Liver, natural remedies

Moringa, the miracle tree

Antioxidant and anticancer, protects the heart, helps to keep blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol under control, supports the liver and kidneys, tones the mind, strengthens the immune system from the attack of viruses and bacteria, useful analgesic action against migraines, anti-inflammatory, counteracts asthma and overweight, also useful for the beauty of the skin.

Few things are certain in life, but one thing was sure. Anyone who went to see Fidel Castro, whether he or she was a head of state or a celebrity from the world of sport or show business, had to go through his garden. And above all that person had to listen to him describe in detail the beneficial properties of a particular plant, his favorite, of which he had a personal cultivation, the moringa, or miracle tree. Not only that, it is also said that Fidel Castro used to chew moringa leaves like c...

Kombucha, the emperor's tea

Antioxidant, counteracts free radicals and the development of tumors, helps to keep blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and overweight under control, detoxifies the liver, probable probiotic action and support for the immune system against infections of the respiratory tract.

It is said that Qin Chi Huangdi, the first emperor of unified China, was obsessed with becoming immortal. For this reason, it is said, he visited the island of Zhifu three times, where, according to tradition, the mountain of immortality stood. But his search for eternal life also led Quin Chi Huangdi to an alchemist who prepared for the emperor a special drink, dark in appearance and slightly sparkling, which the emperor loved right away, kombucha tea. Unfortunately, however, the search for ete...

Pumpkin seed oil, properties and uses in cooking

Antioxidants, unsaturated fatty acids and anti-inflammatory substances, useful for reducing cholesterol and triglycerides, in menopause it helps to reduce hot flashes and headaches, protects the liver and blood vessels, relieves the symptoms of urinary disorders and benign prostatic hypertrophy.

From the cold pressing of pumpkin seeds a thick and dark oil is produced, the pumpkin seed oil. We have already seen the beauty properties of this precious vegetable oil that, when applied with massages on the scalp, can help counteract hair loss. Today, however, we are talking about the properties of pumpkin seed oil for food use. Yes, because this exceptional oil can also be used raw as a condiment. But let's see its nutritional characteristics and what it can do for our health. Pumpkin seed...

Dried figs

Vitamins, mineral salts, fiber, source of antioxidants, neuroprotective and hepatoprotective action, useful in case of constipation but also irritable bowel syndrome.

With the colder season it is easy to find dried figs on the shelves of supermarkets and specialized shops, small delicious beauties that you can hardly resist. Dried figs are produced by dehydration of the fig fruits, scientific name Ficus Carica. These delicacies are not only tasty, they are in fact a really healthy snack, but with some cautions as we will see. Dried figs, properties - Dried figs are an important source of vitamins, such as vitamins C and A, minerals, such as iron, potassium ...

Cherry honey

Cherry blossom honey has purifying, diuretic but also antioxidant properties, protective action on the liver and heart.

Honey is a food produced by bees that go from flower to flower to collect nectar. In general, honey contains sugars, minerals, such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, manganese and selenium, vitamins, such as vitamin C and group B, proteins and antioxidant substances such as polyphenols and carotenoids that confer an anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial action and also properties able to support the immune system (Miguel et al, Integr Med Insights, 2017). However, both the compos...

Coffee, delight and health in the cup

Coffee is antioxidant, anticancer and anti-inflammatory, protects the brain and liver and counteracts depression, improves attention.

According to the legend, an Ethiopian shepherd one day, while he was taking his goats to pasture, came across some coffee plants. The goats ate the leaves and berries of this plant and at night, instead of sleeping, the goats continued to walk full of energy and vivacity as never before. The shepherd then tried to grind the berries to make an infusion, coffee was born! Coffee is, today, one of the most known, appreciated and consumed drinks in the world. But is this just a tasty habit or can cof...

Food combinations and cooking methods, eggplants

Eggplant balls stimulate the liver and are satiating, grilled eggplants contrast overweight and constipation and are anti-aging and eggplant cream stimulates the thyroid.

The aubergine belongs to the Solanaceae family. Its fruit is a berry with a purple skin and a round or elongated shape based on the type of the plant. Eggplant fruit stimulates the liver and the thyroid, helps in case of obesity, constipation and asthenia, helps to keep cholesterol under control and is antioxidant by protecting DNA from damage and mutations (Aufiero, the therapeutic and nutritional role of food - Sukprasansap et al , Mutat Res, 2019). Let's see how to benefit from these properti...

Golden berry

Vitamins, antioxidants for the well-being of eyesight and skin, mineral salts and fibers, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory and useful action to keep blood pressure at bay, relaxing and antispasmodic properties.

Physalis peruviana is a plant belonging to the Solanaceae family, the same as potatoes, aubergines and tomatoes. The fruits, called golden berries, are round yellow berries with a bitter sweet taste, with notes of pineapple and vanilla. Golden berries can be purchased in specialized shops or online in the form of dried berries. Golden berry, properties - Golden berries are a source of carbohydrates, therefore energy, of fiber, vitamin C, vitamins of group B and K, tocopherol, carotenoids, such...

Food combinations and cooking methods, stinging nettle

Vitamins and mineral salts, especially iron, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, useful in case of stomach ulcers but also to stimulate the liver and for the beauty of nails, skin and hair.

