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Fruits & Vegetables Herbs & Plants

Pomegranate – A Delicious Fruit

Botanical Name: Punica granatum
Family: Lythraceae
Genus: Punica
Species: P. granatum
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Myrtales

Synonyms: Grenadier. Cortex granati. Ecorce de Granade. Granatwurzelrinde. Melogranato. Malicorio. Scorzo del Melogranati. Cortezade Granada.  Punica florida, Punica grandiflora, Punica nana. Punica spinosa.

Common Names: Pomegranate,  Dwarf Pomegranate ,  Granada (Spanish), Grenade (French). The name “pomegranate” derives from Latin pomum (“apple”) and granatus (“seeded”).

Parts Used: The root, bark, the fruits, the rind of the fruit, the flowers.

Habitat: Pomegranate is native to Western Asia. Now grows widely in Mediterranean countries, China and Japan. Today, it is widely cultivated throughout the Middle East and Caucasus region, north Africa and tropical Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Central Asia, and the drier parts of southeast Asia. It is also cultivated in parts of California and Arizona. In recent years, it has become more common in the commercial markets of Europe and the Western Hemisphere. It grows on the dry limestone soils to 2700 metres in the Himalayas.

Related Species: Punica proto-punica.

ADAPTATION:Pomegranates prefer a semi-arid mild-temperate to subtropical climate and are naturally adapted to regions with cool winters and hot summers. A humid climate adversely affects the formation of fruit. The tree can be severely injured by temperatures below 12° F. In the U. S. pomegranates can be grown outside as far north as southern Utah and Washington, D.C. but seldom set fruit in these areas. The tree adapts well to container culture and will sometimes fruit in a greenhouse.

DESCRIPTION:
The Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 5–8 m tall. The pomegranate is native from Iran to the Himalayas in northern India and has been cultivated and naturalized over the whole Mediterranean region including Armenia since ancient times. It is widely cultivated throughout Iran, India and the drier parts of southeast Asia, Malaya, the East Indies and tropical Africa. The tree was introduced into California by Spanish settlers in 1769. In the United States, it is grown for its fruits mainly in the drier parts of California and Arizona.

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The leaves are opposite or sub-opposite, glossy, narrow oblong, entire, 3–7 cm long and 2 cm broad. The flowers are bright red, 3 cm in diameter, with five petals (often more on cultivated plants). The fruit is between an orange and a grapefruit in size, 7–12 cm in diameter with a rounded hexagonal shape, and has thick reddish skin and around 600 seeds. The edible parts are the seeds and the red seed pulp surrounding them. There are some cultivars which have been introduced that have a range of pulp colours like purple.

The only other species in the genus Punica, Socotra Pomegranate (Punica protopunica), is endemic to the island of Socotra. It differs in having pink (not red) flowers and smaller, less sweet fruit. Pomegranates are drought tolerant, and can be grown in dry areas with either a Mediterranean winter rainfall climate or in summer rainfall climates. In wetter areas, they are prone to root decay from fungal diseases. They are tolerant of moderate frost, down to about −10°C.

GROWTH HABIT:The pomegranate is a neat, rounded shrub or small tree that can grow to 20 or 30 ft., but more typically to 12 to 16 ft. in height. Dwarf varieties are also known. It is usually deciduous, but in certain areas the leaves will persist on the tree. The trunk is covered by a red-brown bark which later becomes gray. The branches are stiff, angular and often spiny. There is a strong tendency to sucker from the base. Pomegranates are also long-lived. There are specimens in Europe that are known to be over 200 years of age. The vigor of a pomegranate declines after about 15 years, however.
FOILAGE: The pomegranate has glossy, leathery leaves that are narrow and lance-shaped.

FLOWERS:
The attractive scarlet, white or variegated flowers are over an inch across and have 5 to 8 crumpled petals and a red, fleshy, tubular calyx which persists on the fruit. The flowers may be solitary or grouped in twos and threes at the ends of the branches. The pomegranate is self-pollinated as well as cross-pollinated by insects. Cross-pollination increases the fruit set. Wind pollination is insignificant.

FRUITS:
The nearly round, 2-1/2 to 5 in. wide fruit is crowned at the base by the prominent calyx. The tough, leathery skin or rind is typically yellow overlaid with light or deep pink or rich red. The interior is separated by membranous walls and white, spongy, bitter tissue into compartments packed with sacs filled with sweetly acid, juicy, red, pink or whitish pulp or aril. In each sac there is one angular, soft or hard seed. High temperatures are essential during the fruiting period to get the best flavor. The pomegranate may begin to bear in 1 year after planting out, but 2-1/2 to 3 years is more common. Under suitable conditions the fruit should mature some 5 to 7 months after bloom.

Cultivation :
An easily grown plant, it prefers a well-drained fertile soil and succeeds in a hot dry position[166]. Requires a sheltered sunny position. Not very hardy in Britain, the pomegranate tolerates temperatures down to about -11°c, but it is best grown on a south facing wall even in the south of the country because it requires higher summer temperatures than are normally experienced in this country in order to ripen its fruit and its wood. The wood is also liable to be cut back by winter frosts when it is grown away from the protection of a wall[11]. Trees do not grow so well in the damper western part of Britain. Most plants of this species grown in Britain are of the dwarf cultivar ‘Nana’. This is hardier than the type but its fruit is not such good quality. This sub-species fruited on an east-facing wall at Kew in the hot summer of 1989. The pomegranate is often cultivated in warm temperate zones for its edible fruit, there are many named varieties. In Britain fruits are only produced after very hot summers. Plants often sucker freely. Flowers are produced on the tips of the current years growth. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. Special Features:Not North American native, Attractive flowers or blooms.
Propagation :
Seed – sow spring in a greenhouse, preferably at a temperature of 22°c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first 2 growing seasons. Plant out in late spring or early summer. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 4 – 5cm with a heel, June/July in a frame. Good percentage. Cuttings of mature wood, 20 – 25cm long, November in a warm greenhouse. Layering. Division of suckers in the dormant season. They can be planted out direct into their permanent positions, though we prefer to pot them up first and plant them out when they are growing away well in late spring or early summer

HEALTH BENEFITS AND MEDICAL USES:
One pomegranate delivers 40% of an adult’s daily vitamin C requirement. It is also a rich source of folic acid and of antioxidants. Pomegranates are high in polyphenols. The most abundant polyphenols in pomegranate are hydrolysable tannins, particularly punicalagins, which have been shown in many peer-reviewed research publications to be the antioxidant responsible for the free-radical scavenging ability of pomegranate juice.

