Bitter leaf soup is prepared with the freshly squeezed or dried leaves of the ever green plant called Vernonia amygdaline.
Bitter leaf soup is popularly eaten by the Igbo speaking people of Eastern Nigeria, and the people of Cameroon. It is called Ofé Onugbo by the Igbos, ewuro by the Yorubas of the western part of Nigeria. While the Hausas of the Northern Nigeria call it “ Shiwaka’’ the Cameroonians call it Ndolé. There are regional differences in how this soup is prepared.
In African context, the soups are prepared with fish, meat, snail, either in combination or singly, with added spices and other condiments. Apart from the delicious taste, it has some medicinal properties as added values.
Nigeria born professor of Biology, patent for bitter leaf-based anti-diabetics and cancer medication in United State. The evidently achieved as a result of some chemical properties it contains. These chemical substances found in bitter leaf also possess a potent anti-parasitic and anti-tumor and bacteria effects. It contains some substances in treating schistosomiasis. Which is a disease caused by parasitic worms. Bitter leaf also helps relief the problems of diarrhea.
In Africa preparation from the bitter leaf are used for treatment . These include common problems as fever as well as parasitic induced disease like malaria and other vector born diseases.
From a personal experience as well, some years ago I suffered from constantly malaria on a monthly basis, I was tired of using drugs. So I resulted to taking of squeezed bitter leaf water once a week. I must tell it actually worked wonder. Experts advised to take raw organic food with cautious as they contain many unprocessed and in separated compounds. Bitter-leaf can be helpful to maintain and tone liver, kidney optimum health. In diabetic patient it can prevent high sugar level in the blood and repairs the pancreas. For skin infections such as ringworm itching, rashes and eczema, the pure, undiluted extract of bitter leaf can be applied on the affected part daily.
For diabetes, pick about ten handful of the leaves, rinse the leaves to wash away the dirt. Squeeze the leaves in ten liters of water and take two glasses , three time daily.
