What are Benefits and Medicinal uses of Spinach (Paalak)?

                    SPINACH (PAALAK)

        

            The spinach is the most popular leafy vegetables. It is cultivated on a large scale in almost every part of India. At present, it is the most esteemed green leafy vegetable.

Qualities:

                          Spinach is a bit pungent, sweet, digestible, cool, and dry. It stimulates peristalsis and is a mild laxative. It is easy to digest and assimilate. It has a satisfying quality. It is heavy and palatable. It eliminates cough, asthma and toxic elements.

Analysis of contents:

                         Spinach are contained 91.7% water, 1.9% Protein, 0.9% fat, 4.00% carbohydrates, 1.5% minerals, 0.06% calcium, 0.01% Phosphorus, 5 mg/100 gm Iron, 2600 to 3500 I.U/ 100 gm Vitamin 'A', 70 I.U to 100 gm Vitamin 'B', 48 mg/ 100 gm Vitamin'C'

                                Its also contains magnesium, sulphur, sodium, silicon and potassium in minute quantities.

Use:

                            The spinach is agreeable vegetable. It is often cooked as a green vegetables. Its soup also can be taken by boiling it. But its raw juice gives the maximum benefits of its contents.

Benefits:

                            As the iron of spinach is easy of digestion, it is employed as a food medicine in anaemia with satisfactory results. The minerals which spinach contains reduce acidity and bestow health. Its juice is diuretic. It allays bile-disorders. It is very effective against gynaecological diseases.

Note:

                     Spinach contains salts of oxalic acid in good proportion. Hence it is harmful to people likely to get kidney stone trouble. Therefore, they are advised  to make restricted use of spinach.

 

What are Benefits and Medicinal uses of Basil (Tulsi)?

                             BASIL (TULSI)

                Basil has been recognized as a medicine ever since the dawn of civilization. Its medicinal properties have made it so popular that people regard it with devotion and worship it. Basil has two varieties: Black and white. Black basil is considered to be superior to while basil in merit. On account of its multifarious properties, our ancient sages have given it a religious significance so that every Indian house might have a basil-plant grown near it. Basil plant grows only in India. It is part and parcel of India life.

Qualities:

            Basil is bitter, pungent, warm, fragrant, light, appetising and dry  in nature. It cures gas-trouble, cough, swelling, intestinal worms, vomiting, skin-diseases and kidney-disorders. It is good for the heart and the eyes. It expels intestinal worms. It is believed that the basil-plant emits one kind of gas which purifies  the polluted atmosphere around it.

Uses:

            Take two or three spoonfuls of basil-juice either alone or mixed with some other palatable juice.

Benefits:

            Two or three spoonfuls of basil-juice taken on an empty stomach in the morning increases vitality and lustre of the body. It is a good nerve -tonic. It enhances the memory-power.

            Basil-juice kindles gastric fire. It is definitely effective against hyper-acidity, dysentery, colitis and other digestive disorders.

            A spoonful of basil and ginger-juice mixed with honey works as a good medicine for fever, cough and asthma.

            Basil-juice is a specific remedy for malaria. It allays cold, catarrh and headache. It has strengthening effects on the  kidneys. It  brings down the level of cholesterol in blood.

            Two drops of basil-juice put in the eyes twice a day bring good results in the treatment for night-blindness. Basil-juice if applied on the body cures allergy. A few drops of basil-juice are put  in the ear to treat any ear-trouble.

            A simple decoction prepared by boiling basil, ginger and green tea leaves in water is very delicious and nourishing one.

What are Benefits and Medicinal Uses of Tomatoes (Tamatar)?

 

                        Tomatoes

The tomatoes is an excellent food for diabetics for those who desire to reduce their their weight.

 

Introduction:

                        The tomatoes is a native of South America. Sir Walter Raleigh brought it to Europe. It is said that it was introduced into India from Europe.

Qualities:

                        According to the Ayurveda, the tomato is light, lubricous ,warm, stimulant, appetiser, laxative and a remover of cough and windiness.

Analysis of Contents:

                        Tomatoes are contained   94.3% Water, 0.9% Protein, 0.4% Fat, 3.9%  Carbohydrates, 0.9% Minerals, 100 I.U./100 gm Vitamin ‘A’, 39 mg/100 gm Vitamin ‘C’.

                         The tomato contains some  Vitamin 'B1' and Vitamin 'B2'. The minerals contained in the  tomato include Calcium, Phosphorus, Sulphur, Potassium, Magnesium, Chlorine, Sodium, Iron and iodine. It also contains citric, phosphoric and malic acids which purify the blood.

                          The tomato is rich in vitamin 'A'. Five small tomatoes are sufficient to supply necessary vitamin 'A' for a day.Weight for weight tomatoes contain more vitamin 'A' than butter. It is remarkable that the vitamin 'C' content contained in the tomato is not quickly destroyed because it is protected by  the acid it contains. The vitamin 'C' content of the tomato increases as it ripens. Only ripe tomatoes contain vitamin 'B2'. Only 150 ml of tomato juice supplies one-third of vitamin 'C' necessary for a day. For children, tomato-juice is better than orange-juice.

 Use:

                                     Tomatoes are widely used as salad. Tomato-juice is taken as soft drink. Soup can also be prepared after boiling tomatoes. Some honey, date or  jaggery can be added to tomato-juice to make it a palatable drink.

 Benefits:

                    As the tomato has a very low carbohydrates content, it is a very good food for diabetic patients and for those who want to reduce their body weight.

                            Tomato juice cleanses the stomach and the intestines. It is also useful in kidney disorders. It removes indigestion, gas and constipation. It gives relief in liver-diseases. As the iron of the tomato is easily digestible, it is completely absorbed in the body. Hence tomato-juice is very important for anaemic patients. Tomato soup can be given also in fever.

                             There is a reference that in Guy’s Hospital at London, patients suffering from eye-troubles and weakness were cured by tomato-juice. In ‘The Cancer Hospital’ at  New York  the patients are given tomatoes and tomato-juice