Mangosteen Health Benefits

Mangosteen Fruit

 

Mangosteen has been used as a part of the traditional medicine of some Asian countries for a over longer period of time already.

Different parts of Mangosteen plant is used in treatment of some diseases. The named mangosteen, has nothing to do with mangoes. It is the fruit of evergreen mangosteen trees, which are natives to the southeast Asian countries. The fruits of purple mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) of the genus Garcinia, turn reddish purple, when ripe. These fruits, which are almost round in shape are a little smaller than tennis balls in size. The rind of this fruit is bitter and so, is not edible. The inner edible portion is in the form of wedged segments and is white in color. The largest among the segments may carry the seed. The flavor of mangosteen is very unique and delicate. It can be explained as sweet, laced with a slight sourness. However, it is not the taste of the fruit, which is valued, but the various health benefits associated with it.

There were studies that Mangosteen is rich in nutrients and anti Oxidants

Below listed are some of its health benefits.

1. Anti-fatigue (energy booster)

2. Powerful anti-inflammatory (prevents inflammation)

3. Analgesic (prevents pain)

4. Anti-ulcer (stomach,

mouth and bowel ulcers)

5. Anti-depressant (low to moderate)

6. Anxyolytic (anti-anxiety effect)

7. Anti-Alzheimerian (helps prevent dementia)

8. Anti-tumor and cancer prevention (multiple categories cited)... shown to be capable of killing cancer cells

9. Immunomodulator (multiple categories cited) - helps the immune system

10. Anti-aging

11. Anti-oxidant

12. Anti-viral

13. Anti-biotic (modulates bacterial infections)

14. Anti-fungal (prevents fungal infections)

15. Anti-seborrheaic (prevents skin disorders)

16. Anti-lipidemic (blood fat lowering, LDL)

17. Anti-atherosclerotic (prevents hardening

of arteries)

18. Cardioprotective (protects the heart)

19. Hypotensive (blood pressure lowering)

20. Hypoglycemic (anti-diabetic effect, helps lower blood sugar)

21. Anti-obesity (helps with weight loss)

22. Anti-arthritic (prevention of arthritis)

23. Anti-osteoporosis (helps prevent the loss of bone mass)

24. Anti-periodontic (prevents gum disease)

25. Anti-allergenic (prevents allergic reaction)

26. Anti-calculitic (prevents kidney stones)

27. Anti-pyretic (fever lowering)

28. Anti-Parkinson

29. Anti-diarrheal

30. Anti-neuralgic (reduces nerve pain)

31. Anti-vertigo (prevents dizziness)

32. Anti-glaucomic (prevents glaucoma)

33. Anti-cataract (prevents cataracts)

34. Pansystemic - has a synergistic effect on the whole body

In Philippines, people used to make a decoction of mangosteen leaves and bark, which was beneficial in bringing down body temperature and also to treat thrush, dysentery, diarrhea and urinary disorders. By the eighteenth and nineteenth century, mangosteen was introduced to other parts of the world, but this tree in thrived in a very few regions, other than its native place. This fruit is sometimes referred to as the queen of fruits, due to its nutritional value and the presence of some compounds that offer various mangosteen health benefits.

It is said to be effective in preventing diseases, like, arthritis, cancer, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, kidney stones, cataract, glaucoma, Alzheimer's, neuralgia, etc. It is also said that this fruit can be effective in treating depression, aging, obesity, skin diseases, allergies, ulcers, diarrhea, fever, pain, and many others.

Moringa Plant the tree of life

Moringa Leaf

Moringa Plant is very abundant in the Philippines it is used as herbal treatment for various diseases and most of all used as food.

The article below describe Moringa as a very useful plant that has full of medicinal value and benefits.

Moringa Oleifera’s health benefits have been well understood and cherished for many centuries. The history of the moringa tree goes back centuries; there are historical references to Moringa oil being placed in the tombs of ancient Egyptians. Its usefulness is legendary.

In fact, the Moringa tree’s benefits are so significant that it has been called the Tree of Life in many cultures.

