Benefits of Moringa Leaves

Belows are the summarized for the Benefits of Moringa Leaves as I’ve searched for you…

As we known that “Moringa” also called “the miracle tree”. The moringa tree has many uses for people in Africa and also elsewhere it grows. Some parts of Moringa tree can be used for animal feed, domestic cleansers, perfume, dye, fertilizer, medicine, water clarification, rope fiber, and as an agent for tanning hides.

Moringa tree is rich in iron, potassium and multivitamins, especially vitamin A. Moringa tree contains four times the amounts of vitamin A in carrots and thus can prevent blindness.

The tree's leaves contain high amounts of vitamin C, which is seven times more than oranges. Moringa tree's leaves contain twice the amount of protein and four times more calcium than milk. Moringa is also rich in potassium- it contains triple the amount in bananas.

Statistics from a book called “The Tree of Life” published by Church World Services in 1999, claim the following:

“For a child aged 1-3, a 100g serving of fresh cooked leaves would provide all his/her daily requirements of calcium, about 75% of his iron and half his protein needs, as well as important amounts of potassium, B vitamins, copper and all the essential amino acids. As little as 20 grams of leaves would provide a child with all the vitamins A and C he needs.”

Without any doubt we can claim that we can only benefit from moringa tree leaves. They are organic, natural and powerful energy supplement. Moringa leaf has no proven bad effects and is absolutely safe and organic, and is suitable for people from any age group.

Benefits of Moringa Leaves

According to researchers, Moringa leaves could treat at least 300 diseases. Let's name just a benefits that Moringa leaves bring:

1. gives a feeling of wellness and promotes energy, yet this is not a sugar based energy
2. increases natural body defense and stimulates metabolism
3. stimulates the cell structure of the body
4. rich in vitamin A, provides nourishment to the eyes and brain
5. balances level of cholesterol
6. balances level of sugar
7. rich in anti-oxidants, beautifies the skin and lowers the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
8. improves functioning of kidney and liver
9. promotes healthy digestion
10. promotes body's immune system
11. promotes circulatory system and controles blood pressure
12. promotes anti-inflammatory features, heals arthritis pain
13. heals tumors and ulcers
14. balances hormone and gland system
15. detoxify body from poisons
16. helps relax and promotes good night sleep
17. purifies water

In some countries, for example in Senegal, people make sauce out of Moringa leaf powder; in India Moringa tree leaves are used in ayurvedic medicine.

From the popular myth is considered that the fruit of Moringa tree increases sexual libido in men; another myth claims that the tree hosts ghosts during the night. The truth is that is hosts insects, which makes it unattractive for people to grow it in their backyards.

Moringa has been used in households in countries it grows for centuries, but only recently has been tested commercially. Unfortunately, it is still not used widely as it should have been.

In conclusion, Moringa is remarkable discovery for Western world. Of course, people living in tropical parts know the benefits of the tree for thousands and thousands of years. Leaves are great spice in the kitchen-tasty, but most of all healthy. Tree is best known as an excellent energy and nutritional booster, rich in nutrients, vitamins and amino acids. It will replenish your body and provide you with the right energy you need, not sugar-energy, that makes you hyper for some period of time and then leaves you drained.

One might think this is just another product to sell. It is not just a product, it is a gift from nature. India's ancient tradition of ayurveda says the leaves of the Moringa tree prevent 300 diseases, and modern or if you prefer western science confirmed the basic idea. Unfortunately, even while science is introducing the benefits of the Moringa leaves, this vital information has not reached the people who need it most.

Ref : http://www.steadyhealth.com, http://www.treesforlife.org, and http://en.wikipedia.org

Moringa (Ma-Room)

Last weekend, I went to my hometown and found “moringa capsule” in the refrigerator. My mom told me that there are many benefits for this herb. Every pasts of this herb can be used as medicine. First, I want you to know this herb, “ Moringa “ or “ Maroom “ in Thai.

Moringa oleifera, commonly referred to simply as "Moringa" and Malayalam. Muringnga, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Moringa, which is the only genus in the family Moringaceae. It is an exceptionally nutritious vegetable tree with a variety of potential uses. The tree itself is rather slender, with drooping branches that grow to approximately 10 m in height. In cultivation, it is often cut back annually to 1 meter or less and allowed to regrow so that pods and leaves remain within arm's reach.

Distribution
The "Moringa" tree is grown mainly in semi-arid, tropical, and subtropical areas, corresponding in the United States to USDA hardiness zones 9 and 10. While it grows best in dry sandy soil, it tolerates poor soil, including coastal areas. It is a fast-growing, drought-resistant tree that is native to the southern foothills of the Himalayas in northwestern India. Reports that it grows wild in the Middle East or Africa are completely unsubstantiated. Today it is widely cultivated in Africa, Central and South America, Sri Lanka, India, Mexico, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. It is considered one of the world’s most useful trees, as almost every part of the Moringa tree can be used for food or has some other beneficial property. In the tropics, it is used as forage for livestock, and in many countries, Moringa micronutrient liquid, a natural anthelmintic (kills parasites) and adjuvant (to aid or enhance another drug) is used as a metabolic conditioner to aid against endemic diseases in developing countries.

A traditional food plant in Africa, this little-known vegetable has potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development, and support sustainable landcare.

General nutrition
The immature green pods called “drumsticks” are probably the most valued and widely used part of the tree. They are commonly consumed in India and are generally prepared in a similar fashion to green beans and have a slight asparagus taste. The seeds are sometimes removed from more mature pods and eaten like peas or roasted like nuts. The flowers are edible when cooked, and are said to taste like mushrooms. The roots are shredded and used as a condiment in the same way as horseradish; however, it contains the alkaloid spirochin, a potentially fatal nerve-paralyzing agent, so such practices should be strongly discouraged.

The leaves are highly nutritious, being a significant source of beta-carotene, Vitamin C, protein, iron, and potassium. The leaves are cooked and used like spinach. In addition to being used fresh as a substitute for spinach, its leaves are commonly dried and crushed into a powder, and used in soups and sauces. Murungakai, as it is locally known in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, is used in Siddha medicine. The tree is a good source for calcium and phosphorus. In Siddha medicines, these drumstick seeds are used as a sexual virility drug for treating erectile dysfunction in men and also in women for prolonging sexual activity.

The Moringa seeds yield 38–40% edible oil (called ben oil from the high concentration of behenic acid contained in the oil). The refined oil is clear, odorless, and resists rancidity at least as well as any other botanical oil. The seed cake remaining after oil extraction may be used as a fertilizer or as a flocculent to purify water.

The flowers are also cooked and relished as a delicacy in West Bengal and Bangladesh, especially during early spring. There it is called shojne ful and is usually cooked with green peas and potato.

Malnutrition
Moringa trees have been used to combat malnutrition, especially among infants and nursing mothers. Three non-governmental organizations in particular — Trees for Life, Church World Service, and Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization — have advocated Moringa as “natural nutrition for the tropics.” Leaves can be eaten fresh, cooked, or stored as dried powder for many months without refrigeration, and reportedly without loss of nutritional value. Moringa is especially promising as a food source in the tropics because the tree is in full leaf at the end of the dry season when other foods are typically scarce. (Jed W. Fahey, 2005)

A large number of reports on the nutritional qualities of Moringa now exist in both the scientific and the popular literature. It is commonly said that Moringa leaves contain more Vitamin A than carrots, more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach, more Vitamin C than oranges, and more potassium than bananas,” and that the protein quality of Moringa leaves rivals that of milk and eggs. However, the leaves and stem of M. oleifera are known to have large amounts of their calcium bound in calcium oxalate crystals, (see Olson, M. E., and S. Carlquist. 2001. Stem and root anatomical correlations with life form diversity, ecology, and systematics in Moringa (Moringaceae), Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 135(4): 315-348), which is not a form of calcium available to the body. Whether the claim of "more calcium than milk" includes this non-bioavailable calcium needs to be addressed. The oral histories recorded by Lowell Fuglie in Senegal and throughout West Africa report countless instances of lifesaving nutritional rescue that are attributed to Moringa (Fuglie, L.J., 1999, 2000). In fact, the nutritional properties of Moringa are now so well-known that there seems to be little doubt of the substantial health benefit to be realized by consumption of Moringa leaf powder in situations where starvation is imminent. Nonetheless, the outcomes of well-controlled and well-documented clinical studies would still be clearly of great value. (Jed W. Fahey, 2005)

In many cultures throughout the tropics, differentiation between food and medicinal uses of plants (e.g. bark, fruit, leaves, nuts, seeds, tubers, roots, and flowers), is very difficult because plant uses span both categories, and this is deeply ingrained in the traditions and the fabric of the community (Lockett et al., 2000).