Many food and dietary supplement makers have found the advantages of using pomegranate extracts (which have no sugar, calories, or additives), instead of the juice, as healthy ingredients in their products. Many pomegranate extracts are essentially ellagic acid, which is largely a by-product of the juice extraction process. Ellagic acid has only been shown in published studies to absorb into the body when consumed as ellagitannins such as punicalagins.

In several human clinical trials, the juice of the pomegranate has been found effective in reducing several heart risk factors, including LDL oxidation, macrophage oxidative status, and foam cell formation, all of which are steps in atherosclerosis and heart disease. Tannins have been identified as the primary components responsible for the reduction of oxidative states which lead to these risk factors. Pomegranate has been shown to reduce systolic blood pressure by inhibiting serum angiotension converting enzyme (ACE).

Click to see :..>Pomegranates help burn fat, increase blood flow

Research suggests that pomegranate juice may be effective against prostate cancer and osteoarthritis.

The juice can also be used as an antiseptic when applied to cuts[citation needed].

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin – Madison recently discovered the potential benefits of pomegranate juice in stopping the growth of lung cancer.

The juice of wild pomegranates yields citric acid and sodium citrate for pharmaceutical purposes. Pomegranate juice enters into preparations for treating dyspepsia and is considered beneficial in leprosy.

The bark of the stem and root contains several alkaloids including isopelletierine which is active against tapeworms. Either a decoction of the bark, which is very bitter, or the safer, insoluble Pelletierine Tannate may be employed. Overdoses are emetic and purgative, produce dilation of pupila, dimness of sight, muscular weakness and paralysis.

Because of their tannin content, extracts of the bark, leaves, immature fruit and fruit rind have been given as astringents to halt diarrhea, dysentery and hemorrhages. Dried, pulverized flower buds are employed as a remedy for bronchitis. In Mexico, a decoction of the flowers is gargled to relieve oral and throat inflammation. Leaves, seeds, roots and bark have displayed hypotensive, antispasmodic and anthelmintic activity in bioassay.

Constituents: The chief constituent of the bark (about 22 per cent) is called punicotannic acid. It also contains gallic acid, mannite, and four alkaloids, Pelletierine, Methyl-Pelletierine, Pseudo-Pelletierine, and IsoPelletierine.

The liquid pelletierine boils at 125 degrees C., and is soluble in water, alcohol, ether and chloroform.

The drug probably deteriorates with age.

The rind contains tannic acid, sugar and gum.

Pelletierine Tannate is a mixture of the tannates of the alkaloids obtained from the bark of the root and stem, and represents the taenicidal properties.
Medicinal Uses:
The seeds are demulcent. The fruit is a mild astringent and refrigerant in some fevers, and especially in biliousness, and the bark is used to remove tapeworm.

In India the rind is used in diarrhoea and chronic dysentery, often combined with opium.

It is used as an injection in leucorrhoea, as a gargle in sore throat in its early stages, and in powder for intermittent fevers. The flowers have similar properties.

As a taenicide a decoction of the bark may be made by boiling down to a pint 2 OZ. of bark that has been macerated in spirits of water for twenty-four hours, and given in wineglassful doses. It often causes nausea and vomiting, and possibly purging. It should be preceded by strict dieting and followed by an enema or castor oil if required.It may be necessary to repeat the dose for several days.

A hypodermic injection of the alkaloids may produce vertigo, muscular weakness and sometimes double vision.

The root-bark was recommended as a vermifuge by Celsus, Dioscorides and Pliny. It may be used fresh or dried.

Other Uses ; :
Dye; Hedge; Hedge; Ink; TanninWood.

A red dye is obtained from the flowers and also from the rind of unripened fruits. The dye can be red or black and it is also used as an ink. It is coppery-brown in colour . No mordant is required. A fast yellow dye is obtained from the dried rind. The dried peel of the fruit contains about 26% tannin. The bark can also be used as a source of tannin. The root bark contains about 22% tannin, a jet-black ink can be made from it. Plants are grown as hedges in Mediterranean climates. Wood – very hard, compact, close grained, durable, yellow. Used for making agricultural implements. A possible substitute for box, Buxus spp.

Landscape Uses:Border, Container, Foundation, Hedge, Massing, Superior hedge.

Known Hazards: Take recommended doses. Overdose symptoms include: gastric irritation, vomiting, dizziness, chills, vision disorders, collapse and death.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider

Resources:

Homepage


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomegranate
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/p/pomegr60.html

http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Punica+granatum

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Ash gourd(Winter Melon)

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Botanical Name :  Benincasa Hispada
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Subfamily: Cucurbitoideae
Tribe:     Benincaseae
Subtribe: Benincasinae
Genus:     Benincasa
Kingdom: Plantae
Order:     Cucurbitales

Common Names : winter melon, white gourd, winter gourd, tallow gourd, Chinese preserving melon, or ash gourd

It is called  in Hindi, Boodagumbala in Kannada or Kumbalanga in Malayalam, Upo in Tagalog), also called white gourd or ash gourd or petha, is a vine grown for its very large fruit, eaten as a vegetable. In Bengali “Chal Kumro“The fruit is fuzzy when young, giving rise to the name fuzzy melon . By maturity, the fruit loses its hairs and develops a waxy coating, giving rise to the name wax gourd, and providing a long shelf life. The melon may grow as large as 1-2 metres in length. The word “melon” in the name is somewhat misleading, as the fruit is not sweet.

Habitat : Originally domesticated in Southeast Asia, the winter melon is now widely grown in East Asia and South Asia as well. In North India it is cut into rectangular pieces and boiled in a sugar syrup to create a translucent, almost clear candy or sweet, and is often flavored with rose water. In this form it keeps and cans well allowing it to be sold in canned form around the world. In South India it is used to make curries.

The winter melon requires very warm weather to grow but can be kept through the winter much like winter squash. The winter melon can typically be stored for 12 months. The melons are used in stir fry or to make winter melon soup, which is often served in the scooped out melon, which has been intricately decorated by scraping off the waxy coating.

Occasionally, it’s used to produce a fruit drink which has a very distinctive taste. It is usually sweetened with caramelised sugar, which enhances the taste.

The shoots, tendrils, and leaves of the plant may also be eaten as greens.

Winter melon is a common name for the inodorus cultivar group of the muskmelon (Cucumis melo L), or one of its members alternatively known as casaba, honeydew, or Persian.

