BEANS

SOYA OR SOY BEANS, GLYCINE MAX 

In British English we say soya bean while in US English it’s a soybean, but they are the same thing. They originated in South-East Asia and were first domesticated in China sometime around 1100 BC. From there they spread to other Asian countries where they were cultivated by the first century AD (including Japan). The soya plant is a member of the Leguminoseae or Fabaceae family which includes lupins, kudzu or pueraria, liquorice, carob, peas, beans, chickpeas, indigo, alfalfa and broom to name but a few. Its wild ancestor is Glycine soja.

  The first European to describe and illustrate the plant was Engelbert Kaempfer, the German botanist, in his “Amoenitatum Exoticarum” published in Germany in 1712. He also gave a detailed description (some say the most detailed to date) of the process of making shoyu (Japanese soy sauce) and miso. Before this date six Europeans had written about soy food products, miso, soy sauce and tofu but they had not realized how it was made and were ignorant of the fact that the products were made from the soya bean.

  Shoyu was imported into Europe long before the soya bean, first by the Dutch in 1670 who supplied it to King Louis XIV of France for use at his banquets. It was a luxury item at that time, just as it had been when it was first introduced into Japan, centuries before. John Locke, the English philosopher, wrote that it was available at a London restaurant in 1679 and during the 18^th century soy sauce was popular in Europe, and widely used in Britain by the end of that century. The famous Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce had a base of soy sauce and was spiced up to market it as a different food item.

  The soy plant was grown in Botanical Gardens in France, The Netherlands and England as a curiosity only, during the 18^th century. We know that Benjamin Franklin sent some seeds to a friend of his in 1770, but they didn’t really come into their own until George Washington Carver took an interest in then and realized that they were a valuable source of oil and protein in 1904. He persuaded farmers to rotate their crops and plant nitrogen fixers such as peanuts and soya plants (also sweet potatoes) and then plant cotton in the third year and farmers were amazed to find that the next cotton crop was better than it had been for many years.

  Henry Ford had his scientists make strong durable plastic from soya beans and made a car entirely out of soya bean plastic. When the plant was first introduced into the American colonies by Europeans in 1765 it was called “Chinese vetches.” The soya bean has been one of the five main plant foods in China along with rice, wheat, rye, barley and millet for centuries, but the beans were fist exported to Europe only in 1908.Now soya oil is used for many purposes, in the form of flour it can be added to wheat flour and helps compensate for the lack of the amino acids, tryptophan and lysine in the grain flour. Sixty pounds or one bushel of the beans yields eleven pounds of oil and forty-eight of meal. The oil can be used as a green fuel and lubricant as well as for culinary purposes, while the lecithin extracted from the oil is a natural emulsifier and used to stabilize the ingredients of some food products, as it makes fat and water compatible, and can prevent cocoa butter and chocolate from separating for example. The oil is used in margarines, salad dressing and can be found in paints, varnishes and printers’ ink. The plants themselves have always been used as fodder for animals, so the whole plant is useful.

  Soy beans in our diet have many health benefits and the same is true of tofu, soy milk, tempeh and miso as these soya products contain isoflavones which can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The cooking oil and soya sauce do not contain them however. Soy foods may be beneficial for menopausal and pot menopausal women as they can help maintain healthy bones and a healthy cardio-vascular system. They do not increase the risks of breast cancer as was previously believed, but on the contrary may help protect from it. They can also help to stabilize blood sugar levels and so are helpful to sufferers of Tye-2 diabetes. It is also believed now that they may boost the functions of the brain. Soy protein may also help protect against atherosclerosis by increasing the levels of nitric acid in the blood, which improves blood vessel dilation and inhibits damage caused by free radicals.

  The choline found in soybeans lessens chronic inflammation, while a sphingolipid in the beans, soy glucosylceramide may promote gastro-intestinal health and inhibit the formation of cancerous tumours.

  Soya beans also contain dietary fibre which can reduce the risk of colon cancer. Apart from the substances already mentioned above, soy beans are excellent sources of molybdenum, tryptophan, the minerals manganese, iron, and phosphorous as well as containing selenium, magnesium, copper, calcium, sodium and zinc. They contain the B-complex vitamins, B1 thiamin, B2 riboflavin, B3 niacin, B6 and folate. Soy beans are also sources of the vitamins K, A and C along with Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, 18 amino acids,  and the isoflavone genistein which may help us stay thin, and which is generally considered to have anti-cancer properties. The beans are also excellent sources of protein and a good substitute for meat, at least occasionally.

  The whole beans are the best for our health, although tofu, soya bean sprouts, tempeh and miso also have some benefits. The beans can be cooked in the same way as chickpeas or borlotti beans, and the fresh green beans (called endamame) are particularly tasty. Unfortunately perhaps the USA is the biggest exporter of soy beans and their oil, and these are GM crops. As we don’t really know what the long-term health effects of GM food are as it has not been around long enough for valid research, it could be that soy beans may not be as healthy as they would appear at the moment. However it is probably true that if eaten in moderation they won’t be very harmful.