Description
Ugu Leaves
Ugu Leaves otherwise known as Fluted Pumpkin Leaves are dark green tropical leaves grown mostly in West Africa and very popular in Southern and Eastern Nigeria. It is primarily used in soups and in herbal medicines. Traditional medicine believes it has healing properties and so is used as a blood tonic for people that are weak or ill.
Benefits of Ugu Leaves
- Ugu leaves contain a high amount of antioxidants and hepatoprotective and antimicrobial properties. This leafy vegetable is filled with vitamins and minerals ranging from iron, potassium, manganese, vitamin C, A, B2, E,
- It is used by traditional medicine practitioners to treat infertility in both male and female. It is believed it helps improve sperm count in men (unverified source).
- It can help to improve cognitive reasoning, Dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other memory-related conditions because it contains vitamins and magnesium.
- Consumption of pumpkin leaves will help slow down your aging process because it has antioxidants in abundance.
- Ugu leaves also help to improve the digestive system and make digestion easy due to the dietary fibre present in them. You can reduce the risk of irritable bowel movement, constipation by taking pumpkin leaves.
- Ugu also prevents and treats anaemia. The folate nutrient present in it helps increase the hemoglobin and red blood cells in the body.
How to Use:
- They are usually boiled or cooked with other foods or juiced.