Description:
Benincasa hispida is an annual plant growing to 6 m (19ft 8in).
It is hardy to zone 10 and is frost tender. It is in leaf 10-Jun It is in flower from Jul to September, and the seeds ripen from Aug to November. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Bees.The plant is self-fertile.
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Cultivation:   
Requires a warm sunny position in a rich well-drained soil and plenty of moisture in the growing season[1, 200, 238]. Established plants are reasonably drought tolerant[206]. Tolerates a pH in the range 5.8 to 6.8. This species is not very frost hardy, it is best grown in a greenhouse in Britain[86] but can succeed outdoors in good summers if started off in a greenhouse and planted out after the last expected frosts. Plants require stable temperatures in excess of 25°c if they are to do well. Short daylengths and lower temperatures stimulate female flower development, higher temperatures stimulate male flower production. Plants take 5 months from seed to produce a mature crop, though the fruits can be eaten when immature. The wax gourd is frequently cultivated for its edible fruit in the tropics, there are many named varieties. One group, sometimes classified as B. hispids chieh-gua, is known as the hairy melon or jointed gourd. This form is grown for its immature fruit in much the same way as courgettes are used. Mature fruits of this form do not develop a waxy coating. The fruit can be harvested about 3 months after sowing.

Propagation:  
Seed – sow March/April in a greenhouse. Germination should take place within 3 weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on fast in a rich compost in the greenhouse. Try to maintain a minimum night temperature of at least 10°c for the seedlings first few weeks. Plant out in May/June after the last expected frosts

Edible Uses  
Edible Parts: Flowers;  Fruit;  Leaves;  Seed.
Edible Uses:

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Fruit – raw or cooked. Used as a vegetable, and in pickles, curries and preserves. The fruit can be eaten when it is young or old, it can be picked as early as one week after fertilization. A juicy texture with a mild flavour, the flavour is somewhat stronger in younger fruits. Because of its waxy coating, it will store for several months, sometimes as long as a year. Mature fruits can vary in weight from 2 – 50 kg. A nutritional analysis is available. Young leaves and flower buds are steamed and eaten as a vegetable, or are added as a flavouring to soups. Seed – cooked. Rich in oil and protein.

Medicinal Uses:

The wax gourd has been used as a food and medicine for thousands of years in the Orient. All parts of the fruit are used medicinally. The rind of the fruit is diuretic. It is taken internally in the treatment of urinary dysfunction, summer fevers etc. The ashes of the rind are applied to painful wounds. The seed is anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, demulcent, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, laxative and tonic. A decoction is used internally in the treatment of vaginal discharges and coughs. In combination with Rheum palmatum it is used to treat intestinal abscesses. In Ayurvedic medicine the seed is used in the treatment of coughs, fevers, excessive thirst and to expel tapeworms. The oil from the seed is also used as an anthelmintic. The fruit is antiperiodic, aphrodisiac, diuretic, laxative and tonic. It is used in Ayurvedic medicine in the treatment of epilepsy, lung diseases, asthma, coughs etc. The fruit juice is used in the treatment of insanity, epilepsy and other nervous diseases. Recent research has shown that the fruits contain anti-cancer terpenes. An infusion of the root is used in the treatment of gonorrhoea. Demulcent, salve. Facilitates pus drainage.

Asafoetida is extensively used in the treatment of nervous disorders of children.It is useful for alivating toothache.

It is useful for treating Respiratory disorders, Impotency,Hysteria,Spermatorrhoea and Stomac Disorders.

It is considered to be very useful in the treatment of several problems concerning premature labour, unusual pain,leucorrhoea,sterility,unwanted abortion and excessive manstruation. It excites the secretion of progesterone hormone.The herb is very useful for women after child birth.It can be taken with beneficial results during the post delivery period. It is also used as an antidote of opium.It counteracts the effect of the drug.

Other Uses:
Rootstock.

A wax that coats the fruit is used to make candles. The roots have considerable resistance to soil-borne diseases and they are sometimes used as a rootstock for melons and other cucurbits

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_melon
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Benincasa+hispida

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Goji Berry

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Botanical Name :Lycium barbarum/Wolfberry

Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Lycium
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Solanales

Common Name :Chinese wolfberry, mede berry, barbary matrimony vine, bocksdorn, Duke of Argyll’s tea tree, Murali (in India), red medlar, or matrimony vine.] Unrelated to the plant’s geographic origin, the names Tibetan goji and Himalayan goji are in common use in the health food market for products from this plant.

If you are passionate about maintaining a healthy lifestyle then you are probably already aware of the current worldwide interest in the nutritional power of the Far East‘s best-kept secret – The legendary GOJI Berry!

Habitat :It is native to southeastern Europe and Asia

Description:
Wolfberry species are deciduous woody perennial plants, growing 1–3 m high. L. chinense is grown in the south of China and tends to be somewhat shorter, while L. barbarum is grown in the north, primarily in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, and tends to be somewhat taller…... click & see

Now you can grow this amazing plant in your own garden for a continuous supply of this nutritional super-fruit………Click to see the picture

Fruit :These species produce a bright orange-red, ellipsoid berry 1–2-cm deep. The number of seeds in each berry varies widely based on cultivar and fruit size, containing anywhere between 10–60 tiny yellow seeds that are compressed with a curved embryo. The berries ripen from July to October in the northern hemisphere………..click & see

Leaves & Flowers:
Wolfberry leaves form on the shoot either in an alternating arrangement or in bundles of up to three, each having a shape that is either lanceolate (shaped like a spearhead longer than it is wide) or ovate (egg-like). Leaf dimensions are 7-cm wide by 3.5-cm broad with blunted or round tips…...click & see

The flowers grow in groups of one to three in the leaf axils. The calyx (eventually ruptured by the growing berry) consists of bell-shaped or tubular sepals forming short, triangular lobes. The corolla are lavender or light purple, 9–14 mm wide with five or six lobes shorter than the tube. The stamens are structured with filaments longer than the anthers. The anthers are longitudinally dehiscent.

In the northern hemisphere, flowering occurs from June through September and berry maturation from August to October, depending on the latitude, altitude, and climate.

Height: 72 inches
Position: Full Sun
Fruit ready to eat: April

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Originally cultivated in the tranquil valleys of the Himalayan mountain range, the Goji Berry is one of nature’s best-kept secrets. Although this nutrient-rich superfood has been treasured by the Himalayan people for over 2000 years and praised for its unrivalled nutritional properties, it has remained unknown to the Western world until now.

