Amazing Facts about Kamias

Name: Kamias or Kalamias 

Scientific Name: Averrhoa Bilimbi 

English Name:  Bilimbi

Kamias or Kalamias are two tagalog terms for Bilimbi. Kamias based in history is originated in Indonesia. It is commonly found in the Philippines, Sri-Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Malaysia and other South East Asian Regions. In our backyard, we have kamias tree and I guess it is almost 10 years old already. Sometimes if the tree bears so much fruit, we tend to eat them with salt or soy sauce or fish sauce. Kamias is very sour, I can't explain it but it has a very high density of sour taste that's why you have to balance it with salty condiments.

When I was young, my mom used to make "kamias jam". I remember how she makes it, she boils kamias in water, "apog" (lime) and sugar until it caramelize or becomes thick. The jam is being preserved in a bottle and we used to make it as sandwich spread. Those were the days with my mom, oh! how I missed her so much! Back to kamias, the lime will make the jam thick and perfect to spread. The taste of kamias jelly is somewhat similar to other jams like strawberry jam.

In the Philippines, kamias leaves are used to first bathe of  mothers who gave birth. The leaves are boiled in water and the cooled  boiled water with kamias leaves will then be used to bathe mothers who recently gave birth and they called it  "after birth tonic". Kamias is also used as recipe ingredient especially "sinigang". It substitutes tamarind, tomato and calamansi in giving sour taste to food. Kamias can be eaten raw, cooked and sun dried. Sun drying of kamias fruit is a method to preseve it. Me, I preferred to use dried kamias in cooking because I find it more tasty and delicious than the fresh ones.

Like any other fruit, kamias also has nutrional contents that gives our body so much health benefits. The moisture that kamias has keeps our skin smooth and healthy.  Kamias also has protein which helps in repairing damaged tissues, providing energy and  keeping the body's immune system healthy. Kamias has Calcium content that aids in keeping the teeth, hair and bones strong. It also has iron, Thiamine,
carotene, Niacin and most of all, it has a high content of ascorbic acid which helps our body fight illnesses.
Some believe that kamias can act as anti-fertility drug, I just don't know if it's true.

There are other uses of kamias. My mom used to make kamias as stain remover, she said that the acid that kamias has helps soften the stain to cloth and therefore it will be easy to remove it. Some traditional textile manufacturers use the flower of kamias as red dye. if you are interested to plant kamias, well, it's easy to grow in well drained soil. It can even be planted on sand and lime stones.

Camote or Sweet Potato Health Benefits

Name: Kamote or Camote

Scientific Name: Batatas Ipomoea

English Name: Sweet Potato 

Kamote as we call it in the Philippines but widely known as sweet potato. It is a vine with root crop which is commonly found in the Philippines. Kamote is easy to plant and grow in a warm climate like our country. They say that Kamote is originated in Mexico and introduced here by the Spaniards. It is easy to propagate kamote plant, it's done by cutting the tops and planting it then it will eventually grow and produce more vines, it can likewise be planted by burying the crop in a healthy soil .


Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy                 359 kJ (86 kcal)
Carbohydrates       20.1 g 

Sugars                    4.2 g 

Dietary fiber             3 g
Fat                             0.1 g
Protein                       1.6 g

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamin A                    709 μg         (89%)
Beta Carotene               8509 μg      (79%)
Thiamine (B1)              0.078 mg     (7%)
Riboflavin (B2)             0.061 mg     (5%)
Niacin (B3)                    0.557 mg     (4%)
Pantothenic acid (B5)    0.8 mg         (16%)
Vitamin B6                    0.209 mg     (16%)
Folate (B9)                       11 μg         (3%)
Vitamin C                         2.4 mg      (3%)
Vitamin E                       0.26 mg       (2%)
Calcium                            30 mg        (3%)
Iron                                   0.61 mg     (5%)
Magnesium                     25 mg          (7%)
Manganese                      0.258 mg    (12%)
Phosphorus                        47 mg       (7%)

Potassium                          337 mg      (7%)
Sodium                               55 mg       (4%)
Zinc                                     0.3 mg      (3%)

source: wikipedia

Camote tops contains a lot of health giving nutrients that our body needs. It has a high content of iron that help keeps the brain active and alert. Kamote tops is high in calcium which keeps our bones, hair and teeth healthy. It also has phosphorus and it is a very good source of dietary fiber that helps improves our digestive system.

Some people believe that kamote tops when eaten regularly can cure diabetes and helps to  regulate the blood flows. Kamote leaves also support the supply of insulin that stabilizes the blood sugar. It also has a power to modulate the metabolism of glucose and blood liquid in the body. Kamote leaves and roots also has a fair content of vitamins A, B and C which are very essential in keeping our body healthy and active.

The root and leaves  of kamote is not eaten raw. The crop is usually boiled in water until cooked and eaten with sugar or grated coconut, this is how we eat kamote in the Philippines. The root crop of kamote is also one of the main ingredients of some Filipino dish like: nilagang baka, kaldereta and afritada. The most popular kamote recipe is "camote que" wherein the sliced kamote is deep fried in oil and added with caramelized sugar. Camote que is commonly found in Philippine streets as street food and commonly served as snack. Kamote leaves are also a recipe ingredients for Pinoy dish like: sinigang, ginisa with sardines and ensalada.

