In this article, you will learn about several health benefits of scent leaf and also understand how best you can make use of this leaf to achieve maximum result.
Scent leaf is botanically known as Ocimum gratissimum. Scent leaf is native to some parts of Africa, Nigeria included. In Nigeria, it is a common leaf among the different tribes in the country and it is called different names the Yoruba’s call it ‘Efirin’, the Igbo’s call it ‘Ahuju’ or ‘Nchanwu’, the Hausa’s call it ‘ Kamsh’ or ‘Doddo.
Scent leaf is a dark green leafy vegetable, it is a homegrown shrub that can be found in farms and gardens. Scent leaf is mostly used as spice for cooking food.
I believe it is called scent leaf because it has a strong scent that produces a nice aroma when added to food. Scent leaf is a vegetable seasoning that gives every meal that delicious and unique taste while leaving your taste buds wanting for more. Food made with scent leaf will definitely get your mouth watering and yearning for more.
All things being equal it may please you to know that scent leaf is not only popular for the nice taste and aroma it gives to food, as it is also known for its many health benefits.
Scent leaf contains various nutrients and minerals which contributes to its numerous health benefits. Fresh scent leaves are reported to be rich in protein, magnesium, cinnamic acid. They are also rich in anetol, boron compounds, eugenol compound, stigmasterol, tannin, zinc and tryptophan. These nutrients available in scent leaf is one of reasons why you need scent leaf.
The benefits of the scent leaf to human health are many because the leaf is rich in nutrients. Here are some of the many health benefits of scent leaf that you should never miss.
Table of Contents
Scent leaf is used for oral hygiene
Oral hygiene is very important as all the things that enters our body passes through the month, this makes it a must that you keep your mouth odour free and clean at all time. An odour free mouth will go a long way in boosting your morals and self confidence. Hope you can see with me that it is important to always keep your mouth clean and healthy as bad oral hygiene can make one prone to bacteria infection and tooth decay.
Scent leaf has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties which enables is to fight against bacteria and this is one its outstanding health benefits. When the sterm of scent leaf is used as a chewing stick, the stem of the scent leaf kills bacteria in the mouth and also aids in the prevention of bad breath. It can also help to prevent tooth problems and tooth decay. Tea can be made from scent leaf leaves and used as a tonic or gargled in the mouth/ throat to treat sore throats and in general any form of mouth infection.
Knowing what you know now about scent leaf I believe you will embrace it with both hands as it is a natural healer that can destroy up to 99% of the microbes that are present in our mouth. These microbes are responsible for mouth odours and infections. Scent leaf extract perfectly heals ulcers, if they are present. At this juncture I think the best thing to do is to have scent leaf in your garden for easy access cos you can’t stand to miss its benefits. What do you think?
Can be used to cure diarrhea
There are many health benefits of scent leaf and one of them is its effective against some pathogenic bacteria that cause diarrhea in humans. To help with diarrhea scent leaves could be brewed into a tea and can be used for the treatment of diarrhea and stomach disorders including gastroenteritis. Growing up my mom do give us this tea to help clean and set our stomachs.
Drinking the squeezed juice from fresh scent leaves will stop stooling. You can also decide to add salt or lime to the juice as it gives a better taste and also eases the unnecessary bowel movement that you may be experiencing.
Treatment of fungal infection
One of the most common health benefits of scent leaf is that it serves as an anti-fungal option. Some fungal such as Penicillium notatum, Candida albicans, and Microsporeum gyseum are all susceptible to the antifungal properties of scent leaves. One of the extracts of scent leaf known as Chloroform demonstrated potent antifungal activity against the fungal species mentioned above.
As a result of these antifungal properties, when crushed and injured on skin scent leaf can be squeezed and applied on the spot to kill existing fungal infections as well as to prevent fungal infection on the wound. This will help the scar to heal faster.
Squeezed juice from scent leaves is applied on the skin for treating numerous skin diseases and ringworm, eczema etc. One of the benefits of scent leaf is its ability to take care of most skin-related infections.
It can be used as a food preservative
Scent leaf is rich in anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties, as a result, scent leaf oil can be used as a food natural preservative. These anti-microbial properties make it possible for one to use scent leaves for the treatment of oral infections, mouth odour, tooth decay, fungal infections bad breath, and so on.
If you are looking for a natural food preservative with known health benefits, scent leaf is an option to tick.
As a mom, I have come to realize that scent leaf when added to meals helps to preserve it for a bit longer than usual. Anytime I add enough scent leaf to my Banga soup, I notice that it hardly goes sour. You can give it a try.
Scent leaf aids digestion
One of the numerous health benefits of scent leaf is its ability to help relieve bloating, it also aids in the digestion of food eaten. Consumption of scent leaves can help with bowel evacuation as well as provide a calming effect on the stomach.
This calming effect also helps to relieve heartburn as the stomach acid won’t be pressured to the heart thereby causing heartburn. This can be achieved by adding scent leaf to your food or by drinking scent leaves as tea.
Maintenance of good vision
You cannot count the numerous health benefits of scent leaf without mentioning the help it renders in vision maintenance. Scent leaf is known to be high in vitamin “A”. Vitamin A is a vitamin that helps with vision. The retina of the eyes requires vitamin A which combines with the protein opsin to form rhodopsin.
The addition of scent leaf to your food will go a long way in improving and maintenance of eyesight. The good this is the addition of scent leaf to your food is a plus as it will also elevate the taste and aroma of your food.
Fever and malaria
Scent leaf is effective in the treatment of fever and malaria. This is possible with the help of ‘antipyretic’ which is a substance that is contained in scent leaf. It could sound bogus to imagine that one of the health benefits of scent leaf could involve treatment of malaria, while this is not a doctor’s prescription, it is important to note that this still helps people in the rural areas who do not even have access to a doctor.
The best way to use scent leaves for the treatment of fever and malaria is to boil the scent leaf with water and take it hot in the form of tea because hot tea/ water helps to activate the body and warms it up. This clears of the symptoms of fever from the body. I bet you are wowed, information is power.
Lowering blood sugar
One of the notable health benefits of scent leaf is that it can lower blood sugar levels and also protect the pancreas cells that produce insulin from damage thereby also helping with the management of diabetes.
A study in 1996 showed a decrease in blood sugar levels after eating food prepared with scent leaf are significant at the NID-DM patients.
According to research conducted on mice, the content of ethanol in mint is efficacious in lowering blood sugar levels. Another finding that was conducted stated that scent leaf is able to protect body tissue from damage caused by radiation.
In Nigeria, many delicacies are prepared with scent leaf as vegetable. Foods that can be prepared with scent leaf includes Banga soup (ofeakwu), pepper soup, jollof rice, beans, local rice, stew, peppered chicken, nkwobi, isi ewu, yam porridge, plantain porridge. In fact, scent leaf can be added as a vegetable to any meal because it has a very nice aroma and it is also a medicinal plant.
Note:
This information does not in any way replace that of a health professional. Be reminded to always consult with your doctor about any medical concerns, issues, conditions and supplements that you may be taking. Always consider the advice of a medical practitioner on the treatment of any health issue you may experience.
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Reference
- https://terraskills.com/health-benefits-of-scent-leaf/