Click to see the pictur.

How to use
Berries are sweet and tasty – eat anytime as a healthy snack .Add the berries to juices and smoothies . Use dried berries for highest nutritional benefits Brew them into a refreshing tea ,Soak dried berries in water for a tonic .Add to cereals and muesli mixes
……………………………..
How to grow
As easy to grow as tomatoes! Grow in any well-drained soil in full sun Drought tolerant & self-pollinating . Plants are hardy down to -15C! High yielding plants – 1kg in their second year!
The key to a longer, healthier life just might be a single nutrient-packed berry.

A life expectancy of more than 100 years is not uncommon in some remote areas of the world. Even more interesting is the fact that these centenarians live long lives that are filled with health and vitality. Most of these people do not experience high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, many types of cancer, and the crippling pain of arthritis and degenerative diseases that we do here. Even as they age, their vision is sharp, they have energy and strength, and their minds are clear.

There is a region on the West Elbow Plateau of the Yellow River in Inner Mongolia where people have lived to be more than 120 years old. And the people of West Elbow are not the only ones to enjoy an extremely long life. In a remote region of southwestern China, in the tiny hamlet of Pinghan, which is located deep within a stand of limestone hills, the people there also experience extremely long lives. There are more than 74 centenarians and 237 residents who have reached their 90s in Pinghan and the surrounding area. That’s one of the highest concentrations of elderly people per capita in the world, according to Chen Jinchao, a surgeon who has run the Guangxi Bama Long Life Research Institute for the past 10 years.

Living longer and healthier lives is not exclusive to these two small tribal villages. A small handful of cultures where people live well into their 90s and beyond exist and are scattered across the mountains of Asia. Although the inhabitants of these areas where longevity exists and thrives might not know of the existence of the others, they all have some very important things in common: They live in isolated and sometimes inaccessible places. This isolation keeps them away from the more harmful influences of modern Western civilization. They don’t know what it means to eat processed or fast foods. Their diet consists mainly of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains; and it is low in animal fats. Most importantly, many of these people that live long and healthy lives consume regular daily helpings of a tiny red fruit that just happens to be the world’s most powerful anti-aging food, the goji berry.

The goji berry may be the most nutritionally dense food ever discovered on the planet. Goji contains the following:

* 19 amino acids, the building blocks of protein, including all eight essential for life;
* 21 trace minerals, including germanium, an anti-cancer mineral rarely found in foods;
* more protein than whole wheat 13 percent;
* a complete spectrum of antioxidant carotenoids, including beta carotene (a better source than even carrots) and zeaxanthin (protects the eyes); goji berries are the richest source of carotenoids of all known foods;
* vitamin C at higher levels than those found in oranges by 500 percent per ounce;
* B-complex vitamins, necessary for converting food into energy;
* vitamin E, which is rarely found in fruits, only in grains and seeds;
* beta sitosterol, an anti-inflammatory agent; beta sitosterol also lowers cholesterol, and has been used to treat sexual impotence and prostate enlargement;
* essential fatty acids, which are required for the body’s production of hormones and the smooth functioning of the brain and nervous system;
* cyperone, a sesquiterpene that benefits the heart and blood pressure, alleviates menstrual discomfort and has been used in treating cervical cancer;
* solavetivone, a powerful anti-fungal and anti-bacterial compound;
* physalin, a natural compound that is active against all major types of leukemia; it has been shown to increase splenic, natural killer-cell activity in normal and tumor-bearing mice, with broad spectrum, anti-cancer effect; it has been used as a treatment for hepatitis B;
* betaine, which is used by the liver to produce choline, a compound that calms nervousness, enhances memory, promotes muscle growth and protects against fatty liver disease; Betaine also provides methyl groups in the body’s energy reactions and can help reduce levels of homocysteine, a prime risk factor in heart disease; it also protects DNA; and
* most importantly, it contains 23 bioactive polysaccharides and four unique bioactive polysaccharides called lyceum barbarum 1, lyceum barbarum 2, lyceum barbarum 3 and lyceum barbarum 4; these four unique bioactive polysaccharides are found only in the goji berry.

You may already know about vitamins, minerals and antioxidants when it comes to nutrition, but have you heard about bioactive polysaccharides, glyconutrients and glycobiology?

This new healing science is changing the way doctors view health, nutrition and longevity. Glyconutrition is the science of saccharides, or sugars, that maintain cellular communication in the body, and is extremely important for good health and longevity. In fact, four of the last eight Nobel Prizes for medicine have been awarded for work in glycobiology and cellular communication and their importance to wellness.

Gylconutrients, also known as bioactive polysaccharides, are a family of complex carbohydrates bound to proteins. They are produced by some plants as an extremely effective defense mechanism against attacks by viruses, bacteria, fungi, soil-borne parasites, cell mutations, toxic pollutants and environmental free radicals. This defense mechanism is passed on to us when we consume the plant or fruit. These glyconutrients help prevent some illnesses and promote recovery from others, including cancer, heart disease, auto-immune disease and recurring infections.

The words glyconutrients and bioactive polysaccharides are often used interchangeably. They are special sugars that help the body distinguish what belongs in it from what does not. So it is clear just how important these special sugars are when it comes to how our cells react to foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses. The body does not produce these special sugars. We get them through our diet.

It has also been shown in clinical trials that bioactive polysaccharides reduce the effects of allergies and diminish symptoms of arthritis or diabetes. They also help heal skin conditions like psoriasis, and increase the body’s resistance to viruses, including those causing the common cold and the flu. They help prevent recurrent bacterial ear infections that plague children. A number of people with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and other autoimmune disorders have reported improvement in their symptoms when they supplemented their diet with these simple sugars. And the “sweet” thing about these sugars is they won’t cause the body to gain weight or increase insulin levels. The opposite is true. These bioactive polysaccharides have been shown to help patients lose weight, can be taken while on a low-carbohydrate diet and have no contraindications for diabetes.
Nutritional studies tell us that foods we eat play a crucial role in aging. Scientists tell us, when it comes to longevity, our genetic potential is 120 to 140 years.

So why should we need to supplement our diets with additional bioactive polysaccharides? If the body’s natural defense mechanisms are compromised by long-term stress, a sequence of debilitating problems can occur. Note that stress is not just the cause of a bad or difficult experience. It could also be the way you handle daily life, time management issues or concerns about the way people view you. When the body is under stress, it may not be able to manufacture bioactive polysaccharides properly or fast enough.

