Uda Water Health Benefits: Uses To Prevent Pregnancy
Photo credit: Nigeria health blog
What is Uda water?
Uda water is derived from the uda plant and is used as a contraceptive to prevent and minimize undesired pregnancy.
Other names for Negro pepper (Xylopia aethiopica), also known as Uda by the Igbos in Nigeria or Eeru Alamo in Yoruba, are Senegal pepper, selim pepper, Ethiopian pepper, and African Guinea pepper. An Uda is a tall, evergreen, fragrant tree that may grow up to 20 m tall and can be found in Africa, Brazil, and South America.
Uda is a spice that is used to flavor meals such as soups, porridge yam, stews, sauces, meat, fish, and so forth. It may either be ground or used whole. Uda’s seeds, stems, and bark of uda may be utilized to make herbal medicine.
UDA species have a strong flavor and scent, making them beneficial. Madame Joyce Tochukwu, a researcher who wrote a dissertation on uda seed while in university, demonstrated how this specie may be utilized to prevent conception. And per the expert, “the matter of accidental pregnancy between new mothers in Africa is quite serious,” and “although most women want to separate their kids, most do not succeed.”
The researcher wanted to help other moms by teaching them how to utilize a natural method of contraception called “uda water.”
General Health Benefits uda water(Negro Pepper)
If the spice can help treat malaria, it could be a good thing to add to your food or drink.
This is because negro pepper has anti-inflammatory properties, so it can be used to treat things like arthritis and other things that are caused by inflammation.
It has antibacterial characteristics that aid in the battle against microbial invasion.
A stimulant herb called Uda can be used for things like stomach aches, diarrhea, or pain in the abdomen, as well as other gastrointestinal problems.
If you use the powdered extract as a wound dressing, it may help the wound to heal.
The plant may be used to cure rheumatism, fever, and a lack of dependability.
When the powder is pulverized, it may be used with body lotion to reduce skin sores, boils, and skin eruptions.
It may serve as a stimulant and may be used to treat worms in the body.
It is said to be used to treat gastric ulcers.
According to research, drinking uda water may reduce one’s chances of developing cancer.
Nutritional Value of Uda Seed
Flavonoids, alkaloids, cineol, phytosterols, tannins, saponins, polysaccharides, trans-pinocarveol, limonene, linalool, and -caryophyllene are some of the powerful qualities found in uda water made from uda
According to a phytochemical study of Negro pepper, it includes paradol, terpineol, phellandrene, bisabolene, trans-pinocarveol, linalool, farnesene, myrtenol, spathulenol, verbenone, terpeness, and terpinene-4-ol.
Other Health Benefits of Uda water for Women
Uda water is believed to have the capacity to remove blood clots from the uterus or womb during delivery.
It improves the chances of losing body fat related to delivery.
According to reports, Ethiopian pepper might increase menstrual flow in women. It may also be used to treat amenorrhea (absence of menstruation).
Negro pepper may be able to help treat respiratory illnesses like pneumonia, bronchitis, and asthma.
It is supposed to increase breastmilk production in nursing women.
What Makes Uda water So Effective in Family Planning?
Although some people feel that using uda water to halt pregnancy is a hoax, many women claim that it has worked for them. A Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University paper on Xylopia Aetiopiopica (Uda) demonstrates that the presence of ethanol in the plant might reduce the potency of spermatozoa. This, in turn, may reduce a woman’s ability to conceive.
However, one may argue that estrogen and progesterone are key components of clinically approved contraceptives used by women. The issue is, does the negro pepper have the number two? In any case, scientific studies reveal that the spice has an effect on a woman’s estrogen, which might lead to a restriction on conceiving when eaten.
The main benefit of both the negro pepper and the contemporary contraceptive pill is that they both function to prevent ovulation. This means that a woman’s chances of getting pregnant are very low at this point.
What Effect Does Uda water Have on Male Fertility?
According to studies, the effect of negro pepper(uda) on male fertility has remained contradictory. Some people think it has a bad effect on male fertility, but other sources say that certain Ethiopian pepper components have a good effect on male fertility.
