Considered a leafy vegetable, it’s actually a weed that grows in waste places and with other cultivated crops. It is found throughout the tropical regions of world. Its leaves and seeds have medicinal uses and is used for home remedies. The seeds of Bathua are outstanding to wheat, buckwheat, millet, corn, and rice.
Health Benefits
- The Bathua leaves are loaded with fibre, and have laxative properties, which help to cure constipation. According to the book, “Indian Medicinal Plants,” bathua, also known as lamb’s quarters acts as a laxative and as a blood purifier (eat bathua with the juice of 4-5 neem leaves for purifying your blood).
- The leaves of the plant are rich in vitamin A, which makes it more valuable. Its vitamin A content is comparable to that of carrots. Vitamin A is crucial for normal eyesight and the immune system.It protects against problems like night blindness.
- Chenopodium album is a very good natural analgesic or pain killer. It can reduce pain in any part of the body. It also has spasmolytic properties, which make it capable of relieving abdominal cramps or spasms as well. The best part is that it does not cause any side effects.
- When prepared as an infusion, it manages hepatic disorders, spleen enlargement, biliousness, burns, and ulcers. The book, “Handbook on Herbs Cultivation and Processing” explains that that the ground plant mixed with alcohol is also applied topically to treat rheumatism and arthritis.
- Chenopodium album leaves have a good amount of iron, which makes it ideal to enhance haemoglobin level in blood.
- The Leaves are a good source of amino acids. The leaves have 8 crucial amino acids such as Tryptophan, Phenylalanine, Methonine, Theonine, Threonine, Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine.
- According to a study published in the 2007 Journal of Ethnopharmacology, lamb’s quarters possess anthelmintic activity when tested on nematodes. Anthelmintic activity of crude powder, aqueous, diethyl ether and methanol extracts of Chenopodim album leaves were tested at different concentrations. All extracts showed 100% percent mortality of the worms at 0.5%, 1% and 2% concentrations. Maximum corrected mortality of 100% was observed in crude powder and aqueous extract at 2% concentration.
- A 2012 study published in the Journal of Experimental and Integrative Medicine explains that bathua illustrates hepatoprotective benefits and thus holds potential as a therapeutic agent. It protects theliver from toxicity or hepatotoxicity caused by various drugs like paracetamol and also toxins. Certain studies have proved the efficacy of Chenopodium album in reversing the damage of liver caused by paracetamol toxicity.
- As per a 2009 study published in the Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, bathua leaves inhibited the growth of breast cancer cells, and may be a key anti-breast cancer bioagent. On the basis of observed encouraging cytotoxic effect by the in vitro bioassays, it can be revealed that MeOH extract of C. album (leaves) has promising antibreast cancer bioefficacy and must have some chemical moiety in the leaves part of this plant which might be responsible for observed beneficial effect. It is also rich in substances called saponins and flavonoids which prevent cancer, reduce obesity and also protect our heart.
- Chenopodium album or bathua is a good hypoglycemic agent. It helps in lowering the levels of blood sugar in the people. People with Diabetes should definitely make it a part of their diet to keep their blood sugar levels under control.
- According to a 2011 study published in the International Journal of Applied Biology and Pharmaceutical Technology, bathua leaves illustrated antibacterial activity against five human pathogenic bacteria, including Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris, and Pseudomonas aueruginosa.
- Chenopodium album or bathua acts like a good aphrodisiac and improve sexual urge in people having low sex drive.
- The bathua seeds offer improvement in regularizing your menstrual cycles. If a woman is suffering from irregular menstrual cycles, she can prepare a tonic with bathua seeds. Just take 10 grams of goosefoot seeds powder and 10 grams of dry ginger powder. Add them to 500 ml of water and bring to a boil. Boil them until 100 ml remains. Drink this tonic twice a day for few days, You will definitely notice some improvement in regularizing your menstrual cycles.
- A 2011 study published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research, bathua leaf alcoholic extract act as a potent anti-ulcer agent: the plant significantly decreased gastric secretions, free acidity, and total acidity. Furthermore, the sections of the ulcerated area indicated maximum healing as evident by an increase in collagen and regenerated glandular epithelium.
Nutritive InformationIn per hundred grams of edible Bathua leaves there is about: Water 84 grams, energy 44 kcal, carbohydrate 7g, fat 0.8 g, protein 4.3 g, fibre 2.1 g, iron 4g, Calcium 280 mg, Phosphorous 81 mg, Vitamin A 11, 300 IU, thiamine 0.15 mg, Riboflavin 0.4 mg, niacin 1.3 mg and Vitamin C 90 mg. In per hundred grams seeds of cultivated variety there is about: Energy 400 kcal, Protein 16 g, fat 7 g, carbohydrate 66 g. |
Side Effects
Bathua leaves contain significant amount of oxalic acids. Oxalates are in highest in leaves followed by flowers and stem. Oxalic acid has tendency to bind with calcium and this reduces availability of calcium.
The seeds of plant are abortifacient. They can cause abortion. So do not eat in pregnancy. The plant has anti-fertility effect.
Reference:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/