BRAZILIAN GRAPE TREE - LITTLE-KNOWN OUTSIDE ITS GROWING AREA: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF THE JABUTICABA TREE

BRAZILIAN GRAPE TREE, JABUTICABA, MYRCIARIA CAULIFLORA 

As you might have already guessed the Jabuticaba tree is a native of Brazil, where it has been cultivated since Pre-Columbian times and this particular species is native to a south-eastern corner of that country. There are several types of grape tree, which bear different fruit, however they all have one thing in common- the white flowers which are the precursors of the fruit grow straight from the trunk and branches of the tree, and so do the fruits. When in full bloom the trees look as though they are covered with snow. The tree is a member of the Myrtaceae (myrtle) family which means that it is a distant cousin of the eucalyptus tree, allspice and guavas.

  Jabuti means tortoise and caba means place in the local Tupi language, so the trees grow in the place of tortoises. The tree is a slow growing evergreen which can reach heights of forty-five feet in its natural habitat, although they don’t grow that tall in southern Florida, where they have been introduced. They were introduced into California in 1904, but by 1939 none had survived. Now some are grown in Florida, but they remain trees which flourish best in tropical climates. Some different varieties of grape tree grow in Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay. Because they are one of nature’s curiosities they are grown enthusiastically by people who adore bonsai (miniature) trees.

  In their natural habitat, and if they are irrigated well and looked after they can produce up to five crops of fruit every year, but usually only manage two. The fruit are eagerly awaited in the areas where they grow, but they are not sold very far afield because they perish quickly and cannot be exported. They are eaten raw, although one shouldn’t eat the skins as they are very astringent as they have a high tannin content, which could be harmful if eaten in large quantities for a prolonged period of time. They are eaten raw or used to make jams and marmalades, although they have to have added pectin to set. Wine can also be made from the fruit which can be sweet or slightly acid and astringent, depending on the variety. The fruit can be bright green when ripe, or purple-black, red-purple and burgundy-purple tasting spicy and slightly acid. It can range from between two and six centimetres in diameter, and has white, gelatinous flesh which clings to the seeds it contains (from 1 to 4). It has been likened to a muscadine grape (hence the name grape tree) with larger seeds.

  In Brazil the skins of the fruit are sun-dried and made into an astringent decoction and used in traditional medicine for asthma, diarrhoea, and it is also used as a gargle for chronic tonsillitis and sore throats. The fruit contains vitamins B1, (thiamin), B2, (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin), vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid, along with the minerals calcium, iron and phosphorous. It also contains the amino acids, lysine and trptophan. The colour of the skin (purple-black) shows that it contains anthocyanins as do aubergines and blueberries, bilberries, blackberries and blackcurrants, which have potent antioxidant properties. Extracts from the fruit have demonstrated some anti-cancer properties in several studies, but more research is needed into its compounds. A unique (so far) one has been found, jaboticabin, a depside, and it is believed that the fruit has anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant properties.

  If you have never seen pictures like these before, the tree is real and although it looks like one of nature’s jokes like the Nipple fruit, it may have some very beneficial properties.

COMMON EVENING PRIMROSE - NOT ONLY FOR FEMALE PROBLEMS: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF THE EVENING PRIMROSE

COMMON EVENING PRIMROSE, OENOTHERA BIENNIS 

There are around 125 species of Oenothera, or the evening primrose, but the common one which we get evening primrose oil from is this yellow one which originated millennia ago in Central America and spread throughout the North American continent. It was taken to Britain and Germany by early colonists (it went the opposite way to the usual route for medicinal plants) who learned of its uses from the Native Americans. It is a member of the Onagraceae or willowherb family which includes the rose bay willowherb and fuchsias. It is not related to the primrose from which it takes its name because of the colour and shape of its flowers.

  The name of the genus, Oenothera comes from the Greek with oeno meaning a honeyed wine (like nectar) and thera meaning hunter or seeker, so the evening primrose is the plant for nectar seekers.

  The flowers on the top of the stem bloom first, and so have seed pods first, but the whole plant continues to flower in layers and continues growing until autumn. It flowers in the evening (as its name suggests) and is pollinated by butterflies and moths as well as other insects which fly during the evening.

  The whole plant is edible, and the flowers can be used in salads or as garnishes and a yellow dye can also be produced from them. The young shoots can be used in salads and these have a peppery flavour and should be used sparingly. It is the seeds from which the oil is extracted and these can be eaten in the young seed pods or roasted when extracted from the pods. Just roast them in the oven at 350° F for 15 – 20 minutes and put them on bread or in savoury dishes. Use them as you would flax seeds.

