The little known benefits of crab vegetables

Spinach can be found in many places such as in forests, ditches, cliffs, . well adapted to the tropical environment, so it is possible to meet them in any tropical country. Crab vegetables can be made into many different dishes, so they are very popular. However, few people pay attention to the nutritional value and effects of crabs on health.

The scientific name is Peperomia Pellucida. Botanically, the plant belongs to the family Piperaceae (pepper) which includes about 5 genera and 1,400 species. The genus Peperomia represents almost half of the family Piperaceae. P . Pellucida. Vegetables can grow to a height of about 15cm to 45cm, glossy light green leaves, succulent, heart-shaped. This species grows in the rainy season (usually spring) and thrives in loose, moist soil under the shade of trees.

Picture 1 of The little known benefits of crab vegetables
Spinach thrives in the rainy season.

Crab leaves is a food but is commonly known as an herb with medicinal uses. Ethnographic data in Bolivia from the Altenos Indians record the whole plant being crushed, then mixed with water and heated. This mixture works to stop bleeding. Some other similar documents also say that the decoction of the roots is used to treat colds and fevers and the remaining parts are applied topically to treat abdominal pain, abscesses, acne, boils, abdominal pain, fatigue, gout, headaches, kidney disorders and rheumatic pain and even for the treatment of breast cancer.

Medicinal properties may vary in different geographical areas. In northeastern Brazil, the plant is used to lower cholesterol. In Guyana the vegetable has been used as a diuretic and to treat proteinuria. In the Amazon the vegetable is used as a cough suppressant, diuretic, emollient, and to treat cardiac arrhythmias. According to oriental medicine, the plant has a bitter taste, is used to clear heat, detoxify, leprosy, activate blood, dissolve blood stasis, often used to treat respiratory infections, appendicitis, and some digestive tract diseases. chemical.

A chemical study, mainly studying the essential oils of the plant, identified 71 compounds from the essential oils of 10 types of Piperaceae. In spinach, Carotol (13.41%) is the main hydroxylated sesquiterpene. Several other active substances, such as arylpropanoids with antifungal activity and peperomin with cytotoxic or anticancer activities in vitro. The nutritional composition we will be absorbed when eating vegetables is 24 calories, water (92%), vitamins and minerals (8%). Eating Crab leaves can cause asthma-like symptoms in patients with a hypersensitivity reaction to the plant because it has a mustard-like odor.

Picture 2 of The little known benefits of crab vegetables
In some cases, when eating crabs, there will be symptoms of shortness of breath like asthma.

Some of the outstanding effects of Crab leaves include:

  1. Refreshing effect: because most of the ingredients of the vegetable are water and the crabs are average, this vegetable is a great choice to cool off.
  2. Analgesic/Anti-Inflammatory Effects: One study reported that the anti-inflammatory activity of celery can vary depending on the different growth stages of the plant. Greater anti-inflammatory effects have been observed with the plant in the vegetative and flowering stage or during winter and spring. Tests on rats have shown the pain-relieving ability of Crabica by the stomach cramps test using acetic acid or by the hot plate test. The ability to inhibit pain from 50% to 78%. Differences may be due to different extracts, climatic conditions and plant origin. Therefore, eating spinach is often used in the treatment of fever, cough, cold, headache and arthritis.
  3. Antibacterial effect: Crude methanolic extract contained in Crab leaves has broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. The whole plant extract inhibited the growth of chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum Indo by 95% in vitro at 100 mg/mL and Plasmodium vinckei petteri malaria by 78% in vivo at 1,000 mg/kg. Monoterpenoid derivatives from the plant species Peperomia galioides were toxic to the promastigotes of Leishmania braziliensis, Leishmania donovani and Leishmania amazonensis at 25 mcg/mL and induced total parasite lysis at 100 mcg/mL. .
  4. Anti-cancer effects: Extracts of substances in Crab leaves have an inhibitory effect against the growth of some cancer cells. This suggests that Crab leaves could be a potential complementary food for cancer treatment.
  5. Antioxidant effect: In a study conducted on extracts of Crab leaves, it was shown that the plant has strong scavenging activity against free radicals indicating that pansit-pansitan is an antioxidant. good natural chemistry.
  6. Blood uric acid lowering effect: A study done on rats showed a 44% reduction in blood uric acid levels while rats given allopurinol showed a 66% decrease in uric acid levels. These results suggest that Crab leaves may contain compounds that can be used as an alternative to allopurinol to control uric acid levels in the blood.
  7. Depressive activity: In a rat study in Bangladesh, after rats were euphoric with nikethamide and injected with an extract of crabapple, the extract had depressant activity. However, it is dose dependent and can therefore be used to treat excessive excitement.
  8. Nutrients: Minerals found in vegetables such as potassium and magnesium are good for the heart and blood pressure.

Eating Crab leaves has no reported side effects for most people. However, there are no studies to demonstrate the safety of use in pregnant or lactating women or infants. Therefore, you should be careful before using crab claws for any purpose.