In any case, a scientific study on the reproductive influence of Xylopia Aethiopica discovered an increase in sperm motility (movement), as well as an increase in the weight of reproductive organs such as the testis and epididymis (where mature sperm are kept in the body). These advantages were discovered as a consequence of a moderate intake of uda water extracted from uda.
However, larger doses of the study resulted in a substantial decrease in sperm quality in terms of motility and epididymis. Uda should be used in moderation because too much of it could hurt the testicles and reduce male fertility.
Moderate intake, on the other hand, may increase spermatogenic processes, which in turn increases the weight of reproductive organs and fertility. It has also been said in studies that taking high-quality uda may cause males to become infertile for good.
How to Use Uda Seed in Family Planning
Step 1: Collect a large quantity of uda or negro pepper. It may be found among vendors of spices, herbs, and dried fruits and vegetables.
Step 2: Using a measuring cup, weigh out 250 grams of the aromatic plant.
Step 3: Clean the uda and fill a 60-cl (0.6-liter) measuring cup halfway with water. If you’re not sure how to acquire cl, pour a sachet of water (50cl) and add a small amount of water.
Step 4: Bring the washed uda to a boil in the water for 5 minutes. Check to see whether the water’s color begins to darken.
Step 5: Before serving, allow the water to cool. You can refrigerate the water, but freezing it will render several crucial elements inactive.
Step 6: After having intercourse, the woman should immediately drink the water. Others say it should be taken both before and after the meal.
Negro Pepper For a flat stomach
There are those who believe that uda may help burn extra abdominal fat and generate a flatter stomach. This may be achieved by using the water used to boil the fragrant spice. According to claims, flattening the stomach with negro pepper may be achieved within three months of ingesting the water or tea made from it.
You may be wondering how this plant might help you reduce tummy fat. As such, it is important to note that in order to lose weight, whether in the abdomen or in other places of the body, the body’s calorie content must be reduced. This is when the UDA enters the picture. When the plant is mixed with other plants, it is thought to help cut calories in the body, which in turn helps cut belly fat.
How to Make Use of the Plant to Lose Weight
Step 1: Begin with a handful of uda seeds, uziza (piper guenese or Ashanti pepper), and ginger.
Step 2: Combine the spices and set them in a saucepan.
Step 3: Add a wrap of Mbaise (aju mbaise) to the spice mixture. The mbaise wrap should not be loosened.
Step 4: Bring clean drinking water to a boil.
Step 5: Drink water first thing in the morning before meals and again after meals at night.
Step 6: Refrigerate to maintain freshness.
It should be noted that there are various claims that a blend of uda water works better when consumed warm or hot.
Side Effects of Negro Pepper (Uda Seed)
Consuming uda in moderation, like any other food, may have advantages, but excessive intake of the spice may have various side effects of uda water, including the following:
It may be toxic to the body: The aqueous extract found in negro pepper may be harmful to the kidneys and liver.
Although many contemporary contraceptives are believed not to induce abortion, it is believed that uda water has been used by people who seek to terminate pregnancies. This method has been said to be one of the most dangerous ways to prevent pregnancies
Menstruation May Be Affected: The effect of Xylopia aethiopica includes components that may be harmful to a woman’s reproductive system. It could cause heavy menstruation, irregular and painful menstruation, and less ovulation.
If you are taking any drugs, consult your doctor before taking uda seeds.
If you suffer from nausea or dizziness after swallowing uda seed, it is advised to avoid taking it again to prevent problems.
Apart from the health advantages of the negro pepper, this typical Nigerian food has a variety of nutrients. Protein, zinc, copper, vitamins A, B1, B2, C, and E, as well as folic acid, limonene, and alkaloids, are among them. However, it should be noted that some of the health benefits here have not been proven to be true in the real world.
Another big issue with uda seed use is that, like many other plants, there is often no quantification. As a result, taking a greater dose is fairly common. For all we know, eating anything that is rich in content, whether it is food, herbs, or professional treatments, could cause more problems and, in rare cases, even death.