When this happens, your body begins to shut down and won’t work properly. Faulty communication occurs when the body begins manufacturing imperfect glycoproteins, which are protective substances made from bioactive polysaccharides. Glycoproteins combine sugars and proteins, which cover cells. When these glycoproteins are compromised, disease may eventually result, especially if the body is under prolonged physical, emotional or mental stress.

Supplementing with foods and nutrients rich in bioactive polysaccharides can help prevent this potential breakdown and help the body fend off illness. Glycoproteins can act as receptor sites on cell surfaces. Receptor sites are where the cell controls what enters it. These receptor sites can become blocked by environmental toxins and other substances. For cells to benefit fully from medicinal or nutritional therapies, receptors must be unblocked. Special bioactive polysaccharides, called free glyconutrients, literally clean the cells’ receptor sites so the cell can recognize and absorb the proper substances.

Bioactive polysaccharides are an important part of the body’s cell-to-cell communication process. From the moment life begins, cells communicate with each other using the sugars, or glycoproteins, on the cell’s surface.

Bioactive polysaccharides enable cells to send and receive messages. As mentioned before, glycoproteins are created inside our cells from the bioactive polysaccharides we take into our bodies. These glycoproteins are pushed out of the center of the cell to the cell’s surface, where they stick out, creating a peach fuzz effect. Cells brush up against each other touching these glycoproteins, or peach fuzz, which is how all the most important communication in the body takes place. When a foreign invader comes in contact with the glycoproteins of immune cells, the cells recognize it as an enemy and mount an immune-cell offensive to rush in and destroy it.

As we age, our bodies begin to break down. Our immune systems become less effective, our eyesight and hearing diminish, and osteoporosis sets in. Obviously, if we can figure out how to replace the old, sick cells with new, healthy ones, we can look forward to a much healthier life. Glyconutrition research indicates that bioactive polysaccharides help slow the aging process and, in some cases, even reverses it.

How can we use glyconutrition research to extend our health and longevity? Nutritional studies tell us that foods we eat play a crucial role in aging. Scientists tell us, when it comes to longevity, our genetic potential is 120 to 140 years.

Cells communicate with each other in their own language, which is an important aspect to human health and longevity. If our cells are missing the right amount of bioactive polysaccharides for building the receptors, the receptors wonâ€t form adequately. This leads to incomplete and incorrect communication between those cells, because part of the language used by the cells is missing.

This breakdown in cellular communication leaves us more susceptible to disease. By replenishing bioactive polysaccharides, thereby improving the quality of our cell’s receptor sites, we can give our body greater resistance against disease because our cells can communicate more effectively.

Goji contains the richest source of bioactive polysaccharides in the world, including four unique polysaccharides that are more powerful than any others that have ever been found in any plant on the planet. Research strongly suggests that goji’s unique bioactive polysaccharides, again sometimes referred to as glyconutrients, work in the body by serving as directors and carriers of the instructions the cells use to communicate. These master molecules command and control many of the body’s most important biochemical defense systems and balance the body’s chemistry.

Goji also acts to cause the secretion of GH factor, or growth hormone, from the pituitary gland. This is the youth hormone and can decrease body fat, reduce wrinkles, restore hair loss, increase energy, increase sexual function, improve memory, improve sleep, elevate mood, normalize blood pressure and improve blood sugar and insulin levels.

No one has all the answers for a longer and healthier life, but it is hoped that the information herein will have a profound impact on your health and that of your patients.

Click to learn more about the plant & fruit …..(1)…….(2).

Click to see:->
Compounds in Goji Berries and Other Plants May Prevent Blood Clots

What makes the Goji Berry so powerful???

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:

http://plants.thompson-morgan.com/product/

And Article by Peter Lazarnick, DC

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfberry

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Jack fruit

Botanical Name : Artocarpus heterophyllus
Family:    Moraceae
Tribe:    Artocarpeae
Genus:    Artocarpus
Species:    A. heterophyllus
Kingdom:    Plantae
Order:    Rosales

Common Name : Jackfruit

Other Names: Kanthal (in Bengali)

Habitat :  THE JACKFRUIT is native to the dense forests of the Western Ghats, but it is now common throughout Asia, Africa and the tropical regions of the Americas.

The Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is a species of tree of the mulberry family (Moraceae) and its fruit, native to southwestern India and Sri Lanka, and possibly also east to the Malay Peninsula, though more likely an early human introduction there.

In India It is believed to have originated in the southwestern rain forests of India, in present-day Goa, Kerala, coastal Karnataka, and Maharashtra.

Description:  It is an evergreen tree growing to 10-15 m tall. The leaves are alternately arranged, elliptical, 5-25 cm long and 3-12 cm broad, often lobed on young trees but entire on mature trees. The flowers are produced in dense inflorescences 3-7 cm long and 1-2.5 cm broad; the male and female flowers produced on separate inflorescences, the female inflorescences commonly borne on thick branches or the trunk of the tree (cauliflory).

CLICK TO SEE THE PICTURE

PICTURE

PICTURE

The fruit is huge, seldom less than about 25 cm in diameter. Even a relatively thin tree (circa 10 cm) can have huge fruits hanging on it. The fruits can reach 36 kg in weight and up to 90 cm long and 50 cm in diameter. The jackfruit is the largest tree borne fruit in the world.

The jackfruit tree is a widely cultivated and popular food item throughout the tropical regions of the world. Jackfruit is the national fruit of Bangladesh, by name Kanthal  in Bengali language. The Jackfruit tree can produce about 100 to 200 fruits in a year.

The sweet yellow sheaths around the seeds are about 3-5 mm thick and have a taste similar to pineapple but milder and less juicy.

Cultivation and uses
Jackfruit is widely grown in South and Southeast Asia. It is also grown in parts of central and eastern Africa, Brazil, and Suriname. It is the national fruit of Bangladesh and Indonesia.

The jackfruit has played a significant role in the Indian agriculture (and culture) from times immemorial. Archeological findings in India have revealed that jackfruit was cultivated in India 3000 to 6000 years ago. Findings also indicate that Indian Emperor Ashoka the Great (274 – 237 BC) encouraged arbori-horticulture of various fruits including jackfruit. Varahamihira, the famous Indian astronomer, mathemetician, and astrologer wrote a chapter on the treatment of trees in his Brhat Samhita. One of the highlights of his treatise is a specific reference on grafting to be done on trees such as jackfruit. A method of grafting described was what is known today as ‘wedge grafting’. One of the earliest descriptions of the jackfruit is to be found in the 16th century memoirs of the Mughal Emperor Babar, who was not much enamored of it:

“The jackfruit is unbelievably ugly and bad tasting. It looks exactly like sheep intestines turned inside out like stuffed tripe. It has a cloyingly sweet taste. Inside it has seeds like hazelnuts that mostly resemble dates, but these seeds are round, not long. The flesh of these seeds, which is what is eaten, is softer than dates. It is sticky, and for that reason some people grease their hands and mouths before eating it. The fruit is said to grow on the branches, the trunk, and the roots of the tree and looks like stuffed tripe hung all over the tree”.

