Will humans ever be free from toxins? Unfortunately, the answer to this question lies with us all. But thank goodness, Oha leaf is available for you and for the elimination of toxins from your body.
Toxins come from different things that we are exposed to daily. Our food, water, air, cream and more.
Pesticides, most especially, find their way into foods that we eat.
Not too long ago, a viral video of a beans seller in Nigeria who adds sniper (a pesticide) to beans to prevent pests shocked everyone.
But beyond that, what of the vegetables that you eat Do you know that people who farm vegetables use pesticides to keep pests away?
Some months back, after I watched a video of how people grow cabbage from the one they bought, I decided to try it.
My cabbage sprouted and was doing well, but few days into its life, pests ate it up and it died.
Imagine if I had used pesticides to chase the pests away. We will have a big size of cabbage, but will also enjoy a big volume of toxin.
Pesticides And Health Issues They Cause
Most farmers use these chemicals and they contaminate your veggies with toxins that are dangerous to your health.
A 2018 study says pesticides exposure is a serious issue causing various kinds of damage in DNA, like oxidative damage, leading to various kinds of cancer. Some of these forms of cancer are brain, skin, lymphoma, breast and more (1).
Some other forms of cancer this could cause are cancer of the pancreas, stomach, liver, bladder and gall bladder.
It can also cause Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease, and reproductive outcomes.
The study further states that exposure to pesticides has been associated with an increase in the incidence of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiple myeloma, soft tissue sarcoma, lung sarcoma.
That said, it is not every food you eat that has the capacity of flushing this toxin which causes oxidative stress away.
This is where Oha leaf [Pterocarpus soyauxii], which you can use as spice for your soup, comes in.
Health Benefits Of Oha Leaf
The leaf is popular among eastern Nigerians who prepare a delicious soup – Oha soup – with it.
You can explore this soup and get the health benefits which we will list below.
1. Oha Leaf Is Rich In Nutrients
Oha is a nutritious vegetable. It is rich in calcium, copper, zinc, magnesium, potassium, manganese, sodium and iron (2).
The leave is also rich in protein and contains a good amount of vitamin A and vitamin C.
Also, Oha leaf contains other phytochemicals. An analysis of different solvent extracts showed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, glycosides and tannins.
These phytochemicals are necessary for the protection of your cells from damage that could lead to chronic diseases.
For instance, potassium regulates the activity of muscles and nerves because its cations are important in neuron function.
Also, it helps in the maintenance of the body’s pH level (3).
On the other hand, sodium helps to maintain the balance of water, acids and bases in the fluid outside the cell.
Iron is a component of the haemoglobin and mycoglobin. It is required for oxygen and carbon dioxide transport and oxidative phosphorylation.
2. Oha Boosts Your Immune System
Oha is one of the vegetables you can take to boost your immune system. You even need it in a world that is facing chronic variance of corona virus.
At the end of a study of the leaf, researchers concluded that the presence of vitamin A and Vitamin C in the leaves make them good for the maintenance of immune system (4).
3. Improves Your Eyesight
According to the study cited above, Oha is good for your vision. This is because of the vitamin A content.
4. Oha Leaf Is A Good Source Of Antioxidants
Everyday, you are exposed to toxins that become radical in your body. Some of these come in from pesticides.
However, with a vegetable like Oha, it is easier for your body to flush out these toxins (5).
One unique thing about Oha leaf is that it is hardly attacked by pests. This is an indication of its power to keep pests away.
5. Oha Leaf Helps Maintain Your Bones
Furthermore, Oha is one leaf that helps your bone a lot.
Basically, the presence of vitamin C in this vegetable shows that the leaves could be used to promote healthy living.
It helps in the maintenance of tissues, bones and teeth. Also, it protects against scurvy and other ascorbic acid deficiency related diseases
6. Improves Heart Health
Also, Oha leaf helps in boosting your heart health.
This is one of the functions of fibre in the body. It helps ensure that cholesterol build-up, which could affect the heart, does not happen.
Also, sodium helps to maintain the balance of water, acids and bases in the fluid outside the cell.
Oha is also rich in iron which is a component of the haemoglobin and mycoglobin. It is required for oxygen and carbon dioxide transport and oxidative phosphorylation.
Iron deficiency is harmful to the heart.
According to a 2018 study, saponins are able to lower bad cholesterol in the body. That also have hemolytic and anticoagulant properties that make them great for cardio-protection (6).
As a result, with this compound, Oha will help lower risk of heart diseases.
7. Oha Leaf Lowers Blood Sugar Level
Again, saponin is another active compound that helps lower blood sugar level for pre-diabetics and diabetics.
According to a study, saponin can reduce the increment of blood glucose by inhibiting the enzymes that break down disaccharides into monosaccharides (7).
The study concludes that this effect is remarkable for the treatment of both Type I and Type II diabetic patients and helps to prevent high blood sugar levels postprandial .
