KIWANO OR HORNED MELON: EDIBLE, NUTRITIOUS AND HEALTH-GIVING: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF HORNED MELONS

HORNED MELON, KIWANO, CUCUMIS METULIFERUS

The horned melon is a native of southern Africa, and the World Health Organization hopes that it will become a more acceptable food for the people who are suffering from malnutrition in the still-developing world.

  The horned melon was taken to Australia and New Zealand in the 1930s and was renamed the kiwano because of its slight internal resemblance to the kiwi fruit, to which it is no relation. As a member of the Cucurbitaceae family it is related to the pumpkin, cucumbers, courgettes, butternut squash, bottle gourds, petha or ash gourd, melons, watermelons and marrows. It is possible that it was renamed kiwano so that the name would make it more appealing to consumers. The name Horned melon may have made it a flop in the market as happened to the soursop.

  The tribal peoples in its native countries only eat it roasted, although they use the boiled roots to treat gonorrhoea, and eat the boiled leaves as we would spinach. A decoction of the root is given to women after childbirth for pain relief, and the leaves are sometimes eaten mixed with maize or corn meal. The pounded roots are mixed with fat and used to cover the body in the belief that this will keep ghosts and evil spirits at bay.

  The seeds and pulp of the kiwano are very nutritious as the seeds contain Vitamin A in the form of carotenoids such as Beta-carotene, which promotes the health of the eyes, and skin as well as having free-radical scavenging properties and boosting the immune system. The seeds contain oleic and linoleic fatty acids too making them very good for blood pressure and overall health.

  The fruit is a good source of vitamin C, potassium and iron and also contains vitamins B1, B2 and B3, along with the minerals magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, copper, calcium and sodium. The organic vitamin E found in the fruit is a good source of free-radical scavenging antioxidants, so this fruit is good for protection against cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

  If you find one in your local supermarket treat it as you would a passion fruit. You can cut the melon in half and scoop out the seeds and blend them and the pulp to make a refreshing drink, adding lime or lemon juice and honey to enhance the flavour if you want to. You could simply scoop out the flesh and pour it over natural yoghurt or ice cream, and it is said that the seeds can taste like bananas, melon, lime, or even cucumber.

  The Latin name for this fruit, metuliferus, comes from two words, metula meaning little pyramid and ferus meaning bearing; these names refer to the spiny skin or the ‘horns’ on this melon. It is ripe when the skin is bright orange, and may be stored at room temperature for best nutrition, but can also be stored in the fridge.

  Why not try it and let us know what you think?

BISTORT, USED AS FOOD AND MEDICINE: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF BISTORT

BISTORT, POLYGONUM BISTORTA
Bistort is a close relative of water smartweed and arssmart, and the synonym for the botanical name is Persicaria bistorta while in English it is also known as Adderwort and snakeweed, which refers to the twining nature of its roots. To the older herbalists this was known as Serpentary Dragonwort, (a truly wonderful name I think!) again because of the twining or writhing nature of its roots. It was also called Dracunculus and Serpentaria among other names. Bistorta comes from the Latin words which means twice twisted, while the genus name Polygonum is from the Greek meaning to have many joints (or knees!).

  Bistort is native to Northern Europe and Siberia through to Japan and the Himalayas. It is a member of the Polygonaceae family of plants or the buckwheat family, making it a relative of such plants as sorrel, rhubarb, arrowleaf dock, common dock, red dock and yellow dock as well as to the water pepper (Polygonum hydropiper) among others.

  Its leaves are edible and the plant has been cultivated for its medicinal properties, with the roots being particularly prized, as well as for culinary purposes. The young leaves are a bit chewy, but may be eaten raw, although they are best when cooked and eaten as you would spinach. The leaves contain vitamins A and C so were useful additions to diets in earlier times as was scurvy-grass.

  The leaves are added to a pudding traditionally eaten at Lent in northern England called Easter ledger pudding. However the roots contain starch and tannin,so when the root has been soaked well and then roasted to remove the tannin in them they are said to taste quite good. These have been used as famine food in Siberia, Iceland and doubtless other cold countries.

  In Chinese traditional medicine the bistort root has been used for epilepsy, fever, tetanus, cramps and scrofula as well as for a number of other ailments including diabetes.

  Bistort plants have been used to treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome, peptic ulcers, and excessive menstruation as well as catarrh, chronic cystitis and other illnesses.