In traditional Indian medicine, children and adults used to drink a cup of decoction (kasayam), every Sunday normally after an oil bath, made of ginger, garlic, a piece of Murungai tree park (Murungai pattai) and Mavelingam tree park (mavelinga pattai, and the root nodules of Kolinji plant (a leguminous plant with nitrogen nodlules in the root.

Cultivation
In the Philippines, the plant is propagated by planting limb cuttings 1–2 m long, from June to August, preferably. The plant starts bearing pods 6–8 months after planting, but regular bearing commences after the second year. The tree bears for several years. It does not tolerate freeze or frost. It can also be propagated by seed. As with all plants, optimum cultivation depends on producing the right environment for the plant to thrive. Moringa is a sun- and heat-loving plant. Seeds are planted an inch below the surface and can be germinated year-round in well-draining soil.

There is a saying in Tamil Language in India "Murungaiyai odithu vala, pillaiyai adithu vala" (Meaning: the murungai tree must be cultivated by regular pruning, children must be goomed with properr guidance(by punishing too).
Moringa is common in India, where its triangular, ribbed pods with winged seeds are used as a vegetable crop. It is particularly suitable for dry regions. The drumstick can be grown using rainwater without expensive irrigation techniques. The yield is good even if the water supply is not. The tree can be grown even on land covered with 10-90 cm of mud.

Moringa is grown in home gardens and as living fences in Thailand, where it is commonly sold in local markets. In the Philippines, Moringa is commonly grown for its leaves, which are used in soup. The leaves (called dahon ng malunggay in Tagalog or dahon sa kamunggay in Cebuano) are commonly sold in local markets. Moringa is also actively cultivated by the AVRDC in Taiwan. The AVRDC is "the principal international center for vegetable research and development in the world. Its mission is to reduce poverty and malnutrition in developing countries through improved production and consumption of vegetables."

Ref : http://en.wikipedia.org and http://www.treesforlife.org

Chrysanthemum flower for herbal tea

" Gek Huay " is one of dry flower for tea. This herbal tea is very popular in Thailand, I'm really love it... It can be taken over ice or hot tea - both of them are very great. Let's know more " Gek Huay " with me !!!

Chrysanthemum tea is a flower-based tisane made from chrysanthemum flowers of the species Chrysanthemum morifolium or Chrysanthemum indicum, which are most popular in East Asia. To prepare the tea, chrysanthemum flowers (usually dried) are steeped in hot water (usually 90 to 95 degrees Celsius after cooling from a boil) in either a teapot, cup, or glass; often rock sugar is also added, and occasionally also wolfberries. The resulting drink is transparent and ranges from pale to bright yellow in color, with a floral aroma. In Chinese tradition, once a pot of chrysanthemum tea has been drunk, hot water is typically added again to the flowers in the pot (producing a tea that is slightly less strong); this process is often repeated several times.

Varieties
Several varieties of chrysanthemum, ranging from white to pale or bright yellow in color, are used for tea. These include:

* Hungshn Gngj , literally "Yellow Mountain tribute chrysanthemum"; also called simply Gngj
* Hngbij , originating from Tongxiang, near Hangzhou; also called simply Hngj
* Chj , originating from the Chuzhou district of Anhui
* Bj , originating in the Bozhou district of Anhui

The flower is called " gek huay " in Thai.

Of these, the first two are most popular. Some varieties feature a prominent yellow flower head while others do not.

Medicinal use

Chrysanthemum tea has many purported medicinal uses, including an aid in recovery from influenza, acne and as a "cooling" herb. According to traditional Chinese medicine the tisane can aid in the prevention of sore throat and promote the reduction of fever. In Korea, it is known well for its medicinal use for making people more alert and is often used to waken themselves. In western herbal medicine, Chrysanthemum tea is drunk and used as a compress to treat circulatory disorders such as varicose veins and atherosclerosis.

In traditional Chinese medicine, chrysanthemum tea is also used to treat the eyes, and is said to clear the liver and the eyes. It is believed to be effective in treating eye pain associated with stress or yin/fluid deficiency. It is also used to treat blurring, spots in front of the eyes, diminished vision, and dizziness. The liver is associated with the element Wood which rules the eyes and is associated with anger, stress, and related emotions.

Commercially available chrysanthemum tea

Although typically prepared at home, chrysanthemum tea is also available as a beverage in many Asian restaurants (particularly Chinese ones), and is also available from various drinks outlets in East Asia as well as Asian grocery stores outside Asia in canned or packed form. Due to its medicinal value, it may also be available at Traditional Chinese medicine outlets, often mixed with other ingredients.

Ref : http://en.wikipedia.org

Bitter Gourd (Bitter Melon or Momordica charantia)

" Bitter Gourd " or " Bitter Melon" or " Momordica charantia " is a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, widely grown for edible fruit, which is among the most bitter of all vegetables. English names for the plant and its fruit include bitter melon or bitter gourd, and karela from the Indian name of the vegetable.

The original home of the species is not known, other than that it is a native of the tropics. It is widely grown in India, Southeast Asia, China, Africa, and the Caribbean.

Description
The herbaceous, tendril-bearing vine grows to 5 m. It bears simple, alternate leaves 4-12 cm across, with 3-7 deeply separated lobes. Each plant bears separate yellow male and female flowers.

The fruit has a distinct warty looking exterior and an oblong shape. It is hollow in cross-section, with a relatively thin layer of flesh surrounding a central seed cavity filled with large flat seeds and pith. Seeds and pith appear white in unripe fruits, ripening to red; they are not intensely bitter and can be removed before cooking. However, the pith will become sweet when the fruit is fully ripe, and the pith's color will turn red. The pith can be eaten uncooked in this state, but the flesh of the melon will be far too tough to be eaten anymore. Red and sweet bitter melon pith is a popular ingredient in some special southeast Asian style salad. The flesh is crunchy and watery in texture, similar to cucumber, chayote or green bell pepper. The skin is tender and edible. The fruit is most often eaten green. Although it can also be eaten when it has started to ripen and turn yellowish, it becomes more bitter as it ripens. The fully ripe fruit turns orange and mushy, is too bitter to eat, and splits into segments which curl back dramatically to expose seeds covered in bright red pulp.

Bitter melon comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. The typical Chinese phenotype is 20 to 30 cm long, oblong with bluntly tapering ends and pale green in color, with a gently undulating, warty surface. The bitter melon more typical of India has a narrower shape with pointed ends, and a surface covered with jagged, triangular "teeth" and ridges. Coloration is green or white. Between these two extremes are any number of intermediate forms. Some bear miniature fruit of only 6 - 10 cm in length, which may be served individually as stuffed vegetables. These miniature fruit are popular in Southeast Asia as well as India.

Culinary uses

Bitter melons are seldom mixed with other vegetables due to the strong bitter taste, although this can be moderated to some extent by salting and then washing the cut melon before use.

Bitter melon is often used in Chinese cooking for its bitter flavor, typically in stir-fries (often with pork and douchi), soups, and also as tea.

It is also a popular vegetable in the cuisines of South Asia and the West Indies. In these culinary traditions, it is often prepared with potatoes and served with yogurt on the side to offset the bitterness, or used in sabji. Bitter melon is stuffed with spices and then fried in oil, which is very popular in Punjabi Cuisine. It is a popular food in Tamil Nadu and referred as Pagarkai slangily called as Pavakkai. Bitter Gourd is popular in the cuisine of South Indian state of Kerala. They use it for making a dish called thoran mixed with grated coconut, theeyal and pachadi. This is one common medicinal food for diabetics. In Karnataka, the term used for bitter gourd is haagalakai and used in preparation of a delicacy called gojju. In Andhra Pradesh, it is called as " Kaakarakaaya ". Popular recipes are curry, deep fry with peanuts (ground nuts) , 'Pachi Pulusu', a kind of soup made up of boiled Bitter Melon, fried onions and other spices.

Bitter melon is rarely used in mainland Japan, but is a significant component of Okinawan cuisine, it is credited with Okinawan life expectancies being significantly higher than already long Japanese ones. Bitter melon oil contains Eleostearic acid, which is shown to prevent angiogenesis, which is implicated in the growth (but not the incidence) of cancer.

In Indonesia, bitter melon is prepared in various dishes, such as stir fry, cooked in coconut milk, or steamed.