The jackfruit is something of an acquired taste, but it is very popular in many parts of the world. A unopened ripe fruit can have a unpleasant smell, like rotting onions. The lightbrown to black seeds with white innards are indeed about the size of dates. People often oil their hands with coconut oil, kerosene/parafin before preparing jackfruit, as the rest of the mass of the fruit is a loose white mass that bleeds a milky sticky sap, often used as glue.

Unripe jackfruit  is cooked and  eaten in Bengal..as vegetable curry..the curry is very popular  and tasty.

Commercial availability

A kutiyapi, made of jackfruit wood. The jackfruit bears fruit three years after planting.

In the United States and Europe, the fruit is available in shops that sell exotic products, usually sold canned with a sugar syrup or frozen. It is also obtained fresh from Asian food markets. Sweet jackfruit chips are also often available.

The wood is used for the production of musical instruments in Indonesia as part of the gamelan and in the Philippines, where its soft wood can be made into the hull of a kutiyapi, a type of Philippine boat lute. It is also used to make the body of the Indian drums mridangam and kanjira. It is also widely used for manufacture of furniture.
Toxicity: Even in India there is some resistance to the jackfruit, attributed to the belief that overindulgence in it causes digestive ailments. Burkill declares that it is the raw, unripe fruit that is astringent and indigestible. The ripe fruit is somewhat laxative; if eaten in excess it will cause diarrhea. Raw jackfruit seeds are indigestible due to the presence of a powerful trypsin inhibitor. This element is destroyed by boiling or baking.

Other Uses

Fruit:

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PICTURE

PICTURE

In some areas, the jackfruit is fed to cattle. The tree is even planted in pastures so that the animals can avail themselves of the fallen fruits. Surplus jackfruit rind is considered a good stock food.

Leaves: Young leaves are readily eaten by cattle and other livestock and are said to be fattening. In India, the leaves are used as food wrappers in cooking, and they are also fastened together for use as plates.

Seeds:

CLICK TO SEE THE  PICTURE

The seeds, which appeal to all tastes, may be boiled or roasted and eaten, or boiled and preserved in sirup like chestnuts. They have also been successfully canned in brine, in curry, and, like baked beans, in tomato sauce. They are often included in curried dishes. Roasted, dried seeds are ground to make a flour which is blended with wheat flour for baking.

Latex: The latex serves as birdlime, alone or mixed with Ficus sap and oil from Schleichera trijuga Willd. The heated latex is employed as a household cement for mending chinaware and earthenware, and to caulk boats and holes in buckets. The chemical constituents of the latex have been reported by Tanchico and Magpanlay. It is not a substitue for rubber but contains 82.6 to 86.4% resins which may have value in varnishes. Its bacteriolytic activity is equal to that of papaya latex.

LICK TO SEE : How to Remove Jackfruit Sticky Latex Juice

PICTURES

Wood: Jackwood is an important timber in Ceylon and, to a lesser extent, in India; some is exported to Europe. It changes with age from orange or yellow to brown or dark-red; is termite proof, fairly resistant to fungal and bacterial decay, seasons without difficulty, resembles mahogany and is superior to teak for furniture, construction, turnery, masts, oars, implements, brush backs and musical instruments. Palaces were built of jackwood in Bali and Macassar, and the limited supply was once reserved for temples in Indochina. Its strength is 75 to 80% that of teak. Though sharp tools are needed to achieve a smooth surface, it polishes beautifully. Roots of old trees are greatly prized for carving and picture framing. Dried branches are employed to produce fire by friction in religious ceremonies in Malabar.

CLICK TO SEE THE PICTURES

From the sawdust of jackwood or chips of the heartwood, boiled with alum, there is derived a rich yellow dye commonly used for dyeing silk and the cotton robes of Buddhist priests. In Indonesia, splinters of the wood are put into the bamboo tubes collecting coconut toddy in order to impart a yellow tone to the sugar. Besides the yellow colorant, morin, the wood contains the colorless cyanomaclurin and a new yellow coloring matter, artocarpin, was reported by workers in Bombay in 1955. Six other flavonoids have been isolated at the National Chemical Laboratory, Poona.

Bark: There is only 3.3% tannin in the bark which is occasionally made into cordage or cloth.

Dishes and preparations
Jackfruit is commonly used in South and Southeast Asian cuisines. It can be eaten unripe (young) or ripe, and cooked or uncooked. The seeds can also be used in certain recipes.

Unripe (young) jackfruit is also eaten whole, cooked as a vegetable. Young jackfruit has a mild flavour and distinctive texture. The cuisines of India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Vietnam use cooked young jackfruit. In many cultures, jackfruit is boiled and used in curries as a food staple.

The tree is common in hundreds of thousands of Indian homes, and it provides food and shade along vast stretches of our national highways, riverbanks and railways.In India it is eaten as vegetable when green and as delicious fruit when ripen.

It provides shade to cash crops like coffee, betel nut, cardamom and pepper that need it.

The ripe fruit smells like rotting onions from the outside, but the fruit flesh inside smells like banana or pineapple. Unripe fruit can be sliced and cooked like green plantain.

The sticky smelly latex it exudes when cut is difficult to wash away, so it is wise to rub the knife and palms with oil before getting down to dicing and slicing.

The ripe fruit bulbs are delicious raw or as ice cream, jelly, chutney, syrup and jam.

The pulp, when boiled in milk, yields delicious orange-toned custard, while frying dry, salted bulbs serves up an alternative to potato chips.

The Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore, is a world leader in devising methods to preserve and candy jackfruit pulp.

They came up with a canning method that lets the fruit retain its beta-carotene content for up to two years.

The pulp yields heady liquor when fermented. The seeds can be curried, eaten roasted, soaked in sweet syrup, or even ground up to yield flour for blending with wheat flour.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, eating the ripe fruit counteracts the harmful effects of alcohol on the body.