For centuries, the peoples of India and Africa have benefited from using the moringa plant. After hundreds of years of use on the other side of the planet, today the astounding health benefits of Moringa are pushing its introduction to the Western hemisphere.

Because the moringa tree is rich with nutrients, and because the tree’s various parts can all be used in some way, moringa’s many benefits are different depending on the part of the plant being used. Truth be told, the Moringa Tree’s health benefits alone are as varied as the different parts of the tree itself.

The young, immature Moringa Oleifera pods are the most valued and widely used of all the tree parts. The pods are extremely nutritious, containing every essential amino acid needed for a complete protein source, along with many vitamins, minerals, co-enzymes and antioxidants.

An interesting additional benefit of moringa seeds is found in the seed cake left over from the moringa oil extraction process. The seed cake can be used as a coagulant to clarify dirty and turbid water. The seed cake is used as an effective means of removing sediment and bacteria from water, helping to purify and treat water naturally where industrial water treatment is not available.

Moringa leaves are perhaps equally valuable to the seeds, and provide powerful benefits to anyone who is conscious of their nutrient intake. The leaves of the moringa tree are among the most protein-dense leaves of any plant species, and contain every essential amino acid required for a whole source of protein. Moringa leaves contain levels of Vitamin A comparable to carrots, calcium comparable to milk, and vitamin C comparable to oranges, as well as high amounts of other vitamins and minerals.

Importantly, these nutrients are not synthesized in a facility and packed into a pill, where the nutrients are largely unavailable for the body to absorb and use. The leaves are easily digested when put into capsules and provide high levels of available nutrients to your body.

Moringa leaf can also be used for tea, either alone or in combination with other teas. Even a small glass of moringa tea benefits the drinker with a host of nutrients. The benefits of the moringa tree to mankind make it a wonderfully useful plant species for a variety of vital purposes. It is no surprise that it is known as the Tree of Life in the cultures of its native habitat.

How can Moringa oleifera benefit you? The possibilities are endless. Here are just a few of the many real benefits people discover when taking Moringa oleifera:

Increased physical energy - Tune your body up with naturally occurring nutrients to make your energy last longer

Mental and emotional balance - Moringa oleifera's amazingly powerful nutrient compounds help restore stability to the chemicals that govern our thoughts and emotions. You have to experience it to appreciate it!

Faster recovery - Moringa oleifera's complete amino profile, along with dozens of vitamins and minerals, makes it a perfect recovery food after grueling workouts and physical strain.

Nutrient-dense mother's milk - Increased iron, potassium, Vitamins A, B, C, E, and dozens of other important nutrients are all readily absorbed from Moringa oleifera and transferred from mother's milk to the growing newborn. No wonder Moringa is called 'Mother's Best Friend' in cultures across Africa!

Health blood - antioxidants and unique regulating compounds help control blood sugar and keep the blood free of unhealthy substances.

Just a few of the other many benefits of moringa oleifera include increased flexibility, improved sensory perception, better sleep cycles, and improved memory.

Start using moringa now.

Source http://www.moringasource.com/moringa-benefits.php

Research found Watermelon to help erectile dysfunction and function as Natural Viagra

Watermelon

A research conducted by Bhimu Patil of Texas A&M University suggests that watermelon has an effect in the body like to that of Viagra, or else a natural remedy for erectile dysfunction that some of men suffering now.

 
Recently a research revealed that the watermelon flesh contains higher levels of the amino acid citrulline that surprised researchers of what they think. It is believed that most of the citrulline resides in the inedible peel of the fruit.

This discovery is very significant because the body converts citrulline into arginine, another amino acid that functions as a precursor to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide, in turn, plays a critical role in the dilation of blood vessels and the process of penile erection.

The functions primarily of some drugs like Viagra are to target the nitric oxide signaling pathway in the penis.

Bhimu Patil hopes that other researchers will begin to directly study watermelon's effects on erection. But they others are skeptical.

