9 Health Benefits of Scent Leaf, Nutitional & Side Effects
What is Scent Leaf?
The benefits of scent leaf is a very good topic to put in consider. the Scent leaf, which is called Ocimum gratissimum in English and (Efinrin) in Yoruba, is part of the Lamiaceae family. Scent leaf is a culinary herb native to Nigeria, Ghana, and other regions of Africa and Asia. It is a homegrown shrub found in fields and gardens that is mostly utilized as a spice in cooking delicacies due to its aromatic taste. It’s a vegetable spice that adds a wonderful, one-of-a-kind flavor and a sweet perfume to any meal. Any meal with a scent leaf will undoubtedly make your mouth swim, but there is more to its perfume.
Naturalization has occurred in Polynesia, Hawaii, Brazil, Panama, the West Indies, and Mexico. It is native to Africa, where it is widely utilized (particularly in West Africa).
Colloquial name of Scent Leaf
African basil is the preferred common name.
Portuguese: alfavaca-de-caboclo; alfavacão
French:Â basilic sauvage; menthe gabonaise
English terms for clover basil include clover, East Indian basil, shrubby basil, and tree basil.
Chinese: wu mao ding xiang luo leÂ
Spanish: albahaca Africana ; albahaca cimarrona ; albahaca de limón Â
Nutritional Benefits Scent Leaf: What Are the Health Benefits of Scent Leaf?
The benefits of Scent leaf is enormous as i said earlier. Scent leaf is mostly utilized as a local component in the preparation of ‘Ofe Akwu,’ pepper soups, porridge yams, jollof beans, jollof rice, ‘Ukwa,’ and many other dishes. Furthermore, the Benin people utilize it to make soups such as ‘Ogbono” and “Egusi.” It is most well known for its ability to prepare various dishes.
Scent leaf, on the other hand, is an excellent plant for healing due to its many health benefits. the benefits of Scent leaf include its usage as a culinary herb. Then, in this essay, we’ll look at the health and benefits of scent leaf:
Nutritional Benefits of Scent leaf
- As benefits of scent leaf, it is used to treat fungal infections, fevers, colds, and catarrh. Skin disorders like ringworm are treated using nchanwu leaves that have been squeezed and put on the skin.
- One the health benefits of Scent leaf is used to alleviate stomach aches, diarrhea, chronic dysentery, and vomiting. The scented leaf’s aqueous extracts can be used to treat earaches and colon pains. A decoction of scent leaves is used to treat mental illnesses.
- When dried and burned, these leaves can be used as a mosquito repellent.
- Oral infections can be treated with scent leave. Say goodbye to stinky breath because scented leaves will kill all the bacteria in your mouth while also preventing tooth decay and bad breath.
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Another benefits of Scent leaf is that it promotes digestion. If you are the type of person who eats late at night, you are likely to suffer from indigestion and bloating. Scent leave has numerous health benefits, including easier bowel evacuation and weight management.
- The aromatic leaf’s aqueous extracts may be used to treat earaches and intestinal problems.
- Because of its anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties, chanwu oil can be used as a food preservative.
- The benefits of Scent leaves are also used to prevent and cure malaria, catarrh, cough, and fever.
- Some people chew on the stick of this leaf as a local chewing stick.
- Nchanwu seeds can be infused to treat urinary tract infections, gonorrhea, and vaginal douches for vaginitis. Scent leaf has recently been found to be effective in the treatment of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
What are the health benefits of scent leaf?
1. Lowers blood sugar levels
Scent leaves have an unrivaled ability to lower blood sugar and protect insulin-producing pancreatic islets from damage. A study on mice revealed that smelling leaves were effective in lowering blood sugar levels.
2. Promotes wound healing
The leaves of O. gratissimum are used by the Igbo tribe in Nigeria to keep a newborn baby’s cord sterile and to help the body heal.
This technique has been supported by research, which discovered that the essential oil content of scent leaves may aid in wound healing.
3. Preservatives in food
Scent leaves have been reported to have antimicrobial properties. Because its extracts are plant-based, the ethanol extract may be utilized as a powerful food preservative to keep bacteria and fungus at bay, which would otherwise cause food to spoil. This provides a less expensive and perhaps healthier alternative to other commonly used preservatives.
4. Helps with digestion
Scent leaves may help alleviate bloating and aid with the digestion of meals. Brew-scented scent leaves may help with bowel evacuation and provide a relaxing effect on the stomach. Heartburn may also be relieved by drinking scented tea.
5. Promotes liver health
Scent leaves are rich in antioxidants, which may help with liver health.
In one Nigerian study, significant amounts of scent leaf extract (Ocimum gratissimum) were found to protect the liver from damage.
6. Encourages good oral hygiene
When used as a chewing stick, the stem of the scent leaf destroys bacteria in the mouth and aids in the prevention of bad breath. It may help prevent tooth decay. Tea brewed from scent leaf leaves may be used as a tonic or as a gargle to cure sore throats.
7. Helps to prevent diabetes
Scent leaves have been used in traditional medicine to lower blood sugar, which is a common sign of diabetes.
According to animal research, extracts of scent leaf effectively lowered blood glucose levels in diabetic-induced rats by 81.3 percent.
8. promotes healthy hair growth
One of the most dreaded adverse effects of cancer treatment is hair loss. Orafidiya et al. found that the leaf essential oil of scent leaves (Ocimum oil) can help people with cyclophosphamide-induced hair loss grow new hair and follicles.
9. It alleviates cold and cough symptoms.
Due to its rich essential oil concentration, scent leaf is one of the herbs of choice in traditional medicine for treating common colds and coughs.
It is thought to help expel thick mucus and soothe sore throats.
To create tea, the leaves are either boiled or steamed, and the vapor is breathed in.
Benefits of scent leaf|How to use scent leaf?
For the benefits of scent leaf, you can prepare scent leaf in the following ways:
- Fresh scent leaves may be used in soups, tomato sauces, stews, and stir-fries.
- Make a cup of green tea with fresh scent leaves.
- Fresh leaves may be added to beans or yam porridge.
- Lightly cooked leaves may be sprinkled over pizza, pies, or incorporated into a wrap.
- Scent leaves may be used in a salad or smoothie.
- Use ground dried leaves with other spices as a seasoning for meat or chicken.
Side Effects of Scent leaf
Some people may need to be careful while handling scent leaves. Please avoid scent leaves if you are sensitive to plants in the basil or mint family.
In addition, if you have hives, edema, or trouble breathing after eating anything made with the leaves, call 911. Scent leaf is rich in vitamin K, which aids in blood clotting. High-vitamin K foods and supplements may interfere with the action of blood thinners such as warfarin. As a result, anybody using blood thinners should see their doctor before increasing their consumption of scent leaf or any other species of basil.
In conclusion,
Scent leaf (Ocimum gratissimum) has a lot of antioxidants and vitamins, which can help fight off sickness and keep you from getting sick. Its essential oil concentration is very high in phytochemicals, which fight microbial illnesses, bad breath, skin diseases, and the common cold.
Pregnant women and those on blood thinners, on the other hand, should avoid consuming significant quantities of fresh scent leave extracts. Furthermore, more scientific research in humans is required to determine the precise mechanisms by which scent leaves treat diseases.