The fruit is nearly as calorie-dense as the custard apple. Hundred grams of the edible flesh, including the seeds, contains almost 100 calories, most of it as sugar and starch.

The flesh is rich in beta-carotene and potassium, while the seeds are rich in thiamine and riboflavin-B vitamins.

Eating uncooked, unripe fruit can cause indigestion; the culprit is an enzyme that inhibits the gut’s protein-digesting enzyme, trypsin. Cooking destroys this inhibitor.

The ripe fruit increases gut motility and can cause diarrhoea in those who eat too much of it.

Chemical constituents:
Jackwood contains morin and a crystalline constituent, cyanomaclurin, probably isomeric with catechins.

Medicinal properties:
· Root: antiasthmatic.
· Ripe fruit: demulcent, nutritive, laxative.
· Unripe fruit: astringent.
· Pulp or flesh: surrounding the seed is aromatic, cooling and tonic.

Uses:
Nutrition
High carbohydrate content. The young fruit is also a vegetable. The pulp (lamukot) surrounding the seeds is sweet and aromatic, rich in vitamin C, eaten fresh or cooked or preserved. The seeds are boiled or roasted. The unripe fruit can be pickled.
Folkloric
· Skin diseases, ulcers and wounds: Mix the burnt ashes of leaves (preferably fresh) with coconut oil, and as ointment, apply to affected areas.
· Diarrhea, fever and asthma: A decoction of the root (preferably chopped into small pieces before boiling) of the tree, three to four cups daily.
· Glandular swelling and snake bites: Apply the milky juice of the tree. When mixed with vinegar, it is especially beneficial for glandular swelling and abscesses, promoting absorption and suppuration.
· The ripe fruit is laxative; in large quantities, it produces diarrhea.
· The roasted seeds believed to have aphrodisiac properties.
Others
· Fruit used to flavor and age lambanog believed to increased alcohol potency.
· Tree latex is used as bird lime; and heated makes a good cement for china.

Jack fruit is a common medicinal tree in this part of Chhattisgarh in India. The herb collectors use its bark for cracks in Lips. In form of aqueous paste bark is applied. The herb collectors extract the juice from Ama (Mango) and Kathal (Jack fruit) bark and mix it in equal ratio. In this combination, Chuna (Lime water) pani is added and used internally in treatment of dysentery.

The Chinese consider jackfruit pulp and seeds tonic, cooling and nutritious, and to be “useful in overcoming the influence of alcohol on the system.” The seed starch is given to relieve biliousness and the roasted seeds are regarded as aphrodisiac. The ash of jackfruit leaves, burned with corn and coconut shells, is used alone or mixed with coconut oil to heal ulcers. The dried latex yields artostenone, convertible to artosterone, a compound with marked androgenic action. Mixed with vinegar, the latex promotes healing of abscesses, snakebite and glandular swellings. The root is a remedy for skin diseases and asthma. An extract of the root is taken in cases of fever and diarrhea. The bark is made into poultices. Heated leaves are placed on wounds. The wood has a sedative property; its pith is said to produce abortion.

The Chinese were among the first to recognise the nutrition potential of the seeds, but their views on the aphrodisiacal (?) nature of the seeds are not rooted in reality.

In other cultures, the ash of the leaves is a traditional antiseptic. The latex is a folk cure for snakebites, abscesses and lymph node swelling.

Root decoction is an old cure for fever, diarrhoea, asthma and skin diseases.

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:.hinduonnet.com. , en.wikipedia and .hort.purdue.edu and http://www.stuartxchange.org/Langka.html

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Mango Fruit is delicious

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Common Names: Mango, Mangot, Manga, Mangou. It is known as the ‘king of fruit’ throughout the world.Mangos are a good staple for your daily diet.
Origin: .Mangos originated in East India, Burma and the Andaman Islands bordering the Bay of Bengal. Around the 5th century B.C., Buddhist monks are believed to have introduced the mango to Malaysia and eastern Asia – legend has it that Buddha found tranquility and repose in a mango grove. Persian traders took the mango into the middle east and Africa, from there the Portuguese brought it to Brazil and the West Indies. Mango cultivars arrived in Florida in the 1830’s .Mangos were introduced to California (Santa Barbara) in 1880.

Description:
Mango trees grow up to 35–40 m (115–131 ft) tall, with a crown radius of 10 m (33 ft). The trees are long-lived, as some specimens still fruit after 300 years[citation needed]. In deep soil, the taproot descends to a depth of 6 m (20 ft), with profuse, wide-spreading feeder roots; the tree also sends down many anchor roots, which penetrate several feet of soil. The leaves are evergreen, alternate, simple, 15–35 cm (5.9–13.8 in) long, and 6–16 cm (2.4–6.3 in) broad; when the leaves are young they are orange-pink, rapidly changing to a dark, glossy red, then dark green as they mature. The flowers are produced in terminal panicles 10–40 cm (3.9–15.7 in) long; each flower is small and white with five petals 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) long, with a mild, sweet odor suggestive of lily of the valley. Over 400 varieties of mangoes are known, many of which ripen in summer, while some give double crop.  The fruit takes three to six months to ripen.

click to see the pictures…....(01).…...(1).…...(2)……..(3).…...(4)..…...(5).….

The ripe fruit varies in size and color. Cultivars are variously yellow, orange, red, or green, and carry a single flat, oblong pit that can be fibrous or hairy on the surface, and which does not separate easily from the pulp. Ripe, unpeeled mangoes give off a distinctive resinous, sweet smell. Inside the pit 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) thick is a thin lining covering a single seed, 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) long. The seed contains the plant embryo. Mangos have recalcitrant seeds; they do not survive freezing and drying

Forms: The mango exists in two races, one from India and the other from the Philippines and Southeast Asia. The Indian race is intolerant of humidity, has flushes of bright red new growth that are subject to mildew, and bears monoembryonic fruit of high color and regular form. The Philippine race tolerates excess moisture, has pale green or red new growth and resists mildew. Its polyembryonic fruit is pale green and elongated kidney-shaped. Philippines types from Mexico have proven to be the hardiest mangos in California.