 If you add 1 teaspoon of the powdered root to a pint of boiling water and boil this down to a half a pint, then a tablespoon every two hours is useful for diarrhoea. This decoction is also a good gargle and mouth wash for mouth ulcers as well as a vaginal douche. It makes a good lotion for pus-filled ulcers too.

  The tannin content of the root means that it has been employed in past times for tanning leather, and this also makes it a good wound healer, and stops internal and external bleeding.

  The powdered leaves were once used to get rid of children’s intestinal worms.

  Writing in the 17^th century the English herbalist, Nicholas Culpeper had this to say of bistort:-

“Government and virtues. It belongs to Saturn, and is an operation cold and dry; both the leaves and roots have a powerful faculty to resist all poison. The root in powder taken in drink expelleth the venom of the plague, the small pox, measels, purples, or any other infectious disease, driving it out by sweating. The root in powder, the decoction thereof in wine being drank stayeth all manner of inward bleeding, or spitting of blood, and any fluxes in the body of either man or woman, or vomiting. It is also very availing against ruptures, or bursting, or all bruises or falls, dissolving the congealed blood, and easing the pains that happen thereupon; it also helpeth the jaundice.

  The water distilled from both leaves and roots, is a singular remedy to wash any place bitten or stung by any venomous creature; as also for any of the purposes before spoken of and is very good to wash any running sores or ulcers. The decoction of the root in wine being drank, hindereth abortion or miscarriage in child-bearing. The leaves also kill the worms in children, and is a great help to them that cannot keep their water; if the juice of plaintain be added thereto, and outwardly applied, much helpeth the gonorrhea, or running of the reins. A drachm of the powder of the root taken in water thereof, wherein some red hot iron or steel hath been quenched, is also an admirable help thereto, so as the body be first prepared and purged from the offensive humours. The leaves, seed, or roots, are all very good in decoctions, drinks, or lotions, for inward or outward wounds, or other sores. And the powders strewed upon any cut or wound in a vein, stayeth the immoderate bleeding thereof. The decoction of the root in water, whereunto some pomegranate peels and flowers are added, injected into the matrix, stayeth the immoderate flux of the courses. The root thereof with pelitory of Spain, and burnt alum, of each a little quantity, beaten small and made into paste, with some honey, and a little piece thereof put into a hollow tooth, or held between the teeth, if there be no hollowness in them, stayeth the defluction of rheum upon them which cause the pains, and helps to cleanse the head, and void much offensive water. The distilled water is very effectual to wash sores or cancers in the nose, or any other parts; if the powder of the root be applied thereunto afterwards. It is good also to fasten the gums and to take away the heat and inflammations that happen in the jaws, almonds of the throat, or mouth, if the decoction of the leaves, roots, or seeds bruised, or the juice of them be applied; but the roots are most effectual to the purposes aforesaid.”                                                                       

  Modern clinical trials have found that extracts of bistort have antioxidant properties as well as reducing fever (antipyretic), and it also has antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory ones. Once again, the old herbalists seem to have known what they were doing with plants.

KALINGAG,UNIQUE TO PHILIPPINES: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF KALINGAG

KALINGAG, CINNAMOMUM MERCADOI

Kalingag is the usual name of this cinnamon tree which only grows in forests in the Philippines, from the Babuyan Islands and northern Luzon to Mindao. In the past it was used for timber as well as for medicine and this felling of these trees means that it is now on the IUCN Red list and is listed as ‘vulnerable’. The tree is small to medium sized with the trunk reaching a little more than 60 centimetres in diameter. It has small fruit after an ochre coloured flower has bloomed.

  As a member of the Lauraceae family of plants it is related to culinary cinnamon, sassafras and the bay tree. It is unusual in the cinnamon family in that its essential oil consists of large amounts of safrol, whereas other oils of cinnamon contain cinnamaldehyde. The oil of Kalingag, from the leaves and bark, smells like sassafras, and is pale yellow.

  The bark of the tree and leaves are used in traditional medicine in the Philippines, with the bark being chewed to aid digestion and cure flatulence, as an expectorant, and for stomach pains. It is soothing for the stomach and is also a stimulant with astringent, antiseptic, antifungal and antiviral properties. It has been found that cinnamaldehyde is an analgesic comparable to the actions of aspirin, and it also has antifungal and anti-diarrhoea properties, as well as having the ability to kill parasites such as head lice.

  The bark is used powdered to prevent the onset of diabetes, and a decoction of the leaves is also a remedy for flatulence. It is said that the leaf decoction also helps women with menstrual problems. A paste made from the powdered bark is applied externally to parts affected by neuralgia and to the forehead for severe headaches. It is also said to be effective against yeast infections such as candida.

