Japan found plants that help increase people's longevity

According to Belgium's La Libre newspaper recently, a Japanese scientist living in the country's Okinawan archipelago has discovered a plant that can increase human lifespan.

He hopes his research will contribute to enhancing the taste of local food, which is dubbed " the world champion of longevity".

At the laboratory of Ryukyu de Nishihara University in Okinawa, agronomist Professor Shinkichi Tawada stirred the amber-colored liquid in a glass jar that gave off a pleasant fragrance. This is the essence of a Japanese flower called "getto" (latin name alpinia zerumbet) , with the family name of ginger, a essence that preserves the longevity secret of Okinawan people.

"For decades, Okinawa has always led the world in people's longevity. I am always interested in ingredients in traditional food to find the secret , " said Professor Shinkichi Tawada.

He has been studying this plant for nearly 20 years and eventually his efforts paid off.

In a recent experiment, the researchers divided a species of worms that lived only 1 month into two groups and observed their lifespan. The first group was regularly eating "getto" , the life time increased by 22% compared to the second group not provided with this kind of food.

"Getto" green leaves, red berries and white flowers contain resvératrol, an antioxidant commonly found in grapes and wine and also a longevity ingredient.

Professor Shinkichi Tawada is extracting "getto" essential oil in the laboratory.(Photo: AFP)

Return to traditional food

According to Professor Tawada, Okinawan people often eat traditional dishes muchi, a winter food consisting of rice flour wrapped around a "getto" leaf to fight flu but today, very few people pay attention to these "getto" pineapple grows on the roadside.

In the center of Naha city, Okinawa's capital, hamburgers, fast-food restaurants, beefsteak shops serve about 19,000 American troops on the islands, affecting the lifestyle of the people. direction.

If Okinawa women have the highest life expectancy in Japan, averaging about 87 years, men rank 34th with 79.4 years, lower than the national average. Currently, the proportion of Okinawa men is the highest obese in the country.

"Today, Okinawan youths eat so much fast food. Life expectancy is therefore declining. It is time to return to traditional food , " worried Professor Tawada.

New economic sector

At Naha market, older women still buy traditional vegetables like goya, a famous bitter melon and also good for health. There are also many housewives who choose to buy "getto" leaves that are sold in many stalls.

Professor Tawada's research is now applied by Keiko Uehara to beauty products.

At her cosmetics store, many beauty care products are extracted from "getto" essential oils .

"Here, people often drink tea and this helps them to be young. The non-alcoholic drinks that are extracted from the tree will not remove any wrinkles," said Keikop Uehara. Although she is 64 years old, her face is still smooth.

Far away, in the fields, farmers are expanding the area of "getto" trees .

"We don't want to stop at Okinawa, we want to conquer the world market and export getto," Isamu Kina is in charge of Rich Green, the main "getto" producer in the region.

Professor Tawada is raising the ambition that this "miracle" tree is not only used in beauty products but will be widely used in medicine and other high value-added fields.

Professor Tawada hopes his new research will create a "kick" for the economy of the Okinawa Islands.