RYE - SOURCE OF MALT AND WHISKEY: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF RYE


RYE, SECALE CEREALE
Rye was one of the last grain crops to be cultivated; some believe that it was first cultivated around 400 BC by the Germanic tribes, although this may not be the case. Certainly rye features in German as well as Eastern European and Scandinavian cuisine and has dome for centuries. It is probably best known as the main ingredient of Pumpernickel bread, which is more dense than other breads, such as wheat because the gluten contained in rye is not as elastic as it is in other grains such as wheat.
  Malt is produced from rye, by germinating the seed grain and roasting it; malt is then extracted from the grains. This is used as a sweetening agent and in brewing beer. In North America, rye is used as a base for whiskeys. The roasted grain can also be used as a substitute for coffee.
   Like oats, rye comes in various forms, such as in flakes, when it looks like the oats used to make porridge, however the grain is also sold whole or cracked, and in the form of flour. Whole rye grains retain many of their nutrients because it is difficult to remove the rye germ and bran from the endosperm. The grain looks like wheat but can be longer and thinner, coming in shades of yellow-brown or grey-green. It is a member of the Poaceae family of plants which includes millet (bajra), oats, barley, sorghum and wheat as well as sugar cane and the grasses.
   Rye is probably a native of south-western Asia, and probably grew in fields of wheat and barley as a weed, until its crop value was recognized. It may have had Secale montanum as its ancestor, which can be found in southern Europe and nearby parts of Asia, or another possibility is that it came from Secale anatolicum in Syria, Iran, Armenia and Turkistan.
  It was taken to the northeastern parts of what is now the USA by early English and Dutch settlers.
  Like other whole grains it is full of nutrients, containing the B-complex vitamins, B1, B2, B3, B5 and B6 along with folate, vitamins A and E and the minerals calcium, iron, copper, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous (in which it is rich), potassium, selenium, sodium and zinc. It also has Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids and 18 amino acids along with flavonoids and phenolics which give it potent antioxidant properties, meaning that it can combat the free radicals that can damage cells and cause cancer. It has proven to be cardio protective as are other whole grains, and of benefit to post-menopausal women, who are advised to have six servings of whole grains per week in their diets to prevent high blood pressure and cholesterol levels and so protect the cardio-vascular system..
  Rye and other whole grains are also good for people with Type 2 diabetes, as they are rich in magnesium which is involved with the body’s use of glucose and insulin secretion. Whole grains can also help prevent this type of diabetes.
  Rye and rye bread contain a lot of fibre so make a good mild laxative, and the seeds have been used in poultices for tumours and cancers in some traditional medicine systems.
  The long rye stalks have been used for thatching, paper-making, weaving small items such as mats and hats, used in mushroom compost and in the manufacture of tiles and bricks. In industry it is used as biomass and fuel. The root systems are long and can go deep into the soil so are good to stabilize sandy soils and prevent soil erosion.
  Rye can grow up to 1.5 metres tall so a small person could hide in it, which is perhaps why J.D. Salinger chose to call his iconic novel “Catcher in the Rye” rather than in one of the other grass crops. Rye figures in the nursery rhyme, “Sing a song of sixpence”,
    “Sing a song of sixpence a pocket full of rye,
     Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie.
     When the pie was opened the birds began to sing,
     Oh wasn't that a dainty dish to set before the king?
     The king was in his counting house counting out his money,
     The queen was in the parlour eating bread and honey
     The maid was in the garden hanging out the clothes,
     When down came a blackbird and pecked off her nose!”
In this case rye was bought to feed the birds, and to lure them to the ground so that they could be caught and eaten, as they were considered a delicacy. Robert Burns, the Scots poet also wrote a poem whose chorus is “Coming thro’ the rye.” Rye clearly had a central place in Britain in centuries gone by.
   You can substitute rye grains for rice, but soak overnight before cooking and when you drain the grains rinse again under cold running water. Cook like rice until tender. You can also use rye flakes instead of oats for porridge.

FAT HEN - NOT JUST CHICKEN FEED: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF FAT HEN