They say that eating kamote crop in the morning completes your body required nutrients that will keep you going for the whole day. Kamote leaves and crop are inexpensive so they are easy to find anywhere in the market. So start eating kamote now and make it a habit!

Amazing Health Benfits and Uses of Patola (Luffa or Gourd)

Patola 

Scientific name: luffa acutangula

English: luffa or ridge gourd 

Patola, is a tagalog term for luffa or ridge gourd. It belongs to the family of vegetables which is very common in the Philippines. Patola is the main ingredient in making Filipino soup dish. In my personal experience, patola is best when added to pork sinigang because it adds extra-ordinary taste that you'll surely love. 

Patola is very easy to grow. In Philippines' temperature, when you plant patola seeds, you just have to wait for 4-7  and you'll see its spring. The patola plant is considered as aerial plant because it grows creeping on trees or trellis. A single patola plant can bear more than 100 fruits if taken care. But patola plant doesn't live long, after it bears fruit it will eventually die after a month or two.

Health Benefits of Patola

• The raw patola fruit is a great source of calcium and iron and an incredible source of phosphorus and vitamin B. 
• The root is utilized as a stomach cleanser, it has the power to discharge the unwanted substance of the stomach.
• The decoction of the leaves is utilized within Java for uraemia and amenorrhea. Uraemia is aggregation in the blood of nitrogenous waste items (urea) that are typically discharged in the pee 
• The leaves are applied in the skin to cure splenitis, hemorrhoids, and leprocy. 
• The juice of the fresh leaves is dropped into the eyes of youngsters in granular conjunctivitis and is also known to be the best aid to diabetes. The juice also applied to injuries and the bites of poisonous creatures. 
• The oil of the seeds is utilized as skin lotion to cure skin diseases. 

Uses of Patola:

Patola fruit is vegetable with plenty of health benefits. Raw patola is a good source of calcium, iron and phosphorus. Patola fruit is considered as a fair source of vitamin B.

In some countries, patola leaf is used to  cure amenorhea and hemorrhoids. The leaves extracts is also believed to be a cure for animal bites. Some also believe that patola seeds when eaten can expel intestinal worms, and also leaf extract can be applied to eczema. There are studies that patola seeds can be used as insecticides.



Luffa Scrub

Dried patola fruit is used as sponge. Many sponge manufacturers use patola as the main material in making sponge or bath scrub. 

The rough texture of dried patola fruit when wiped with bath soap is enough to scrub the body's dirt and clods.

Amazing Health Benefits of Moringa (malunggay)

Malunggay Leaves

Scientific name: Moringa Oleifera

English name: horseradish

Malunngay is a tagalog term for "moringa" or "horseradish". This plant is generally found in the areas around asia like, Malaysia, Thailand and Philippines.

The malunggay plant can grow up to  more than 10 feet tall. In our backyard, we have malunggay plant which is very nearly 10 years of age and as I see the plant, I assume that it is just about 11 feet tall now. Malunggay is currently considered as a miracle herb on the grounds that it is a good wellspring of nutrients and minerals.

Health Benefits and Nutrients of Malunggay:

• Seven times the vitamin C that oranges has - fresh moringa pods and leaves are an excellent wellsprings of vitamin-C. Every 50 g of pods contain 75 µg or 120% of everyday required intake of vitamin C. Likewise, for every 50 g of green moringa leaves contains 26 µg or 43% of everyday recommended level of Vitamin C. As we all know, Vitamin C is the most essential vitamin that our body needs to achieve stronger immune system.
• Four times the Calcium we can get from milk - moringa leaves is a good source of Calcium. In fact, for every 100 grams portion of moringa leaves, there are 434 mg of Calcium, 4 times the calcium we can get from a glass of milk.
• Four times the vitamin A  we found in carrots - there is about 7-8 mg of beta carotene (pro-vitamin A). Our body needs just 1 mg of beta carotene per day. Vitamin A is a very essential element to help fight against all kinds of infections and likewise a very helpful nutrient to help bone healing and development.
• TWO times the protein that milk has - moringa is considered as the only plant on Earth to have the highest content of protein which is two time that we can get from milk. Like soya, moringa can supply enough protein to babies and breastfeeding mothers but, unlike soya, there is no evidence that moringa can cause allergic reaction.
• Three times the Potassium we get from bananas - bananas are a good source of potassium, but the best wellspring of this mineral is non other than moringa. Moringa (100 gms) can supply three times the potassium that we can get from eating a piece of banana.

Malunggay Supplements

There are bunches of malunggay supplements that are available in the market. Moringa products are now one of the top growing suppelement business around the world. Malunggay in the Philippines is standout among the most widely recognized food supplement formulas.

For breastfeeding moms who cannot prepare malunggay soup evryday, they use Moringa capsules to sustain the milk gland in producing fresh and healthy milk for their babies. Malunggay capsules are made from dried malunggay leaves , some are from the root, barks and fruit. As mentioned, every part of malunggay plant has  essential health benefits.