In Vietnam, raw bitter melon slices consumed with dried meat floss and stuffed to make bitter melon soup with shrimp are popular dishes. Bitter melons stuffed with ground pork are served as a popular summer soup in the South.

It is prepared in various dishes in the Philippines, where it is known as Ampalaya. Ampalaya may also be stir-fried with ground beef and oyster sauce, or with eggs and diced tomato.

A very popular dish from the Ilocos region of the Philippines, pinakbet, consists mainly of bitter melons, eggplant, okra, string beans, tomatoes, lima beans, and other various regional vegetables stewed with a little bagoong-based stock.

The young shoots and leaves may also be eaten as greens; in the Philippines, where bitter melon leaves are commonly consumed, they are called dahon (leaves) ng ampalaya.

The seeds can also be eaten, and have a sweet taste; but are known to cause nausea.

In Nepal bitter melon is prepared in various ways. Most prepare it as fresh achar (a type of pickle). For this the bitter gourd is cut into cubes or slices and saut?ed covered in little oil and a sprinkle of water. When it is softened and reduced, it is minced in a mortar with few cloves of garlic, salt and a red or green pepper. Another way is the saut?ed version. In this, bitter gourd is cut in thin round slices or cubes and fried (sauteed) with much less oil and some salt, cumin and red chili. It is fried until the vegetable softens with hints of golden brown. It is even prepared as a curry on its own, or with potato; and made as stuffed vegetables.

In Pakistan bitter melon is available in the summertime, and is cooked with lots of onions.
A Malaysian-style bitter melon dish, cooked with sambal, onion, and red bird's-eye chili peppers

A traditional way to cook bitter melon curry is to peel off the skin and cut into thin slices. It is salted and exposed to direct sunlight for few hours to reduce its bitterness. After a few hours, its salty, bitter water is reduced by squeezing out the excess by hand. Then it's rinsed with water a few times. Then fried in cooking oil, with onions also fried in another pan. When the onions have turned a little pink in color, the fried bitter melon is added to them. After some further frying of both the onions and bitter melon, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, coriander powder, and a pinch of cumin seeds are also added. A little water can be sprinkled while frying the spices to prevent burning. Then a good amount of tomato is added to the curry, with green chillies, according to taste. Now the pan is covered with a lid, heat reduced to minimum, the tomatoes reduce, and all the spices work their magic. The curry is stirred a few times (at intervals) during this covering period. After half an hour or so, the curry is ready to serve, with soft hot flatbreads and yogurt chutney.

Another dish in Pakistan calls for whole, unpeeled bitter melon to be boiled and then stuffed with cooked ground beef. In this dish, it is recommended that the bitter melon be left 'debittered'. It is either served with hot tandoori bread, naan, chappati, or with khichri (a mixture of lentils and rice).

Medicinal uses
Bitter melons being fried in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Bitter melon has been used in various Asian traditional medicine systems for a long time. Like most bitter-tasting foods, bitter melon stimulates digestion. While this can be helpful in people with sluggish digestion, dyspepsia, and constipation, it can sometimes make heartburn and ulcers worse. The fact that bitter melon is also a demulcent and at least mild inflammation modulator, however, means that it rarely does have these negative effects, based on clinical experience and traditional reports.

Though it has been claimed that bitter melon’s bitterness comes from quinine, no evidence could be located supporting this claim. Bitter melon is traditionally regarded by Asians, as well as Panamanians and Colombians, as useful for preventing and treating malaria. Laboratory studies have confirmed that various species of bitter melon have anti-malarial activity, though human studies have not yet been published .

In Panama bitter melon is known as Balsamino. The pods are smaller and bright orange when ripe with very sweet red seeds, but only the leaves of the plant are brewed in hot water to create a tea to treat malaria and diabetes. The leaves are allowed to steep in hot water before being strained thoroughly so that only the remaining liquid is used for the tea.

Laboratory tests suggest that compounds in bitter melon might be effective for treating HIV infection. As most compounds isolated from bitter melon that impact HIV have either been proteins or glycoproteins lectins), neither of which are well-absorbed, it is unlikely that oral intake of bitter melon will slow HIV in infected people. It is possible oral ingestion of bitter melon could offset negative effects of anti-HIV drugs, if a test tube study can be shown to be applicable to people [4]. In one preliminary clinical trial, an enema form of a bitter melon extract showed some benefits in people infected with HIV (Zhang 1992). Clearly more research is necessary before this could be recommended.

The other realm showing the most promise related to bitter melon is as an immunomodulator. One clinical trial found very limited evidence that bitter melon might improve immune cell function in people with cancer, but this needs to be verified and amplified in other research. If proven correct this is another way bitter melon could help people infected with HIV.

Folk wisdom has it that ampalaya (Momordica charantia Linn.) helps to prevent or counteract type-II diabetes. A recent scientific study at JIPMER, India has proved that ampalaya increases insulin sensitivity. Also, in 2007, the Philippine Department of Health issued a circular stating that Ampalaya as a scientifically validated herbal medicinal plant, can lower elevated blood sugar levels. It is sold in the Philippines as a food supplement and marketed under the trade name Ampalaya Plus and the like. The study revealed that a 100 milligram per kilo dose per day is comparable to 2.5 milligrams of the anti-diabetes drug Glibenclamide taken twice per day.
Bitter melon transformed into capsule form and sold as a food supplement.

Bitter Melon contains four very promising bioactive compounds. These compounds activate a protein called AMPK, which is well known for regulating fuel metabolism and enabling glucose uptake, processes which are impaired in diabetics. "We can now understand at a molecular level why bitter melon works as a treatment for diabetes," said David James, director of the diabetes and obesity program at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney. "By isolating the compounds we believe to be therapeutic, we can investigate how they work together in our cells."

Bitter melon contains a lectin that has insulin-like activity. The insulin-like bioactivity of this lectin is due to its linking together 2 insulin receptors. This lectin lowers blood glucose concentrations by acting on peripheral tissues and, similar to insulin's effects in the brain, suppressing appetite. This lectin is likely a major contributor to the hypoglycemic effect that develops after eating bitter melon and why it may be a way of managing adult-onset diabetes. Lectin binding is non-protein specific, and this is likely why bitter melon has been credited with immunostimulatory activity - by linking receptors that modulate the immune system, thereby stimulating said receptors.

Various cautions are indicated. The seeds contains vicine and therefore can trigger symptoms of favism in susceptible individuals. In addition, the red arils of the seeds are reported to be toxic to children, and the fruit is contraindicated during pregnancy.

Ref : http://en.wikipedia.org

Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm or "Sa Ra Nae" in Thai is one important herb for Thai cooking. It's the besic herb in the garden, and it's very easy to grow... After leaves removed from the branch, just plant the branch in the soil and water, the leaves can sprout again... My mother use the leaved of Lemon Balm for many recipes; spicy salad, spicy soup, curry etc. Some recipes it used for topping, but some recipes it's one of ingredient.

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), not to be confused with bee balm, Monarda species, is a perennial herb in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region.

It grows to 70-150 cm tall. The leaves have a gentle lemon scent, related to mint. At the end of the summer, little white flowers full of nectar appear. These attract bees, hence the genus name Melissa (Greek for 'honey bee'). Its flavour comes from the terpenes citronellal, citronellol, citral, and geraniol.

Plant Description and Cultivation
- Lemon balm is a pretty plant that prefers rich moist soil and partial shade . It can tolerate direct sunlight but plants grown in shade tend to be larger and more succulent. It is related to mint in appearance, but it is not as invasive and easier to control. A clump-forming herbaceous perennial with heart shaped, deeply veined leaves that are covered with stiff hairs, it grows up to 1-2 feet high. Bluish-white or yellow flowers grow from the axils of the leaves and bloom from May to October. After pollination, long oval brown seeds appear. The leaves should be harvested before the flowering for optimum flavour and fragrance. The plant should be cut back in the fall.

- This herb can be easy to cultivate in United States Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 4 to 9. In zone 4, it needs winter mulch and a well-drained sandy soil to survive. In zone 7, it can be harvested at least until the end of November. While it prefers full sun (as described on most plant tags), it is moderately shade-tolerant, much more so than most herbs. In dry climates, it grows best in partial shade. It can also be easily grown as an indoor potted herb.

- Lemon Balm grows in clumps and spreads vegetatively as well as by seed. In mild temperate zones, the stems of the plant die off at the start of the winter, but shoot up again in spring. It can be easily grown from stem cuttings rooted in water, or from seeds. Under ideal conditions, it will seed itself prolifically and can become a nuisance in gardens.

