Vegetable - Gogu Leaves - Health Benefits

Gogu Leaves (Roselle)

1. Hypertension : Experts recommend drinking tea made from sorrel for blood pressure reduction, especially in patients suffering from type-2 diabetes. Studies have shown that drinking 2-3 cups of sorrel tea everyday helps in lowering the blood pressure considerably by at least 7-14mm hg. Researchers believe that the anthocyanins found in the sorrel plant are responsible for effectively reducing high blood pressure.
2. Sorrel for Women :
   • Sheep sorrel in particular is a good treatment for breast cancer. It helps in effectively breaking down and reducing tumours in the body. It is a rich source of various vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and chlorophyll that help in fighting breast cancer. Chlorophyll increases the oxygen supply in the body and health experts believe that cancer cells cannot survive for long in an oxygen rich environment. Being rich in oxalic acid, it has powerful anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties that arrest the metastasizing of cancer cells.
   • Sorrel is a good food for women because of its nutritional contents. Being a rich source of calcium, it is good for maintaining bone health in women and preventing problems like osteoporosis. However, due to the lack of scientific evidence, experts do not recommend eating sorrel during pregnancy. Some herbal tinctures of sorrel may contain high levels of alcohol that may be harmful to the developing baby. According to experts, sorrel is also one of the herbs to avoid during the breastfeeding tenure. A large intake of sorrel may reduce the supply of breast milk and in turn hamper the baby’s nutritional needs. On the other hand, sorrel is a good herb to use when weaning, to reduce milk flow.
3. Cancer :The flavonoids found in the sorrel plant are good deterrents against particular types of cancers. These flavonoids help in destroying cancer cells in the body and prevent further spread of this disease. They are also helpful in strengthening the immune system. Sheep sorrel in particular is a good natural cure for cancer. It contains oxalic acid and chlorophyll that are both effective in fighting cancer. Therefore, many people regularly eat sorrel leaves as a preventive measure against cancer.
4. Healing and Medicinal Properties :For centuries, experts in folk medicine have advocated sorrel healing and the medicinal properties of this herb. Some of its essential medicinal properties are as under:
   • Sorrel contains powerful antioxidant properties that help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the body.
   • It contains effective diuretic properties that help in increasing the production of urine, thereby assisting in weight loss as well.
   • Sorrel has powerful detoxifying properties that help in the elimination of harmful toxins from the body that can cause a number of diseases and infections.
   • It contains protocatechuic acid that helps eliminate harmful free radicals from the body.
   • Sorrel also contains effective anti-bacterial properties that help prevent as well as treat a number of infections and related diseases.
   • It helps strengthen the functioning of the heart and liver and fights various inflammations present in the body.
   • A combination of sorrel juice and castor oil in equal proportions is an effective cure for insomnia and other problems.
5. Hair benefits :Sorrel is also a good natural treatment for dry and damaged hair. It is widely used in commercial hair care products for this very reason. Experts believe that sorrel can also help control balding when applied regularly to bald patches. Therefore, it is also considered a good cure for mild hair loss.
6. Other health benefits :
   • Sorrel leaves help cure gonorrhea, urinary tract infections, scurvy, chronic catarrh, and haemorrhages.
   • Sorrel contains powerful antioxidants that help prevent premature ageing.
   • Sorrel leaves are dried and used for the treatment of ringworm, itchy skin, and seasonal fevers.
   • Sorrel tea is a natural cure for kidney stones and jaundice.
   • It is a natural laxative that helps in treating problems like constipation.
   • Sorrel leaf juice is applied topically for the treatment of ulcers, boils, and malignant tumours.
   • Sorrel is also effective in curing scorbutic and inflammatory diseases.
7. More about Roselle :
   • Being rich in oxalic acid, sorrel may not be an ideal choice for everyone, especially those suffering from rheumatism, bladder, and kidney stones
   • It contains powerful laxative properties and over consumption may result in diarrhoea.
   • It is low in energy content but provides adequate dietary fibbers.
   • Not only can you use sorrel as both a fresh and dried herb in cooking, you can also use it to prepare hot and cold teas.

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