8. Great For Skin Glow
Interestingly, one of the very things you will love about Oha is its beautiful look.
The leaf is just beautiful and shinny and that tells you a lot about its power to make your skin glow.
Now, when we say glow, we do not mean bleach. Don’t go using it as a bleaching agent.
A study says saponins possess antioxidant effects on the skin and protect it against UV damage (8).
This it does via inhibiting extracellular matrix degradation and antiirritation due to their anti-inflammatory action.
Also, for persons that have acne, saponins may be used due to their antiseptic activities.
9. Effective Against Certain Cancers
Cancers are increasingly becoming more popular as a cause of death. They are often caused by free radicals that cause inflammation.
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But Oha leaf contains phytochemicals that are antioxidants. They could arrest toxins and help flush them out of the body.
According to a study, Oha leaf is high in crude fibre which may lower the risk of colon cancer and other digestive disorder (9).
Also, saponin is known to inhibit cancer cells growth.
A study says the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, the induction of apoptosis and attenuation of cell invasiveness is observed in the presence of low saponin concentrations (10).
10. Boosts Nerves And Muscles Function
This is the function of magnesium in Oha. This mineral helps in the metabolism of calcium, vitamin C, phosphorus, sodium and potassium.
Furthermore, it is essential for proper nerve and muscle function.
11. Could Aid Healing Of Stomach Ulcer
Alkaloids provide anti-inflammatory, anticancer, analgesics, local anesthetic and pain relief when consumed by humans.
As a result, persons healing from ulcer could add Oha to their diet to give them relief from the pain.
12. Stress And Depression Relief
Oha is a rich source of magnesium which helps in the metabolism of calcium, vitamin C, phosphorus, sodium and potassium.
This compound is also essential for proper nerve and muscle function effectively helping against stress and depression (11).
Caution
A study says some form of alkaloids could impair fertility in men (12).
How To Use Oha Leaf
First, it is okay to remember that most leaves are to be eaten raw.
Boiling of leaves most times degrades the nutrients and Oha is one of such leaf that could be affected when cooked for long.
Therefore, our first option is to blend it and drink it. You can add it to your smoothie and that powers it up, giving you all the nutrients in its raw state.
You can also chew the leaf to get the nutrients.
Also, the most popular way of eating Oha is to prepare a soup with it.
How To Prepare Oha Soup
Again, one of the very popular ways of eating this vegetable is by using it as a spice for your soup.
That is the common way people in the south-east and south-south area of Nigeria use it.
Ingredients For Oha Soup
- Oha Leaf ( the number depends on how plenty you want your soup to be)
- Stock fish
- Palm fruits
- Ede (cocoyam for thickening soup) or Ofor
- Stock fish
- Crayfish
- Ogiri Isi (Castor seed mash)
- Iru
- Meat
- Fresh fish
- Other ingredients of choice.
How To Prepare Oha Soup
Begin the preparation with washing and boiling your palm fruits and the ede if you are using that as thickener.
Pound the palm fruits wash it with water to extract the oil, pouring it into the pot you intend to use.
Cover the pot and then prepare your ede to make it ready for use. It is not okay to allow your ede to get cold before you pound it.
Pound the ede and then when it becomes smooth and sticky, remove it and put it in a plate ready for use.
Go ahead to wash your stock fish with hot water to make it soft. Ensure that you do not use a rubber container when washing the stock fish to avoid contamination with chemical.
Most importantly, the way you handle Oha leaf would determine how delicious your soup would be.
You don’t slice Oha leaf with a knife. It will become bitter. Instead, chop them with your fingers. Some persons even love to add it the way it is to preserve the nutrients.
Blend the crayfish and iru together till it is smooth. You may not have to blend till it is very smooth.
Boil the stock fish with the meat and fish that you intend to use.
Oha Leaf Soup Preparation Proper
Begin your soup preparation now by placing the palm fruit extract on the fire.
Allow it to boil then you add your meat, stock fish and then the blended crayfish and iru. Do not add the fresh fish at this point to ensure that it does not melt.
Add the pounded ede to your mortar and scoop few spoons of water from the boiling soup and add to the mortar to melt the ede.
Add your ogiri isi to that and mash them thoroughly until it all dissolves and becomes thick.
Remember not to add to much water. It is your thickener.
When done, scoop the ede from the mortar and add to the boiling soup.
No Seasoning Cubes
Allow to thicken a bit then you add your fish and then your oha leaf.
Add salt to taste and allow to simmer for few 3 to 4 minutes. Your soup is ready.
Basically, we do not recommend that you use seasoning cubes for your cooking. Instead make your seasoning and use that.
Meanwhile, the ifu, crayfish and ogiri are amazing seasoning for oha soup that would serve you better than the cubes.
Thank you for reading.
If you find this helpful, kindly share with your friends and loved ones to help them understand why they should add Oha to their diet.