Preparation and Storage
Fresh leaves can be stored in plastic bags in the fridge for a few days or they can be frozen. Dried leaves should be stored in an airtight container. To dry leaves, avoid exposure to light or heat, spread out on newspaper or hang in bunches in a dark airy place. The leaves lose some of their flavour when dried. Dried leaves can be used as an ingredient in pot-pourris.

Usage
Culinary use
Lemon balm is often used as a flavouring in ice cream and herbal teas, both hot and iced, often in combination with other herbs such as spearmint. It is also frequently paired with fruit dishes or candies.

Medicinal uses
The crushed leaves, when rubbed on the skin, are used as a repellant for mosquitos.

Lemon Balm is also used medicinally as a herbal tea, or in extract form. It is claimed to have antibacterial, antiviral properties (it is effective against herpes simplex), and it is also used as a mild sedative or calming agent. At least one study has found it to be effective at reducing stress, although the study's authors call for further research. Its antibacterial properties have also been demonstrated scientifically, although they are markedly weaker than those from a number of other plants studied.

Lemon balm essential oil is very popular in aromatherapy. The essential oil is commonly co-distilled with lemon oil, citronella oil, or other oils.

Lemon balm should be avoided by those on thyroid medication (such as thyroxine) as it is believed that the herb inhibits the absorption of this medicine.

Despite extensive traditional medicinal use, melissa oil has been prohibited by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA)'s 42nd amendment.

Chemistry
Lemon Balm contains eugenol which kills bacteria and has been shown to calm muscles and numb tissues. It also contains tannins that contribute to its anti-viral effects, as well as terpenes that add to its soothing effects.

Uses - Lemon balm, with its delicate lemon scent and flavor, is valued as a culinary, cosmetic and medicinal herb. Fresh sprigs are used to top drinks and as garnishes on salads and main dishes. Fresh or dried leaves make a refreshing tea, either iced or hot. Dried leaves are used as an ingredient in many pot-pourris and the oil is used in perfume. Used throughout history as a medicinal herb, lemon balm has mild sedative properties and has been used to relieve gas, reduce fever, and increase perspiration. The volatile oil contains citral, citronellal, eugenol acetate and geraniol. Both oil and hot water extracts of the leaves have been shown to possess strong antibacterial and antiviral qualities.

Ref : http://en.wikipedia.org, http://www.ces.ncsu.edu, and http://www.theepicentre.com

Garlic

Scientific classification
Kingdom : Plantae
(unranked) : Angiosperms
(unranked) : Monocots
Order : Asparagales
Family : Alliaceae
Subfamily : Allioideae
Tribe : Allieae
Genus : Allium
Species : A. sativum
Binomial name : Allium sativum L.

Allium sativum L., commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion family Alliaceae. Its close relatives include the onion, the shallot, the leek and the chive. Garlic has been used throughout recorded history for both culinary and medicinal purposes. It has a characteristic pungent, spicy flavor that mellows and sweetens considerably with cooking. A bulb of garlic, the most commonly used part of the plant, is divided into numerous fleshy sections called cloves. The cloves are used as seed, for consumption (raw or cooked), and for medicinal purposes. The leaves, stems (scape) and flowers (bulbils) on the head (spathe) are also edible and most often consumed while immature and still tender. The papery, protective layers of "skin" over various parts of the plant and the roots attached to the bulb are the only parts not considered palatable.

Garlic History
The word garlic comes from Old English garleac, meaning "spear leek." Dating back over 6,000 years, it is native to Central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent seasoning in Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Egyptians worshipped garlic and placed clay models of garlic bulbs in the tomb of Tutankhamen. Garlic was so highly-prized, it was even used as currency. Folklore holds that garlic repelled vampires, protected against the Evil Eye, and warded off jealous nymphs said to terrorize pregnant women and engaged maidens. And let us not forget to mention the alleged aphrodisiacal powers of garlic which have been extolled through the ages.

Surprisingly, garlic was frowned upon by foodie snobs in the United States until the first quarter of the twentieth century, being found almost exclusively in ethnic dishes in working-class neighborhoods. But, by 1940, America had embraced garlic, finally recognizing its value as not only a minor seasoning, but as a major ingredient in recipes.

Quaint diner slang of the 1920's referred to garlic as Bronx vanilla, halitosis, and Italian perfume. Today, Americans alone consume more than 250 million pounds of garlic annually.

Side Effects
After eating a large quantity of garlic, a person will usually have halitosis. Their sweat and excreted oils will also smell like garlic. If an extremely large amount of garlic has been consumed, the person's mucus, vaginal discharge, dandruff, and even earwax will also smell like garlic. Washing the body with soap will not take away the scent, although perfumes will mask the scent. The smell usually fades over the course of several days.

Garlic and Health
Garlic has long been considered a medicinal food. It was used to protect against plague by monks in the Middle Ages. Hippocrates used garlic vapors to treat cervical cancer. Garlic poultices were placed on wounds during World War II as an inexpensive, and apparently quite effective replacement for antibiotics which were scarce during wartime.

Now science is beginning to prove the medicinal properties of garlic that our ancestors took for granted. Studies have shown garlic can suppress the growth of tumors, and is a potent antioxidant good for cardiovascular health.

Other studies show garlic can reduce LDLs or "bad" cholesterol and is a good blood-thinning agent to avoid blood clots which could potentially lead to heart attack or stroke.

All of this natural medicine comes at a cost of only 4 calories per clove.

Garlic's health benefits and medicinal properties have long been known. Garlic has long been considered a herbal "wonder drug", with a reputation in folklore for preventing everything from the common cold and flu to the Plague! It has been used extensively in herbal medicine (phytotherapy, sometimes spelt phitotherapy). Raw garlic is used by some to treat the symptoms of acne and there is some evidence that it can assist in managing high cholesterol levels. It can even be effective as a natural mosquito repellent.

In general, a stronger tasting clove of garlic has more sulphur content and hence more medicinal value it's likely to have. Some people have suggested that organically grown garlic tends towards a higher sulphur level and hence greater benefit to health. In my experience it certainly tastes better so I buy organic whenever possible whether or not it's best for my health.

Some people prefer to take garlic supplements. These pills and capsules have the advantage of avoiding garlic breath.

Modern science has shown that garlic is a powerful natural antibiotic, albeit broad-spectrum rather than targeted. The body does not appear to build up resistance to the garlic, so its positive health benefits continue over time.

Healthy Antioxidant
Studies have shown that garlic - especially aged garlic - can have a powerful antioxidant effect. Antioxidants can help to protect the body against damaging "free radicals".

Uses
Culinary uses :-
Garlic is widely used around the world for its pungent flavor, as a seasoning or condiment. It is a fundamental component in many or most dishes of various regions including Eastern Asia, South Asia, South-East Asia, the Middle-East, Northern Africa, Southern Europe, and parts of South and Central America. The flavour varies in intensity and aroma with cooking methods. It is often paired with onion, tomato, or ginger. The parchment-like skin is much like the skin of an onion, and is typically removed before using in raw or cooked form. An alternative is to cut the top off the bulb, coat cloves of garlic by dribbling olive oil (or other oil based seasoning) over them and roast them in the oven. The garlic softens and can be extracted from the cloves by squeezing the (root) end of the bulb or individually by squeezing one end of the clove.

Oils are often flavored with garlic cloves. Commercially prepared oils are widely available, but when preparing garlic-infused oil at home, there is a risk of botulism if the product is not stored properly. To reduce this risk, the oil should be refrigerated and used within one week. Manufacturers add acids and/or other chemicals to eliminate the risk of botulism in their products.

In some cuisine, the young bulbs are pickled for 3–6 weeks in a mixture of sugar, salt and spices. In Eastern Europe the shoots are pickled and eaten as an appetizer.

Immature scapes are tender and edible. They are also known as "garlic spears", "stems", or "tops". Scapes generally have a milder taste than cloves. They are often used in stir frying or prepared like asparagus. Garlic leaves are a popular vegetable in many parts of Asia. The leaves are cut, cleaned and then stir-fried with eggs, meat, or vegetables.

Mixing garlic with eggs and olive oil produces aioli. Garlic, oil, and a chunky base produce skordalia. Blending garlic, almond, oil and soaked bread produces ajoblanco.

About 1/4 teaspoon of dried powdered garlic is equivalent to one fresh clove.

Medicinal use and health benefits :-
Garlic has been used as both food and medicine in many cultures for thousands of years, dating at least as far back as the time that the Egyptian pyramids were built. Garlic is claimed to help prevent heart disease including atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and cancer.