  The sassafras aroma and taste means that the leaves and bark may be added to root beers to give them flavour. Kalingag is also said to help to improve loss of appetite and be both a diuretic and stop diarrhoea and dysentery as well as being useful for promoting sweat in fevers.

  Clearly this is a valuable tree for health in the Philippines, but as it has a reputation as an aphrodisiac, it may verge on the brink of extinction as men in the West seek ways of improving their erections. Sad isn’t it?

LADY'S MANTLE-GOOD FOR WOMEN: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF LADY'S MANTLE

LADY’S MANTLE, ALCHEMILLA MOLLIS, ALCHEMILLA VULGARIS

Lady’s Mantle is known by many other names, both in English and botanical names. For example it is also known as Alchemilla speciosa and Alchemilla xanthochlora as well as the names listed in the title. It has been called leontopodium or lion’s foot, bear’s foot, Stellaria, and in French, Pied-de-lion, and in German Frauenmantle, and these names come from Mediaeval times, and refer to the shape of the leaves it is believed.

  The genus name Alchemilla is a corruption of the Arabic al-kemelyah or alchemy, perhaps because the furrowed leaves make cups for dew, and this was given mystical properties and put in potions. Lady’s Mantle was the name written by Jerome Bock, better known by his Latin name Tragus, who mentions it in 1532 in his herbal, “History of Plants.” The name was adopted later by Karl Linnaeus.

  Lady’s Mantle is at home in northerly climes, so is found in Greenland and the Arctic as well as in northern Britain and the Himalayas, and cold parts of Asia. The “Lady” in question is the Virgin Mary as this plant has been used throughout the centuries for “female” problems, so is associated with her.

  An infusion of the plant or tisane taken over a prolonged period of time is said to be beneficial in reducing the symptoms of the menopause and to stop excessive bleeding during menstruation. With Shepherd’s Purse, it is given after childbirth to stop bleeding in some countries. For menstruation problems it is given in infusions with yarrow (milfoil).

  It is a member of the Rosaceae family and so is related to the rose, almonds, loquats, quinces, plums, peaches, strawberries, apples, blackberries, raspberries and pears. The roots have astringent properties as do the leaves as the plant is rich in tannin, making it good externally for cuts and wounds and internally for diarrhoea, among other problems. It was considered one of the best vulnerary (wound-healing) herbs.

  Nicholas Culpeper writing in the 17^th century has this to say about it:-

“Government and virtues. Venus claims the herb as her own. Ladies' Mantle is very proper for those wounds that have inflammations, and is very effectual to stay bleeding, vomitings, fluxes of all sorts, bruises by falls or otherwise, and helps ruptures; and such women as have large breasts, causing them to grow less and hard, being both drank and outwardly applied; the distilled water drank for 20 days together helps conception, and to retain the birth; if the women do sometimes also sit in a bath made of the decoction of the herb. It is one of the most singular wound herbs that is, and therefore highly prized and praised by the Germans, who use it in all wounds inward and outward, to drink a decoction thereof, and wash the wounds therewith, or dip tents therein, and put them into the wounds, which wonderfully dries up all humidity of the sores, and abates inflammations therein. It quickly heals all green wounds, not suffering any corruption to remain behind, and cures all old sores, though fistulous and hollow.”

  For excessive menstruation use 1 ounce of the dried aerial parts of the plant (best harvested in June or July when the leaves are at their peak and the plant is in full flower, then dried for later use) to one pint of boiling water. Leave to steep for 10 minutes then strain and drink as required, in a small tea cup dose.

  A strong decoction of the fresh roots is said to stop all bleedings and the dried powdered root is also efficacious. It is also said that if you put one of the leaves under your pillow you will have a trouble-free sleep.

  Traditionally the plant has been used for obesity and is currently thought to be useful for weight loss combined with horsemint, Mentha longifolia, cumin seeds and extract of olive leaves. The leaves are used with those of bistort and Polygonum persicaria, Lady’s Thumb or mild arssmart to make a bitter herb Lent pudding in northern England, called Easter Ledger pudding.

  The sap from the plant is said to have anti-inflammatory actions and is used for acne and other skin problems. A weak decoction of the whole plant is said to help with conjunctivitis, as an eye-wash.

  The leaves can be crushed and placed directly on wounds and bee stings, so next time you cut yourself while in the countryside- hope that there’s some Lady’s Mantle around!