Just because nitric oxide is required for an erection, "that doesn't mean eating something that is rich in citrulline will make enough arginine that it will lead to better penile erections," said Irwin Goldstein, editor-in-chief of The Journal of Sexual Medicine and a former consultant for companies that make erectile dysfunction drugs.

"The vast majority of Americans produce enough arginine," he said. "Men with erectile dysfunction are not deficient in arginine."

Patil acknowledges that he doesn't know how much watermelon a man would need to eat to have an effect. Knowing that a four-ounce serving of watermelon contains approximately 150 milligrams of citrulline does not tell researchers what effects that much citrulline will have in the body, he said.

In a 2007 study, participants were able to increase their arginine levels 11 percent in three weeks by drinking three eight-ounce glasses of watermelon juice per day.

The Coconut Sap Sugar Process



coco sugar



• Coconut sap sugar is derived not from the nut but from the toddy/sweet sap (tuba)
• The unopened inflorescence is thinly sliced (~6mm)
• Sap oozing out from the inflorescence is collected
• The sap is boiled, and concentrated, to form granulated sugar.
• Coconut sap contains 12-18% sugar, essential vitamins and amino acids and macro and micronutrients.

Coconut Sap Sugar Profile:

• Glucose – 2.00
• Fructose – 2.90
• Sucrose – 85.68
• Reducing sugars – 7.51
• Total invert sugar (mixture of glucose and fructose) – 97.65

Process Flow:

1.     Collect toddy

2.     Strain, heat and stir continuously

3.     When thickens, cool

4.     Heat, stir, granulate

5.     Cool, stir

6.     Collect sugar and weigh

7.     Pack in bottles and plastic bags

Procedure:

1.     Boil coco sap to evaporate the water under moderate heat with occasional stirring until liquid thickens at 115° C.

2.     Remove it from the flame when it begins to become very sticky.

3.     Continue mixing until  it becomes granular.

4.     Air dry the brown sugar before placing them in a packaging material.

Glycemic Index (GI) of Coco Sap Sugar

• Based on Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) study on 2007, the GI of coconut sap sugar was 36, hence classified as Low GI food, which can be used as natural sweetener of diabetics
• The GI is a ranking system for carbohydrates based on the immediate effect on blood glucose levels.
• The higher the number, the greater the blood sugar response.
• A low GI food will cause a small rise in blood glucose level, while a high GI food will trigger a dramatic spike.

SOURCE http://www.mixph.com/2010/08/coconut-sap-sugar-technology-and-processing.html

Philippine Coconut Authority

The Coconut Sap Sugar

COCO TUBA

The sap is boiled to get rid of its water component. This is usually done under moderate heat with constant stirring. Once the liquid thickens at 115°C, the thickened sap is removed from the heat under continuous stirring. The thick liquid will then finally break down into granular form, and there is your coconut sugar. It is important to air-dry the sugar before packing it for the market.

Healthy

Since the sugar is natural and organic, it is a healthy source of sweetening. Although it sells at about P100/kilo, it is bound to change, following law of supply and demand, that a large supply of coconut toddy would definitely help decrease the price.

A profitability analysis of the technology has been promising. Using enterprise budgeting, a farmer can earn almost P600,000 net income in a year using coconut sap from 100 coconut trees.

It was seen during the profitability analysis that even if the price of the sugar is decreased by 10 to 20%, the farmers would still earn a profit. Further reduction of prices will decrease their profit by certain percentage, though.

But the analysis showed that if it is the coconut toddy supply that is reduced by 16%, the profit of the farmers will drop by 50%. If toddy supply further drops by 33%, the farmers will not have profit at all.

The profitability and sensitivity analysis of the coco-sugar enterprise showed both a promise and an opportunity. While a healthy sweetening can now be made available to sweet-tooths everywhere, the sensitivity of the economic viability of coco-sugar to market forces have opened opportunities for coconut farmers to increase their income by tapping their trees for that all-important toddy.

source: http://www.bar.gov.ph/

http://www.mixph.com/2007/09/how-to-extract-sugar-from-tuba-coco-sap.html