  The seeds contain Gamma-Linoleic acid (GLA) which is rarely found in plants, and this is an essential fatty acid which the body cannot manufacture. It is believed to have positive effect on the sex hormones, testosterone and oestrogen and to lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce blood pressure. It helps to prevent hardening of the arteries and so helps to keep the cardio-vascular system healthy. In some cases it has shown to be beneficial in the treatment of cirrhosis of the liver.

  Research is ongoing into the effects of GLA and the other constituents of evening primrose oil and the plant, as it has become a very popular remedy for the treatment of PMS/PMT and other menstrual and menopausal symptoms although there is scant scientific evidence to support its use. GLA is found in borage, bhang (hemp) and blackcurrant oils too.

  The oil is also used externally for eczema, and internally for rheumatoid arthritis. It does seem to be effective as an anti-inflammatory pain –reliever and in curing skin problems although trials have not been as detailed as they could have been, as some patients dropped out of the program.

  Two studies have been done into the effectiveness of the oil on the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy, namely numbness in the legs and feet and tingling, burning, pain and lack of sensation. These were reported as being successful in that patients reported some easing of the symptoms, but it is too early to say categorically that GLA can help with these symptoms.

  The bark and leaves of the plant have astringent and sedative properties and have been used in traditional medicine systems to relieve whooping cough, gastro-intestinal problems and asthma. There is little medical evidence to support these uses however.

  Native Americans used the whole plant in poultices to help heal bruising much in the same way as herbalists such as Culpeper used mallow and pellitory. They also used it as a wound healer or vulnerary.

  The roots of this plant are also edible and said to resemble those of salsify both in appearance and taste. They taste a little like parsnips too according to some people.

  We have to wait and see if science can catch up with folk medicine and confirm or deny the benefits which many say they have experienced after using evening primrose oil.

 

PELLITORY - A CULINARY HERB: HISTORY AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF PELLITORY

PELLITORY, MOUNT ATLAS DAISY, SPANISH CHAMOMILE, ANACYCLUS PYRETHRUM

Pellitory has been used in medicine since ancient times and originates in Algeria, although it is now grown in the Himalayas (cultivated) and various other parts of the world. It can be used as a herb in stews and so on as it has a peppery taste, perhaps because of the piperine–like substance in it. It is a member of the Asteraceae/Compositae or daisy family so is a relative of marigolds, chamomile, which it resembles closely and a whole host of other flowering plants.

  Dioscorides and Pliny agreed that it was useful against intermittent fevers, while later European herbalists such as Hildegard von Bingen in her “Physica” states that it was used to get rid of waste products in the blood and to build good blood, as well as “for pure intelligence” – I am translating this straight from the Latin and this is all it says. She also writes that it is good when used in cooking for those recovering from a debilitating illness as well as for healthy individuals as it keeps ill-health away. She also says that it clears the head of mucous and clears the eyes, and aids digestion. She describes it as being a temperate herb with a dry warmth and a powerful action.(Perhaps its the European equivalent of the Intellect Tree.)

  Culpeper writing later in the 17^th century agrees in the main: -

“Government and virtues. It is under the government of Mercury, and I am persuaded it is one of the best purgers of the brain that grows. An ounce of the juice taken in a draught of Muskadel an hour before the fit of the ague comes, it will assuredly drive away the ague at the second or third time taken at the farthest. Either the herb or root dried and chewed in the mouth, purges the brain of phlegmatic humours; thereby not only easing pains in the head and teeth, but also hinders the distilling of the brain upon the lungs and eyes, thereby preventing coughs, phthisicks and consumption, the apoplexy and falling sickness. It is an excellently approved remedy in the lethargy. The powder of the herb or root being snuffed up the nostrils, procures sneezing, and eases the head-ache; being made into an ointment with hog's grease, it takes away black and blue spots occasioned by blows or falls, and helps both the gout and sciatica.”

  He also says that it resembles yarrow.

  It has also been used as an insecticide and a tonic for the nervous system. In India it is used for malaria and cholera and is given as a tonic to aid digestion. It is applied externally as a poultice or compress for a headache, and also is a traditional aphrodisiac. Some herbalists recommend it for diabetes and for erectile dysfunctions combined with other herbs such as puncture vine.

  It has been grown in Britain for centuries although Culpeper says that it needs tender loving care to flourish in the climate, and it may even have arrived in the British Isles prior to the Roman conquest of 55 BC. It has been used in a cordial in Arab countries and was familiar to the Arab physicians of the Middle Ages.