Malunggay as Cooking ingredient

In the Phiippines, the leaves and tree grown fruits of malunggay is used as a basic ingredient in stews  like bulanglang,ginataan and tinola. Malunggay is normally included in noodle soup to include more wellbeing profits for children who love eating instant noodles.

Malunggay for Lactation

One of the best profit that malunggay can give is it enhances lactation for nursing mothers. As per studies, malunggay aside from the nutritional facts mentioned above, it also has a nutrient that helps the mother's milk to activate its milk gland and to continuously produce natural and healthy milk. In connection to this, the green leaves of malunggay is rich in iron, phosphorus, vitamins A,b and C, thiamine, which are all essential to growing kids.

Malunggay for Beauty

Some beauty experts believe that malunggay leaves extract helps the hair grow healthy. Just put the extract on your hair and leave for about 30 minutes before taking a bath. The hair will become healthy, shiny and strong. It can also prevent hair fall because of its calcium and vitamin C contents.

No wonder why malunggay is considered as miraculous plant and some even call it "wonder plant". In case you're searching for a sound nourishment, make this plant as your kitchen's best-friend while preparing healthy meal for your family. Malunggay is additionally accepted to cure diabetes and other major diseases on the grounds that its leaves and pods contain more than 90 supplements and 46 antioxidants.

Oregano Uses and Health Benefits

Oregano is considered as herbal medicine in the Philippines. It belongs to the mint family that many Filipinos believe that it can cure cough when the patient takes the leaves extract. In some countries especially Italy, oregano is one of the most used  ingredients as spice. Oregano is easy to grow especially  in PH temperature. It can grow up to 20 inches tall. Oregano leaves are green and it bears purple small flowers.

When using in culinary, oregano is dried and finely grounded perfect to spread in food recipes, It added spice and warm to food plus it also has aromatic smell. For curing cough, 5 leaves of oregano is being boiled in 1 cup of water and the stack should be taken by the patient. I don't know if the curing method has scientific studies so I'm not encouraging anyone to do this.

In some scientific studies, oregano is a great source of Vitamin K. Vitamin K is very essential to have healthy bones and healthy blood circulation. Some herbal medicine experts believe that oregano has anti-bacterial properties that help fight bad bacteria inside our bodies. Oregano is also a good source of anti-oxidant because of its thymol and rosmarinic acid content.

As for me, I prefer to use herbal than those anti biotic medicines, but there are certain illnesses that these herbal can cure. In my own conclusion, I believe that mild illnesses is best cure by herbal medicines, but severe should seek professional doctors. Herbal medicines for me are perfect to use as preventive maintenance while the body is healthy, take as many anti-oxidants as you can from herbal medicines like oregano for preventive maintenance. Cleansing our inner body will keep us away from serious illnesses because prevention is always better than cure.

Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/oregano/#ixzz2CgJUU0ix

42 times more antioxidant activity than apples, 30 times more than potatoes, 12 times more than oranges and 4 times more than blueberries.”

Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/oregano/#ixzz2CgJUU0ix

42 times more antioxidant activity than apples, 30 times more than potatoes, 12 times more than oranges and 4 times more than blueberries.”

Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/oregano/#ixzz2CgJUU0ix

Rhapis

Rhapis or rapis according to studies belongs to the family of arecaceae that has 10 species. It looks like a small palm and it is a type of plant that doesn't bear fruits or flowers. It is an in-door plant that usually beautifies home interior. It is also one of the most favorite plant of landscapers. Rhapis can grow easily in any type of soil as long as you water it at least every other day or when the soil becomes dry.

Many landscapers here in Laguna uses rhapis as part of the land lay-out. Aside of its green color which is very relaxing to our eyes, rhapis is easy to multiply. A single rhapis plant can have unlimited springs to raise individually.  A well groomed rhapis can grow as tall as 10 feet. 

Yellow Bell

The Facts and health benefits of guava

Guava is a fruit which is commonly found in the Philippines. It is known to be a good source of Vitamin C and some native Filipinos believe that its leaves can cure wounds and the fruit can cure diarrhea. Native guava is small just like a jack stone ball and the highly breed guava fruit can grow big as a football. Guava tree can grow up to 20 feet. It can easily be planted in ordinary soil. As a matter of fact, a typical backyard of Filipino family usually have guava tree. Guava tastes a mixture of sweet and sour and best to deep in small amount of salt to achieve a perfect taste.

Below is the screen shot of Google Images for Guava Fruits  

Langka tree

Langka belongs to the family of fruits. It is commonly found in the mountains and farms in the Philippines. Langka or junk fruit is one of the common flavors of candies, ice cream and other desserts of Filipinos. It can also be a dish viand when cooked unripe with coconut milk and flavored with other spices. Langka has a very attractive odor when riped. Langka when ripe has a color yellow and very sweet natural taste. One of the best and easiest way to prepare langka as dessert is to cook it with brown sugar and small amount of water. Langka is easy to grow even in your backyard. Just plant a seed and it can grow easily in a dry soil.