Animal studies, and some early investigational studies in humans, have suggested possible cardiovascular benefits of garlic. A Czech study found garlic supplementation reduced accumulation of cholesterol on vascular walls of animals. Another study had similar results, with garlic supplementation significantly reducing aortic plaque deposits of cholesterol-fed rabbits. Another study showed that supplementation with garlic extract inhibited vascular calcification in human patients with high blood cholesterol. The known vasodilative effect of garlic is possibly caused by catabolism of garlic-derived polysulfides to hydrogen sulfide in red blood cells, a reaction that is dependent on reduced thiols in or on the RBC membrane. Hydrogen sulfide is an endogenous cardioprotective vascular cell signaling molecule.

However, a randomized clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States of America and published in Archives of Internal Medicine in 2007 found that the consumption of garlic in any form did not reduce blood cholesterol levels in patients with moderately high baseline cholesterol levels.

Storage
Domestically, garlic is stored warm (above 18 degree C or 64 degree F) and dry, to keep it dormant (so that it does not sprout). It is traditionally hung; softneck varieties are often braided in strands called "plaits" or grappes. Garlic is often kept in oil to produce flavoured oil, however the practice requires measures to be taken to prevent the garlic from spoiling. Untreated garlic kept in oil at room temperature can support the growth of deadly Clostridium botulinum. Peeled cloves may be stored in wine or vinegar in the refrigerator

Commercially, garlic is stored at -3 degree C, also dry.

Ref : http://homecooking.about.com , http://www.garlic-central.com , and http://en.wikipedia.org

Carambola or Star Fruit

Do you know " Star Fruit " ???

The shape of this fruit is so cute, like the star... " Carambola " is the other name of the star fruit. Carambola juice or star fruit juice is one of my drinking juice I love, but my mother like the fresh fruit. When I was young, my mother always did it for me... This fruit is one of Thai herb, we can use it for cosmetic because it contains Vitamin A, C, B1 and B2. In addition, we have it for scurvy because Vitamin C in it.

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Oxalidales
Family: Oxalidaceae
Genus: Averrhoa
Species: A. carambola
Binomial name: Averrhoa carambola L.
Common Names: Carambola, Starfruit.

The carambola is a species of tree native to Indonesia, India and Sri Lanka and is popular throughout Southeast Asia, Trinidad, Malaysia and parts of East Asia. It is also grown throughout the tropics. Carambola is commercially grown in the United States in south Florida and Hawaii for its fruit, known as the starfruit. It is closely related to the bilimbi.

Growth Habit
The carambola is a slow-growing, short-trunked evergreen tree with a much-branched, bushy canopy that is broad and rounded. Mature trees seldom exceed 25-30 feet in height and 20-25 feet in spread. Trees are very unlikely to reach this size in California. In a spot to its liking carambolas make handsome ornamentals. Container grown plants are equally attractive and have the additional advantage of being movable.

Foliage
The spirally arranged, alternate leaves are 6 - 10 inches long, with 5 - 11 nearly opposite, ovate-oblong leaflets that are 1-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches in length. They are soft, medium-green, and smooth on the upper surface, faintly hairy and whitish on the underside. The leaflets are sensitive to light and more or less inclined to to fold together at night or when the tree is shaken or abruptly shocked.

Flowers
The fragrant, pink to lavender flowers are 3/8 inch in diameter, perfect, and borne in clusters in axils of leaves on young branches, or on older branches without leaves. There are several flushes of bloom throughout the year.

Fruit
Carambola fruits are ovate to ellipsoid, 2-1/2 to 5 inches (6 to 13 cm) in length, with 5 (rarely 4 or 6) prominent longitudinal ribs. Slices cut in cross-section are star shaped. The skin is thin, light to dark yellow and smooth with a waxy cuticle. The flesh is light yellow to yellow, translucent, crisp and very juicy, without fiber. The fruit has a more or less oxalic acid odor and the flavor ranges from very sour to mildly sweet. The so-called sweet types rarely have more than 4% sugar. There may be up to 12 flat, thin brown seeds 1/4 - 1/2 inch long or none at all. Seeds lose viability in a few days after removal from fruit.

Health risks
Individuals with kidney trouble should avoid consuming the fruit, because of the presence of oxalic acid. Juice made from carambola can be even more dangerous owing to its concentration of the acid. It can cause hiccups, vomiting, nausea, and mental confusion. Fatal outcomes after ingestion of star fruits have been described in uraemic patients. The treatment is daily dialysis until the toxins are cleared from the system.

Drug interactions
Like the grapefruit, star fruit is considered to be a potent inhibitor of seven cytochrome P450 isoforms. These enzymes are significant in the first pass elimination of many medicines, and thus the consumption of star fruit or its juice in combination with certain medications can significantly increase their effective dosage within the body. Research into grapefruit juice has identified a number of common medications affected, including statins which are commonly used to treat cardiovascular illness, benzodiazepines (a tranquilizer family including diazepam) as well as other medicines. These interactions can be fatal if an unfortunate confluence of genetic, pharmacological, and lifestyle factors results in, for instance, heart failure, as could occur from the co-ingestion of star fruit or star fruit juice with atorvastatin (Lipitor).

Ref : http://www.crfg.org, and http://en.wikipedia.org

Babana - Continued

Let's know more about Banana with me !!! (continued)

Properties and Useful :
Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple and red. Bananas can be eaten raw though some varieties are generally cooked first. Depending upon cultivar and ripeness, the flesh can vary in taste from starchy to sweet, and texture from firm to mushy. Unripe or green bananas and plantains are used for cooking various dishes such as banana pudding and are the staple starch of many tropical populations. Banana sap is extremely sticky and can be used as a practical adhesive. Sap can be obtained from the pseudostem, from the fruit peelings, or from the fruit flesh.

Most production for local sale is of green cooking bananas and plantains, as ripe dessert bananas are easily damaged while being transported to market. Even when transported only within their country of origin, ripe bananas suffer a high rate of damage and loss.

The commercial dessert cultivars most commonly eaten in temperate countries (species Musa acuminata or the hybrid Musa paradisiaca, a cultigen) are imported in large quantities from the tropics. They are popular in part because, being a non-seasonal crop, they are available fresh year-round. In global commerce, by far the most important of these banana cultivars is 'Cavendish', which accounts for the vast bulk of bananas exported from the tropics. The Cavendish gained popularity in the 1950s after the previously mass produced cultivar, Gros Michel, became commercially unviable due to Panama disease, a fungus which attacks the roots of the banana plant.

The most important properties making 'Cavendish' the main export banana are related to transport and shelf life rather than taste; major commercial cultivars rarely have a superior flavor compared to the less widespread cultivars. Export bananas are picked green, and then usually ripened in ripening rooms when they arrive in their country of destination. These are special rooms made air-tight and filled with ethylene gas to induce ripening. Bananas can be ordered by the retailer "ungassed", however, and may show up at the supermarket still fully green. While these bananas will ripen more slowly, the flavor will be notably richer, and the banana peel can be allowed to reach a yellow/brown speckled phase, and yet retain a firm flesh inside. Thus, shelf life is somewhat extended. The flavor and texture of bananas are affected by the temperature at which they ripen. Bananas are refrigerated to between 13.5 and 15 C (57 and 59 F) during transportation. At lower temperatures, the ripening of bananas permanently stalls, and the bananas will eventually turn gray as cell walls break down.

It should be noted that Musa ? paradisiaca is also the generic name for the common plantain, a coarser and starchier variant not to be confused with Musa acuminata or the Cavendish variety.

In addition to the fruit, the flower of the banana plant (also known as banana blossom or banana heart) is used in Southeast Asian, Tamil, Bengali and Kerala (India) cuisine, either served raw with dips or cooked in soups and curries. The tender core of the banana plant's trunk is also used in Bengali and Kerala cooking, and notably in the Burmese dish mohinga. Bananas fried with batter is a popular dessert in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. Banana fritters can be served with ice-cream as well. Bananas are also eaten deep fried, baked in their skin in a split bamboo, or steamed in glutinous rice wrapped in a banana leaf in Burma where bunches of green bananas surrounding a green coconut in a tray form an important part of traditional offerings to the Buddha and the Nats. The juice extract prepared from the tender core is used to treat kidney stones.

The leaves of the banana plant are large, flexible, and waterproof. They are used many ways, including as umbrellas and to wrap food for cooking or storage.

Banana chips are a snack produced from dehydrated or fried banana or plantain slices, which have a dark brown color and an intense banana taste. Bananas have also been used in the making of jam. Unlike other fruits, it is difficult to extract juice from bananas because when compressed a banana simply turns to pulp.