  It has been used as a gargle with cold water and honey to relieve sore throats and relieves the dryness of the mouth and promotes the flow of saliva if chewed. A tincture made from the plant has been used for toothache, either rubbed on the gums or put into a decaying tooth with a cotton wool swab.

  The root has been applied as a counter-irritant to joints and limbs afflicted by rheumatism and arthritis and it seems to affect the nerve endings as it causes redness and a tingling sensation. It was once believed that if you chewed the root regularly over a period of several months it would help sufferers of rheumatic and neuralgic pains in the head and face.

  The main active ingredient in the volatile oil from pellitory seems to be pyrethrine or pellitorin an alkaloid, along with lignans such as sesamine (also found in sesame seeds), inulin (a starchy substance), and tannins. Lignans such as those found in flax seeds have anti-inflammatory properties.

  Research is still being carried out on pellitory so we will have to wait and see what health benefits scientists say this plant has. Probably many of the old uses of the herb will prove to have scientific backing.

OYSTER MUSHROOMS - GOURMET TREATS: HEALTH BENEFITS AND RECIPE WITH OYSTER MUSHROOMS

OYSTER MUSHROOMS, PLEUROTUS OSTREATUS

I have always been a fan of oyster mushrooms, but you can’t imagine my delight when my husband came back with a couple of packets of these instead of the usual button mushrooms, or khombi as they are known here in Pakistan. I like them almost as much as chanterelles. (They are also much cheaper here than elsewhere in the world.)

  Oyster mushrooms grow on trees or wood in layers, and because they take their nutrients form their host the caps may come in different colours, dark brown, white, pink, yellow or grey. (Mine were white.) These have been used in Chinese traditional medicine for more than 3,000 years, and of course have been eaten for much longer than that. These mushrooms may be eaten raw or cooked and have a meaty texture. You can simply cook them in butter or in an omelette, or throw them into casseroles, soups and stews without frying them first which is how I cook them. Use them in recipes which call for mushrooms without specifying the variety.

  If you have ever had a Guinness, beef and oyster pie, then you will know the texture of the oyster, and I think this is the reason these mushrooms have been given that name. They don’t really taste of oysters, and don’t really look like them, but the texture is much the same.

  All mushrooms contain ergothionine which has potent antioxidant properties, which help keep our body cells healthy and free from the ravages of free-radicals which can damage healthy cells and cause them to become cancerous. These properties also help our cardio-vascular system. Oyster mushrooms also contain lovastin which is found in cholesterol-lowering drugs. They also have antiviral and antibacterial properties, so are very good for our health as they can help stimulate the immune system.

   Oyster mushrooms contain an active compound, benzaldehyde, which has antibacterial properties, and it also has some antiviral activities too. They are a good source of B-complex vitamins, particularly riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3) as well as thiamin (B1) and pantothenic acid. As for minerals, they are good for your daily intake of iron, phosphorous, and calcium and they also contain most of the other minerals the body needs, such as zinc and selenium. They also contain some vitamin C and amino acids. They contain a little unsaturated or good fat and give you more protein per serving than meat without the fat and cholesterol, and as they don’t have to be fried, you are in a winning situation if you add them to a calorie controlled diet.

  The terpenoids in mushrooms have demonstrable anti-inflammatory properties and research in ongoing into the other health benefits that mushrooms may have. It seems that there are some polysaccharides in them which have exhibited antitumour properties, so eating mushrooms, and particularly these oyster mushrooms, can have great health benefits if you eat them regularly.

Tasty Beef and Oyster Mushroom Sauce for Pasta

Ingredients

250 gr minced (ground) beef

200 gr oyster mushrooms sliced into medium-sized pieces,

2 onions, finely sliced

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped roughly

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 dstsp chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric (haldi)

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 handful shredded fresh coriander leaves

olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)

broccoli florets or spinach (otional)

Method

Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds, chilli powder,turmeric and coriander seeds, and fry for a minute.

Add the onion and garlic and fry until the onion is translucent.

Add the beef and cook until it is no longer pink.

Put the tomatoes in the pan and add about 2 glasses of water.

Bring to the boil and add the salt and pepper. Now add the mushrooms and Worcestershire sauce along with the green vegetables if you are using them.

Cook for twenty minutes and leave to settle with the lid on while you cook the pasta,

Stir in the coriander leaves, reheat and serve with pasta.

This has Taste and is a Treat.