FAT HEN, LAMB’S QUARTERS CHENOPODIUM ALBUM
Fat hen gets its name because it was used to fatten poultry; it goes by many other names too, notably lamb’s quarters in the US and pigweed in Canada, as it was used for pig and sheep’s food. In Britain it was known as Midden Myles and Dirty Dick (no, just the name!) because it likes to grow on manure heaps in farmyards. (Middens were the old name for toilets or the dung heaps where excrement was thrown.) It’s a native European plant and also grew in the America, but it is not yet conclusive whether or not it is a native of the USA or was introduced via Mexico. It does seem to have been domesticated first in Mexico and then in the US by the Native Americans. It has certainly been used as food in Europe since Neolithic (New Stone Age times) according to archaeological evidence.
  As a member of the Chenopodium – goosefoot-species it is related to both the stinking goosefoot and quinoa.
  In Pakistan it is used for liver complaints and as a mild laxative, as well as to get rid of intestinal worms, and in India it has been used in traditional medicine for skin irritation (the powder from dried leaves is dusted onto irritated skin) wile the leaf juice is used to treat burns. A decoction is made from the above ground parts of the plant and mixed with alcohol, then rubbed onto joints affected by arthritis and rheumatism.
  In other parts of the world the tisane is used as a skin wash for irritated skin, while the leaves are used in poultices to relieve painful insect bites, as well as for sunstroke, and for swollen feet and rheumatic joints. The seeds may be chewed to help with urinary problems and for preventing semen being discharged with urine. The root juices have been used to treat bloody dysentery and a decoction of the above ground parts has been used for cavities in teeth, to relieve pain.
  The plant has no odour, and the new leaves are recognizable as being toothed while older leaves which grow as the plant mature are toothless. It can grow to heights of 3 feet with a diameter of 8 inches, and can grow anywhere. If it is growing in soils that have been treated with pesticides, don’t use it, as they will have been absorbed into the plant. As it is, the plant contains oxalates, so the leaves should be cooked rather than eaten raw, for safety’s sake. You can cook it like spinach and it makes a good substitute. However plants which grow in nitrogen rich soil will contain nitrates, which are OK in small quantities, but don’t eat too many leaves, as although a small amount of nitrates can help the respiratory system, too many can be lethal. As the leaves are bland, it is best to mix them with stronger tasting ones such as fenugreek leaves (methi). The seeds may also be eaten although they are best soaked first as they contain saponins and can be used as a mild soap substitute. They can be dried and eaten or ground into flour or rather meal, and used to make bread.
  Anita Pal et al published a research paper in February 2011 in the International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences which shows that extracts of the plant are liver protective, vindicating its use for liver complaints in traditional medicine: “Hepaprotective Activity of Chenopodium Album Linn Plant against Paracetamol-induced Hepato injury in rats.” Another scientific study also published in 2011 by teams from the University of Southern Texas (USA) and University of Fort Hare South Africa, which showed that this plant has antioxidant and anti-bacterial properties. This study concludes that Fat Hen “should be used as a source of nutrients to support major sources [of food]” it goes on to say it “may be of great medicinal value.”
Young leaf
   Certainly it’s food for free and packed full of minerals, being especially rich in calcium and phosphorous and also containing potassium, magnesium, manganese, copper, zinc, nitrogen and sodium. As for vitamins, it has the three main B-complex ones, thiamin, riboflavin and niacin, as well as vitamin A. It has flavonoids and phenolic compounds responsible for its antioxidant properties it is thought.
  A good source of nutrition for free, as it is a weed!

WATER SPINACH, KANG KONG - RICH SOURCE OF NUTRIENTS: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF WATER SPINACH


WATER SPINACH, KANG KONG, IPOMOEA AQUATICA (FORSK)
Water spinach is indigenous to the Indian subcontinent and can be found all over tropical Asia. It is related to the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), and field bindweed, being a member of the convolvulus family, Convolvulaceae. As its name suggests it is edible, with arrow-shaped leaves which may be green or purple-tinged. The green plant has white flowers, and the purple-tinged plant has lilac flowers, and the trailing vine can grow up to 4 metres long. The plants live in water in canals, ponds and paddy fields and because of pollution in some parts of Asia there is a worry that the metallic elements found in some plants my affect human health.
  Water spinach is also known as Water Morning Glory, Water or Swamp convolvulus and kang kong. It also has several Latin names including: - Convolvulus repens Vahl; Ipomoea repens Roth and Ipomoea reptans Poiret.
  However it is cultivated in southern China, and can be found in many markets around south-east Asia. The leaves and young tops and stems are boiled and used as a leafy vegetable. The leaves have a mild flavour and can be eaten raw, boiled or lightly fried as in stir-frying.
   The plant is rich in the minerals calcium and iron, as well as containing sodium, magnesium, phosphorous, manganese, copper and zinc. It also contains some of the B-complex vitamins, notably B2 (riboflavin) along with vitamins C and K. The flavonoids such as catechin and phenolic compounds it contains give it potent antioxidant properties and also antiproliferative ones, meaning that it can inhibit the growth (in vitro) of some cancer cells. In a study published on October 28th 2004 (ejournal sinica edu) “Antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forsk) constituents,” Huang et al conclude that the flavonoids and phenolic compounds in the plant “may have a significant effect on antioxidant and anticancer activities.” Extracts from the stems of the plant were more potent than the leaves it was found.
  In other studies extracts from the plant decrease cholesterol and triglycoside in rats and are thought to have possible uses in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. However further studies need to be done on humans and more needs to be discovered about how the flavonoids and phenolic compounds work.
  Water spinach is used in traditional medicine systems and the tops are known to have mildly laxative properties (not as strong as senna or jamalgota). The milky sap or latex from the plant is dried and used as a purgative, while it is said that the juice of the plant is effective against poisoning from opium and arsenic. Poultices of the leaves are used during fever with delirium and the buds are used to get rid of ringworm.
  You can use it in the same way as spinach, and it is good with garlic and chillies, cooked in olive oil for a few minutes. However you have to know where it comes from because of the problem with pollutants.