Seeded bananas (Musa balbisiana), the forerunner of the common domesticated banana, are sold in markets in Indonesia.

In India, juice is extracted from the corm and used as a home remedy for the treatment of jaundice, sometimes with the addition of honey.

Botany :
The banana plant is a pseudostem that grows to 6 to 7.6 metres (20-25 feet) tall, growing from a corm. Leaves are spirally arranged and may grow 2.7 metres (9 ft) long and 60 cm (2 ft) wide. The banana plant is the largest of all herbaceous plants. A single, sterile, male banana flower, also known as the banana heart is normally produced by each stem (though on rare occasions more can be produced - a single plant in the Philippines has five). Banana hearts are used as a vegetable in Southeast Asia, steamed, in salads or eaten raw. The female flowers are produced further up the stem and produce the actual fruit without requiring fertilization.

A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition :
Banana - Fruit of the genus Musa; cultivated kinds are sterile hybrids, and so cannot be given species names. Dessert bananas have a high sugar content (17–19%) and are eaten raw; plantains (sometimes known as green bananas) have a higher starch and lower sugar content and are picked when too hard to be eaten raw.

One medium banana (100 g) is a good source of vitamin A; a source of vitamins B6 and C, and copper; contains 0.3 g of fat, of which 33% is saturated; provides 3 g of dietary fibre; supplies 86 kcal (360 kJ). The sodium content is low (1.2 mg/100 g) so bananas are used in low sodium diets.

Ref : http://www.encyclopedia.com, http://en.wikipedia.org, and http://www.vandamme.be

Banana

Do you know "Babana" ??? This fruit well known as the useful plant in Thailand, it is called "Kuay". Every parts of it can be used; such as fruit - eat, the inner trunk of body - curry, leaves - wrapping and decoration etc. There are many kinds of Banana in my garden, these fruits are different in shape, size and flavor. The most banana I love is "Kuay Namwa" - in Thai. Let's know more about "Banana".

Banana - name for several species of the genus Musa and for the fruits these produce. The banana plant—one of the largest herbaceous plants—is said to be native to tropical Asia, but is now cultivated throughout the tropics. Used to a minor degree for its leaf fiber, the banana is of the same genus as the extremely valuable fiber plant Manila hemp , or abaca, and is also related to the bird-of-paradise flower . Along with the banana, these are economically the most important plants of the banana family (the Musaceae), a group of large monocotyledonous tropical herbs. The banana is of palmlike aspect and has very large leaves, the overlapping bases of which form the so-called false trunk. As the plant reaches maturity its true stem rises from the ground and pushes through the center of the false trunk to emerge from the top of the plant, there becoming pendent and bearing the male and female flowers. The female flowers develop into bananas, the clusters of upturned fruits being called "hands" and each banana a "finger." The plants are cut down to harvest the fruit, since they bear only once. Their seeds are sterile; shoots from the rhizomes are used for propagation. The banana fruit (botanically a berry) is a staple food in the tropics and is used in many forms, raw or cooked, and grown in many varieties, e.g., the plantain. Dried bananas are eaten as "banana figs" and inferior fruits serve as a stock feed. Banana oil is a synthetic product, so named because of its odor. Although the banana has long been cultivated in Asia—Alexander the Great encountered it in India—the large international traffic began only in the late 19th cent. with the development of refrigerated transport. Bananas are classified in the division Magnoliophyta , class Liliopsida, order Zingiberales, family Musaceae.

History :
The banana is mentioned for the first time in history in buddhist texts 600 years BC. Alexander the Great discovers the taste of the banana in the Indian valleys in 327 BC . The existence of an organized banana plantation could be found in China back in the year 200 AD. In 650 AD, Islamic conquerors brought the banana back to Palestine. The Arabic merchants finally spread the bananas all over Africa.

Only in 1502 the Portuguese start the first banana plantation in the Caribbean and in central America.

Banana is the common name for a fruit and also the herbaceous plants of the genus Musa which produce this commonly eaten fruit. They are native to the tropical region of Southeast Asia. Bananas are likely to have been first domesticated in Papua New Guinea. Today, they are cultivated throughout the tropics.

Banana plants are of the family Musaceae. They are cultivated primarily for their fruit, and to a lesser extent for the production of fibre and as ornamental plants. As the bananas are mainly tall, upright, and fairly sturdy, they are often mistaken for trees, when the truth is the main or upright stem is called a pseudostem, literally meaning "fake stem", which for some species can obtain a height of up to 2–8 m, with leaves of up to 3.5 m in length. Each pseudostem can produce a bunch of yellow, green, or even red bananas before dying and being replaced by another pseudostem.

The banana fruit grow in hanging clusters, with up to 20 fruit to a tier (called a hand), and 3-20 tiers to a bunch. The total of the hanging clusters is known as a bunch, or commercially as a "banana stem", and can weigh from 30–50 kg. The fruit averages 125 g, of which approximately 75% is water and 25% dry matter content. Each individual fruit (known as a banana or 'finger') has a protective outer layer (a peel or skin) with a fleshy edible inner portion. Both skin and inner part can be eaten raw or cooked. Western cultures generally eat the inside raw and throw away the skin while some Asian cultures generally eat both the skin and inside cooked. Typically, the fruit has numerous strings (called 'phloem bundles') which run between the skin and inner part. Bananas are a valuable source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, and potassium.

Bananas are grown in at least 107 countries. In popular culture and commerce, "banana" usually refers to soft, sweet "dessert" bananas. The bananas from a group of cultivars with firmer, starchier fruit are called plantains. Bananas may also be cut and dried and eaten as a type of chip. Dried bananas are also ground into banana flour.

Although the wild species have fruits with numerous large, hard seeds, virtually all culinary bananas have seedless fruits. Bananas are classified either as dessert bananas (meaning they are yellow and fully ripe when eaten) or as green cooking bananas. Almost all export bananas are of the dessert types; however, only about 10-15% of all production is for export, with the United States and European Union being the dominant buyers.

The growing of the Banana :
The banana plant is ...not a tree, but a giant herb of the same family as lilies, orchids and palms. There are about 400 varieties of bananas. The rhizome is planted and gives a first shoot 3 or 4 weeks later. After 9 to 10 months the inflorescence from the foliated circlet has a diameter that can be as large as 7 meters. Three days after that, a bud hangs on the plant. On the fifth day, the bud turns red and starts opening. On the seventh day the leafs who covered it are falling down and finally two days later you can already see the first banana hands.The trunk of a banana plant is made of sheaths of overlapping leaves, tightly wrapped around each other like stalks in a celery bunch.

The word banana is derivated from the Arabic meaning 'finger'.

Each banana stem consists of 10 to 14 hands each of them carrying from 18 to 20 bananas.

The harvest starts when the banana is still green.

Bananas for domestic consumption are cut green.

Then the race starts against the clock. From the harvest through the delivery to the shop resailer, there are only 20 days left. The hands are removed, washed, cut in smaller pieces called clusters, packed in hygienical carton boxes, each of those boxes weighing 18 kg net (40 lb).

Transportation :
The transportation is done with specialized refrigerated ships . Bananas are loaded into refrigerated cargo vessels and shipped green at a controlled temperature of 14,5 C (58 F). Each ship contains 250.000 boxes of bananas collected the day before.

The crossing to Europe lasts about 11 days. The temperature is frequently controlled to avoid any premature ripening.

Ref : http://www.encyclopedia.com, http://en.wikipedia.org, and http://www.vandamme.be

Plai (or Plai)

Today I will tell you about "Zingiber cassumunar Roxb.", well known as "Phlai" or "Plai" In Thailand. When I was young, after I played outside all day, my mother used the essential oil from Phlai or Plai to massage for me. In Thailand, this herb is very famous which is used for muscle relaxant, and relieve knee, muscle, joint pain such as Acute Gouty etc.

Plai, Zingiber cassumunar Roxb., which is synonymous with Zingiber purpureum Roscoe, has long been regarded by Thai massage therapists as one of those oils necessary to have in their kit to combat joint and muscle problems. Plai is of the same family as ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) but has different properties and more intense actions.

Native to Thailand, Indonesia and India, the pale amber oil is steam distilled from the fresh rhizome. It has a cool, green peppery aroma (not unlike Tea Tree) with a touch of bite. The main active chemical constituents of the oil are sabinene (27-34%), g-terpinene (6-8%), a-terpinene (4-5%), terpinen-4-ol (30-35%), and (E)-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)butadiene (DMPBD) (12-19%).