Adaptation: Mangos basically require a frost-free climate. Flowers and small fruit can be killed if temperatures drop below 40° F, even for a short period. Young trees may be seriously damaged if the temperature drops below 30° F, but mature trees may withstand very short periods of temperatures as low as 25° F. The mango must have warm, dry weather to set fruit. In southern California the best locations are in the foothills, away from immediate marine influence. It is worth a trial in the warmest cove locations in the California Central Valley, but is more speculative in the coastal counties north of Santa Barbara, where only the most cold adapted varieties are likely to succeed. Mangos luxuriate in summer heat and resent cool summer fog. Wet, humid weather favors anthracnose and poor fruit set. Dwarf cultivars are suitable for culture in large containers or in a greenhouse.The Mango tree plays a sacred role in India; it is a symbol of love and some believe that the Mango tree can grant wishes. In the Hindu culture hanging fresh mango leaves outside the front door during Ponggol (Hindu New Year) and Deepavali is considered a blessing to the house.

Mango leaves are used at weddings to ensure the couple bear plenty of children (though it is only the birth of the male child that is celebrated – again by hanging mango leaves outside the house).Hindus may also brush their teeth with mango twigs on holy days (be sure to rinse well and spit if you try this at home – toxic).Many Southeast Asian kings and nobles had their own mango groves; with private cultivars being sources of great pride and social standing, hence began the custom of sending gifts of the choicest mangos.The Tahis like to munch mango buds, with Sanskrit poets believing they lend sweetness to the voice.

Burning of mango wood, leaves and debris is not advised – toxic fumes can cause serious irritation to eyes and lungs. Mango leaves are considered toxic and can kill cattle or other grazing livestock.

The over 1,000 known mango cultivars are derived from two strains of mango seed – monoembryonic (single embryo) and polyembryonic (multiple embryo). Monoembryonic hails from the Indian (original) strain of mango,
polyembryonic from the Indochinese.

Mangos are an excellent source of Vitamins A and C, as well as a good source of Potassium and contain beta carotene. Mangos are high in fiber, but low in calories (approx. 110 per average sized mango), fat (only 1 gram) and sodium.

Mango Nutrient Information*
Serving size: 3 1/2 ounces mango slices
Calories
Protein
Total Carbohydrate
Fat
Cholesterol
Sodium
Potassium
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
 66
0.5g
17g
0.27g
0mg
2mg
156mg
3,890IU
27mg

Medicinal Uses:
Mango is considered a very useful remedy and energizer in Ayurveda and used to balance all three humors or doshas (Vata, Kapha or and Pitta), especially Pitta dosha. Its medicinal properties are presented below.

The insoluble fiber, present in mangoes, helps the elimination of waste from the colon and prevents constipation.

The tartaric acid, malic acid, and a trace of citric acid found in the fruit help to maintain the alkali reserve of the body.

A milk-mango shake used in the summers help people gain weight.

Extracts of leaves, bark, stem and unripe mangoes are believed to possess antibacterial properties against some micro-organisms.

Dried mango flowers are used in the treatment of diarrhea, chronic dysentery and some problems of the bladder.

The stone (kernel) of the mango fruit is used widely in Ayurvedic medicines for treatment of different ailments.

Antioxidants and enzymes present in the mango fruits are believed to play an important role in the prevention/protection of cancer (colon, breast, leukemia and prostate) and heart disease. Serum cholesterol is regulated by the high content of fiber, pectin and vitamin C present in the mango.

Some of the flavonoids present in the fruit are believed to strengthen the immune system of human body. Presence of fiber and enzymes makes mangoes favorite for healthy digestion.


Every part of the mango is beneficial and has been utilized in folk remedies in some form or another. Whether the bark, leaves, skin or pit; all have been concocted into various types of treatments or preventatives down through the centuries. A partial list of the many medicinal properties and purported uses attributed to the mango tree are as follows: anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-septic, anti-tussive (cough), anti-asthmatic, expectorant, cardiotonic, contraceptive, aphrodisiac, hypotensive, laxative, stomachic (beneficial to digestion)….

Mango is regarded as a valuable article of diet and one of the effective home remedies for various ailments. The ripe mango has antiscorbutic, diuretic, laxative, invigorating, fattening and astringent properties. It has been found effective in fighting infections. All bacterial infections are due to poor epithelium. Liberal use of mangoes during the season contributes towards the formation of healthy epithelium, preventing infections like cold, rhinitis and sinusitis. Mangoes are rich source of vitamin A. Mango barks is highly beneficial in diphtheria and other throat problems. The leaves of mango tree are an anti-diabetic food that controls the blood sugar levels. Raw mango is a rich source of pectin, oxalic, citric, malic and succinic acids. It also contains vitamin C, B1 and B2 in good amounts.

Home Remedies:
Using Aqueous extract of fresh tender mango leaves in the morning, prepared after soaking overnight and filtering in morning, is believed to be useful in the beginning of diabetes.

Alternately, people also use twice a day (morning & evening) half teaspoonful of powdered leaves after drying them in the shade.

It may also provide relief in the dysentery when taken with water 2-3 times a day.Mango and Jamun (S. cumini) juice taken in equal proportion is considered useful in controlling diabetes.

Ash of mango leaves is applied on burns for relief in pain and healing whereas juice of the roasted ripe mango (on hot sand)provides relief in cough.

Tooth paste, prepared from powdered mango kernal, is believed to strengthen gums.

Boiling 20 g mango bark powder in a liter water till volume reduces merely to 250 g (ml) and using the decoction after mixing 1 g black salt is believed to cure diarrhea.

Juice extracted from fresh flowers and taken after mixing it with curd is reported to be useful in diarrhea. Paste of decorticated kernel is found useful in leucorrhoea, veginitis and also as a contraceptive.

Mangiferin – rich in splenocytes, found in the stem bark of the mango tree has purported potent immunomodulatory characteristics – believed to inhibit tumor growth in early and late stage.

Mango seeds are of great value for treating leucorrhoea. Apply 1 tsp paste of decorticated kernel of mango inside the vagina.

Mango bark is efficacious in the treatment of a sore throat and other throat disorders. Its fluid, which is extracted by grinding, can be applied locally with beneficial results. It can also be used as a throat gargle. This gargle is prepared by mixing 10 ml of the fluid extract with 125 ml of water

Mango seeds are valuable in diarrhoea. The seeds should be collected during the mango season, dried in the shade and powdered, and kept stored for use as a medicine when required. A dose of about one and a half to two grams with or without honey, should be administered twice daily.

Known Hazards:  Dermatitis can result from contact with the resinous latex sap that drips from the stem end when mangos are harvested. The mango fruit skin is not considered edible.
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Extracted from,:http://freshmangos.com/aboutmangos/index.html and http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/mango.html,http://cvsingh.hubpages.com/hub/Medicinal-uses-of-mango-and-associated-benefits,

 

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