CAMPHOR TREE - THE MOTH-BALL TREE: INFORMATION AND USES OF CAMPHOR TREE


CAMPHOR TREE, CAMPHOR LAUREL, CINNAMOMUM CAMPHORA
The camphor tree produces a white crystalline substance, camphor, which has been much used as insect repellant. If you have ever smelled a moth ball-that’s camphor. It comes from the wood of the evergreen tree which can grow up to 100 feet and can have a canopy of 6 or 7 feet in diameter. It’s native to the Indian subcontinent, China, Taiwan, Japan and Borneo, and curiously the trees possess different quantities of chemical variants such as linalool and cineole depending on their country or region of origin. Of course it is a relative of cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum).
  It is said to kill fleas as well as repel insects such as moths (personally I’d prefer to use patchouli oil to keep moths away!) I remember that my grandmother smelled of mothballs at the change of seasons, and I never liked the smell.
  Camphor is found in other plants, not just in the camphor tree, called kafar in Arabic and Urdu, karpoor in Sanskrit, the English word camphor seems to come from the mediaeval Latin (derived no doubt from the Arabic) camfora. For example dried rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) leaves contain 20 % camphor oil. The Arabs used camphor to flavour both desserts and meat dishes and it is mentioned in the Quran as being added to drinks for flavour. This must be an example of how our preferences for tastes and smells have changed over the centuries, just as the English herbalist Gerard hated the smell of fresh coriander, so we find it pleasant.
  Camphor has been used medicinally in the Indian subcontinent for millennia and has been used to treat Parkinson’s disease, bronchitis, tetanus, liver and kidney diseases, cholera, breast pains, to cure headaches and as an aphrodisiac. It is used externally as a stimulant and muscle relaxant and as a counter irritant to the pains of rheumatism.
  It has diuretic and diaphoretic (sweat-promoting) properties and is anti-microbial and anti-fungal so useful for skin complaints. In the Middle Ages it was used in lozenges for sweetening the breath. It is also supposed to relieve “the Itch” or genital problems. However, if taken to excess it can result in paralysis and coma, and less severe symptoms such as headaches, convulsions, nausea, vomiting and loss of sight. It’s probably best avoided and stick to using it as an insect repellant rather than for any other uses, unless you use the wood for cabinets, in which case, you will never get woodworm in them.
  In India Hindus use camphor as incense (as they do sandalwood Santalum album) although this is not edible camphor. A distinction is made in the subcontinent between that used for culinary purposes and the one used for incense. It can also be used in embalming and has been used in the making of fireworks.
  In a recipe for Zangcha duck in China’s Szechuan province camphor tree branches and twigs are used for smoking the duck. In the 13th century an Andalusian cookery book has a recipe for meat with apples, flavoured with camphor and musk (still used in Pakistan as a medicine). Another was for Honeyed Dates flavoured with camphor. This demonstrates the Arabic influence on Andalusian cuisine at the time as camphor was widely used in cooking in the Islamic world at that time.
 The Camphor laurel as it is called in Australia was introduced there in 1822 as an ornamental but now it is invasive in New South Wales and Queensland, as its leaves when they fall, prevent other plants from growing. It is also threatening the native eucalyptus trees, which the endangered koalas rely on. The trees’ extensive root systems are wreaking havoc with sewage and drainage systems.
  It was introduced into the USA in 1875 and has become naturalized in the southern states, and is classed as an invasive species in Florida.
  The tree’s essential oils are found in the leaves as well as in the wood, and a few drops of the oil, or camphor crystals mixed with coconut oil and massaged into the scalp strengthens hair and promotes hair growth, allegedly. Camphor is absorbed through the skin and has a cooling effect; or rather it can act as a local anaesthetic. It is one of the ingredients in Vick’s rubs for bronchitis which you might have been subjected to as a child. It is also used in balms for chapped lips, chilblains, skin problems, and a variety of other medications for respiratory problems and is good for colds and coughs as is menthol and eucalyptus.
  In some parts of Asia the old leaves of the camphor tree are dreid and used as a spice and condiment, while the young shoots and leaves are cooked and used as a vegetable. There’s simply no accounting for taste.