Zingiber cassumunar Roxb., commonly known as Plai, is a Thai herbal plant which has been exploited for medicinal purposes in Thailand and Southeast Asia for centuries. Plai has long been regarded by Thai massage therapists as one of those oils necessary to have in their kit to combat joint and muscle problems. The plant has been proven to be extremely useful for human health and thus developed into creams and massage oils for relieving muscle pain. Furthermore, it is well known that the essential oils from Plai have also been shown to cure acne, bruises, burnt skin, skin inflammation, muscle pain, insect bite, and asthmatic symptoms. They are even proven to cope with cough and respiratory symptoms as well. Plai extracts exhibited anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial activities. A number of pure compounds isolated from the plants has been shown to possess anti-microbial, topical and oral anti-inflammatory, analgesic, smooth muscle relaxant, anti-tyrosinase and anti-oxidative activities. These therapeutic indications and the reported ethnomedical uses make Plai an attractive candidate for the development into cosmetics, spa and skin beautification products.

The uses of Plai as Antibiotics
Zingiber cassumunar Roxb. is a medicinal plant which contains volatile oils known for its effectiveness in anti-inflammatory activity. It is propagated vegetatively by rhizomes. However, rhizomes in storage are susceptible to pathogens causing limited supplies for high - quality rhizomes. The quality of volatile oil obtained from the rhizomes also varies with plant age. Therefore, a method which could produce pathogen - free plants of the same age with high-quality volatile oil would provide a substantial supply of volatile oil for pharmaceutical industries. This paper reports the use of micropropagation as an alternative method in producing large number of pathogen - free plants.

Antibiotics such as amoxicillin, neomycin, chloramphenicol, and cloxacillin were used as sterilizing agents for excised shoot tips. Shoot tips were then cultured on LS medium supplemented with 0, 0.5, 1 mgL-1 NAA in combination with 0, 1, 2, 4 mgL-1 BAP and 20 gL-1 sucrose.

The use of antibiotics as a sterilizing agent increased the survival rate of cultured shoot tips up to more than 10 percent compared to the control. Each shoot tip placed on LS medium supplemented with 4 mgL-1 BAP produce the average of 13 shoots within eight weeks. The controls did not grow well and did not produced many plantlets. Some shoots produced protocorm - like structures near the base of the shoot tips. These structures grew into plantlets after subsequent transfers. Root formation was readily when shoots were transferred to the same medium or to a medium with low concentration of NAA. Addition of activated charcoal to a medium without growth regulator enhanced root formation and plant growth as well. Plantlets of approximately 5 cm high were transferred to soil. Clones derived from tissue culture will be selected for high volatile oil content.

Considered analgesic, anti-neuralgic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antitoxic, anti-viral, carminative, digestive, diuretic, febrifugal, laxative, rubefacient, stimulant, tonic and vermifuge, it has been used for aches and pains, asthma, catarrh, chronic colds, colic, constipation, diarrhoea, fevers, flatulence, heartburn, immune problems, inflammation, influenza, joint problems, muscle spasms, nausea, respiratory problems, sprains and strains, torn muscles and ligaments.

Praise for Plai
Plai, while being of the ginger family, does not possess the classic heat that is common to the rhizomes. It has a cooling action on inflamed areas, be they joints and muscles or kidneys and lungs. Clients in Vancouver, Canada, have found that using Plai for asthma, with either tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus L.) or rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.), causes the attacks to diminish greatly in intensity. The types of asthma thus far targeted have been exercise and allergy induced. Although clients report that the aroma is a little overwhelming at first, even just smelling the blend causes the attack to reduce.

On inflamed joints, undiluted Plai has been found to ease pain for upwards of 18 hours, which is impressive when compared with other oils. On joints inflamed due to injury, Plai was best combined with oils such as black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) and lemon (Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f.) or neroli (Citrus aurantium L. ssp. amara L.), Himalayan cedarwood (Cedrus deodora G. Don. f.) and orange (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle). These combinations worked to take the swelling down, eased the pain and considerably speeded up the healing time. Used in a small rollette bottle, the 10% dilution in a vegetable oil is probably higher than that to which we are used in the UK. The oils were blended in equal parts.

For digestive upsets, Plai, together with black pepper, orange and tarragon, has been used to counter irritable bowel syndrome. This blend was applied across the abdomen and across the rectal tissue after each bowel movement or anytime there was any cramping or pain in the abdominal area. After three applications, all symptoms receded.

Ref : http://www.smj.ejnal.com, http://www.actahort.org, http://www.essentiallyoils.com, and http://www.whitelotusaromatics.com

Coconut

Today I think of Chicken Soup with Coconut Milk and Galangal (iIn my cuisines list, you can see it.). I should let you know more about "coconut milk", it's very important for milky soup. Have you ever known before? Let's come with me!!!

Every time you go to the Southern part of Thailand, you'll see the coconut trees beside the road or sea. The water inside the coconut fruit was very great, it's sweet and good flavour... It's really great... If you have a chance to try it, you should!!!

The coconut palm is grown throughout the tropical world, for decoration as well as for its many culinary and non-culinary uses; virtually every part of the coconut palm has some human uses.

For Uses
Nearly all parts of the coconut palm are useful, and the palms have a comparatively high yield, up to 75 fruits per year; it therefore has significant economic value. The name for the coconut palm in Sanskrit is kalpa vriksha, which translates as "the tree which provides all the necessities of life". In Malay, the coconut is known as pokok seribu guna, "the tree of a thousand uses". In the Philippines, the coconut is commonly given the title "Tree of Life". It its theorised that if you were to become stranded on a desert island populated by palm trees, you could survive purely on the tree and coconut alone, as the coconut provides all of the required natural properties for survival.

Coconut in market
Sold on a street at Guntur, India
Green Coconut Vendor in Delhi, India in Summer
A relatively young coconut which has been served in a hawker centre in Singapore with a straw with which to drink its coconut water. Uses of the various parts of the palm include:

Culinary :
- The white, fleshy part of the seed is edible and used fresh or dried in cooking.

- Sport fruits are also harvested, primarily in the Philippines, where they are known as macapuno. They are sold in jars as "gelatinous mutant coconut" cut into balls or strands.

- The cavity is filled with coconut water which contains sugar, fibre, proteins, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Coconut water provides an isotonic electrolyte balance, and is a highly nutritious food source. It is used as a refreshing drink throughout the humid tropics and is also used in isotonic sports drinks. It can also be used to make the gelatinous dessert nata de coco. Mature fruits have significantly less liquid than young immature coconuts; barring spoilage, coconut water is sterile until opened.

- Coconut milk is made by processing grated coconut with hot water or milk, which extracts the oil and aromatic compounds. It should not be confused with the coconut water discussed above, and has a fat content of approximately 17%. When refrigerated and left to set, coconut cream will rise to the top and separate out the milk. The milk is used to produce virgin coconut oil by controlled heating and removing the oil fraction. Virgin coconut oil is found superior to the oil extracted from copra for cosmetic purposes.

- The leftover fibre from coconut milk production is used as livestock feed.

- The smell of coconuts comes from the 6-pentyloxan-2-one molecule, known as delta-decalactone in the food and fragrance industry.

- The sap derived from incising the flower clusters of the coconut is fermented to produce palm wine, also known as "toddy" or, in the Philippines, tuba. The sap can also be reduced by boiling to create a sweet syrup or candy.

- Apical buds of adult plants are edible and are known as "palm-cabbage" or heart-of-palm. It is considered a rare delicacy, as the act of harvesting the bud kills the palm. Hearts of palm are eaten in salads, sometimes called "millionaire's salad".

- Ruku Raa is an extract from the young bud, a very rare type of nectar collected and used as morning break drink in the islands of Maldives reputed for its energetic power keeping the "raamen" (nectar collector) healthy and fit even over 80 and 90 years old. And by-products are sweet honey-like syrup and creamy sugar for desserts.

- Newly germinated coconuts contain an edible fluff of marshmallow-like consistency called coconut sprout, produced as the endosperm nourishes the developing embryo.

- In the Philippines, rice is wrapped in coco leaves for cooking and subsequent storage - these packets are called puso.

Non-culinary :
- Coconut water can be used as an intravenous fluid.

- Coir (the fibre from the husk of the coconut) is used in ropes, mats, brushes, caulking boats and as stuffing fibre; it is also used extensively in horticulture for making potting compost.

- Coconut oil can be rapidly processed and extracted as a fully organic product from fresh coconut flesh, and used in many ways including as a medicine and in cosmetics, or as a direct replacement for diesel fuel.

- Copra is the dried meat of the seed and, after further processing, is a source of low grade coconut oil.

- The leaves provide materials for baskets and roofing thatch.

- Palmwood comes from the trunk and is increasingly being used as an ecologically-sound substitute for endangered hardwoods. It has several applications, particularly in furniture and specialized construction (notably in Manila's Coconut Palace).

- Hawaiians hollowed the trunk to form drums, containers, or even small canoes.

- The husk and shells can be used for fuel and are a good source of charcoal.

- Dried half coconut shells with husks are used to buff floors. In the Philippines, it is known as "bunot", and in Jamaica it is simply called "coconut brush"

- In the Philippines, dried half shells are used as a music instrument in a folk dance called maglalatik, a traditional dance about the conflicts for coconut meat within the Spanish era

- Shirt buttons can be carved out of dried coconut shell. Coconut buttons are often used for Hawaiian Aloha shirts.

- The stiff leaflet midribs can be used to make cooking skewers, kindling arrows, or are bound into bundles, brooms and brushes.

- The roots are used as a dye, a mouthwash, and a medicine for dysentery. A frayed-out piece of root can also be used as a toothbrush.

- Half coconut shells are used in theatre, banged together to create the sound effect of a horse's hoofbeats. They were used in this way in the Monty Python film Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

- The leaves can be woven to create effective roofing materials, or reed mats.

- Half coconut shells may be deployed as an improvised bra, especially for comedic effect or theatrical purposes. They were used in this way in the 1970s UK sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum for example.

- Drained coconuts can be filled with gunpowder and used as Improvised explosive devices.

- In fairgrounds, a "coconut shy" is a popular target practice game, and coconuts are commonly given as prizes.

- A coconut can be hollowed out and used as a home for a rodent or small bird. Halved, drained coconuts can also be hung up as bird feeders, and after the flesh has gone, can be filled with fat in winter to attract tits.

- Fresh inner coconut husk can be rubbed on the lens of snorkelling goggles to prevent fogging during use.

- Dried coconut leaves can be burned to ash, which can be harvested for lime.

- Coconuts can be used as ammunition for homemade catapults.

- Dried half coconut shells are used as the bodies of musical instruments, including the Chinese yehu and banhu, and the Vietnamese ??n g?o.

- Coconut is also commonly used as a herbal remedy in Pakistan to treat bites from rats.

- The "branches" (leaf petioles) are strong and flexible enough to make a switch. The use of coconut branches in corporal punishment was revived in the Gilbertese community on Choiseul in the Solomon Islands in 2005.

- In World War II, coastwatcher scout Biuki Gasa was the first of two from the Solomon Islands to reach the shipwrecked, wounded, and exhausted crew of Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109 commanded by future U.S. president John F. Kennedy. Gasa suggested, for lack of paper, delivering by dugout canoe a message inscribed on a husked coconut shell. This coconut was later kept on the president's desk, and is now in the John F. Kennedy Library.

- Coconut trunks are used for building small bridges, preferred for their straightness, strength and salt resistance


Ref : http://en.wikipedia.org

Lime

In my kitchen, the most ingredient for me is "Lime". Because of I love sour taste recipes, this ingredient is very necessary for me... Tom Yam Kung (Sour soup), Som Tam (Papaya Salad), fried rice etc., lime juice is needed for these...

In addition, lime was used as herb. My mother and I take the lime juice with honey for the good excretory system.
Lime is a term referring to a number of different fruits (generally citruses), both species and hybrids, which are typically round, green to yellow in color, 3-6 cm in diameter, generally containing sour pulp, and frequently associated with the lemon. Limes are often used to accent the flavors of foods and beverages.

Varieties
The most commonly available commercial limes (or Limon) are the larger, greener Persian lime (Citrus latifolia) and the smaller, yellower Key lime (Citrus aurantifolia) (also known as the Mexican Lime). "Key lime" is an American retronym, as the original fruit known in English as a "lime" was Citrus latifolia, derived from the Persian name, limu (the fruit was introduced to Europe during the Crusades).

Other lime varieties include :
Mandarin lime (Citrus limonia)
Kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix)
various Australian limes
Sweet lime (Citrus limetta)
Palestine sweet lime (Citrus limettioides)
and musk lime (X Citrofortunella mitis).

Uses

For Drinks:
Lime fruit, and particularly their juice, are used in beverages, such as limeade (akin to lemonade). Alcoholic beverages prepared with limes include cocktails such as gin and tonic, margarita, mojito, Caipirinha and Cuba libre, as well as many drinks that may be garnished with a thin slice of the fruit or corkscrew strip of the peel (twist). One customary consumption of tequila is in shots accompanied by lime wedges and salt. Beer is often served with limes in Mexico. Lime juice is the primary ingredient of Bonji Water, a popular drink in southern parts of Kerala, India. Lime juice is also used in some commercial soft drinks.

Lime juice is made into sirup and sauce and pies similar to lemon pie. "Key Lime Pie" is a famous dish of the Florida Keys and southern Florida, but today is largely made from the frozen concentrate of the 'Tahiti' lime.

Mexican limes are often made into jam, jelly and marmalade. In Malaya, they are preserved in sirup. They are also pickled by first making 4 incisions in the apex, covering the fruits with salt, and later preserving them in vinegar. Before serving, the pickled fruits may be fried in coconut oil and sugar and then they are eaten as appetizers.

For Cooking:
In cooking, lime is valued both for the acidity of its juice and the floral aroma of its zest. It is used in Key lime pie, a traditional Florida dessert, and is a very common ingredient in authentic Mexican, Southwestern United States and Thai dishes. It is also used for its pickling properties in ceviche. Additionally, the leaves of the Kaffir lime are used in southeast Asian cuisine. The use of dried limes as a flavouring is typical of Persian cuisine. Limes are also an essential element in Tamil cuisine.

For other uses:
Juice: In the West Indies, the juice has been used in the process of dyeing leather. On the island of St. Johns, a cosmetic manufacturer produces a bottled Lime Moisture Lotion as a skin-conditioner.

Peel: The dehydrated peel is fed to cattle. In India, the powdered dried peel and the sludge remaining after clarifying lime juice are employed for cleaning metal.

Peel oil: The hand-pressed peel oil is mainly utilized in the perfume industry.

Twigs: In tropical Africa, lime twigs are popular chewsticks.

Medicinal Uses:
Lime juice dispels the irritation and swelling of mosquito bites.

In Malaya, the juice is taken as a tonic and to relieve stomach ailments. Mixed with oil, it is given as a vermifuge. The pickled fruit, with other substances, is poulticed on the head to allay neuralgia. In India, the pickled fruit is eaten to relieve indigestion. The juice of the Mexican lime is regarded as an antiseptic, tonic, an antiscorbutic, an astringent, and as a diuretic in liver ailments, a digestive stimulant, a remedy for intestinal hemorrhage and hemorrhoids, heart palpitations, headache, convulsive cough, rheumatism, arthritis, falling hair, bad breath, and as a disinfectant for all kinds of ulcers when applied in a poultice.

The leaves are poulticed on skin diseases and on the abdomen of a new mother after childbirth. The leaves or an infusion of the crushed leaves may be applied to relieve headache. The leaf decoction is used as eye drops and to bathe a feverish patient; also as a mouth wash and gargle in cases of sore throat and thrush.

The root bark serves as a febrifuge, as does the seed kernel, ground and mixed with lime juice.

In addition, there are many purely superstitious uses of the lime in Malaya.

Plants known as "lime"
Australian limes
Australian desert lime (Citrus glauca)
Australian finger lime (Citrus australasica)
Australian round lime (Citrus australis)
Blood lime
Kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix) (a.k.a. kieffer lime; makrut, or magrood)
Key lime (Citrus aurantifolia) (a.k.a. Mexican, West Indian, or Bartender's lime)
Mandarin lime (Citrus limonia)
Musk lime (X Citrofortunella mitis)
Palestine sweet lime (Citrus limettioides)
Persian lime (Citrus x latifolia) (a.k.a. Tahiti or Bearss lime)
Spanish lime (Melicoccus bijugatus) (a.k.a. mamoncillo, mamn, ginep, quenepa, or limoncillo) (not a citrus)
Sweet lime (Citrus limetta) (a.k.a. sweet limetta, Mediterranean sweet lemon)
Wild lime (Adelia ricinella)
Limequat (lime kumquat)
Lime tree (Tilia sp.)

Ref : http://en.wikipedia.org, and http://www.hort.purdue.edu