Stinging nettle, scientific name urtica dioica of the Urticaceae family, is a plant known and appreciated for centuries for its nutritional and medicinal properties. In our previous articles we have always focused on the use of nettle as a herbal remedy, in the form of herbal teas useful to purify the body and counteract water retention. Today, however, we will go deeper in the use of stinging nettle as an ingredient for cooking. Stinging nettle, nutritional properties - Nettle brings vitamins...

Picrorhiza, or kutki

Anti-inflammatory, useful to counteract inflammation of the joints, it also acts on the liver and stimulates digestion.

Picrorhiza kurroa, also known as kutki or katuka, is a herbaceous plant from northeastern India and Nepal. Its root has been used for centuries by Ayurvedic medicine thanks to its hepatoprotective, digestive and healing properties. Science is also focusing on this remedy and in fact it is possible to find numerous studies on its properties. Let's see more about the effect of picrorhiza. Picrorhiza, properties - As reported by scientific research, picrorhiza kurroa has proven to be able to prot...

Mastika

Protective action on the stomach and gut, helpful in case of ulcer, inflammation of the gastric mucosa, poor digestion and sour stomach, contributes to lower cholesterol and protects the liver.

Mastika is a vegetable resin obtained from lentisk trees, scientific name Pistacia lentiscus (L.) var. chia. The latex that comes out from the trunks of these plants solidifies in contact with air becoming a hard resin with a drop shape that is often called the tears of Chios, from the name of the Greek island where the lentisks are cultivated from which the Mastika is extracted. Herodotus, the Greek historian lived in the 5th century BC, Galen and Dioscorides, two physicians of antiquity, spoke...

Dandelion honey

Liver and kidney cleanser, diuretic, stomach protection.

The dandelion, scientific name taraxum officinale, commonly known as dandelion, is a spontaneous herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family. This plant grows in gardens and meadows and blooms in early spring presenting itself with a beautiful flower of an intense yellow color. The dandelion is a plant widely used in herbal medicine and in detox cooking thanks to its leaves and roots that purify the liver, are diuretic and antioxidant (Choi et al, Int J Mol Sci, 2010). But the dandelion is also kn...

Dried apricots

Antioxidants, vitamins and mineral salts up to 5 times more than in fresh fruit, rich in energy, able to regenerate the liver, helpful to keep blood sugar under control.

Apricots are the fruit of the plant Prunus armeniaca and are the classic fruit of early summer. However, in the dried form, they can also be eaten all year long. So let's see the properties and characteristics of dried apricots. Dried apricots, properties and use - Dried apricots are a precious source of energy, and this makes them an excellent food for breakfast or for mid-morning or afternoon snacks for athletes or for those who have a very active life. Dried apricots can be eaten whole or c...

Red onion

Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, protects the liver and the heart, stimulates the immune system.

Red onion is a type of onion, Allium cepa of the Liliaceae family, with a red-purple skin and a white flesh tinged with red. Red onion, properties - The red onion is rich in antioxidant substances such as thiosulfinates, which give it the classic pungent odor, quercetin, kaempferol but also anthocyanins that are powerful substances that give to the bulb a purple color. These beneficial substances make red onion a food able to fight free radicals and infections, to stimulate the immune system, ...

Black garlic

More antioxidant and active than fresh garlic, beneficial in case of obesity, high cholesterol, inflammation and dermatitis, protects the heart, brain and liver.

Black garlic is obtained from the normal garlic that we all know, Allium sativum, which is subjected to a special processing. In particular, the garlic cloves are fermented at a temperature between 60 and 70° C and at a very high humidity level, up to 90%, for several weeks and, as a result of a reaction called Maillard, the color of the garlic cloves turns dark. The odor is less pungent than that of fresh garlic due to the lower content in allicin that, during the process, has been converted in...

Persimmon leaves

Digestive properties, antioxidants, antihypertensive and useful in case of type 2 diabetes, for heart and skin health.

The persimmons are the edible fruits of a tree, scientific name Diospyros kaki, which means divine fruit, and have always been considered the sun of autumn since they are able to bring the power of the sun even in the coldest periods. Diospyros kaki is native to China, belongs to the Ebenaceae family and the persimmons can be found on supermarket shelves all over the world from November to December. But it is not only the fruit that is a restorative, re-mineralizing and revitalizing remedy, even...

Ginger

Useful against nausea, sour stomach, poor digestion, high levels of cholesterol and blood sugar, cough, characterized by antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties, protects the liver, joints and brain.

Ginger, scientific name Zingiber officinale, is a plant of the Zingiberaceae family native to the Far East but nowadays widely known all over the world. The part of ginger that we use is the fleshy and fragrant rhizome, fresh, sliced or grated, in the dried form as a powder or even in the form of candied fruit. Ginger is a spice used to flavor sweet and savory dishes, but also to prepare healthy herbal teas. In fact, ginger is characterized by beneficial properties, which we are now going to see...

Food combination and cooking method, potatoes Part 2

What food you can prepare before an exam, or in case of anxiety or insomnia? Potatoes may be helpful thanks to their calming action, finally, we’ll see that French fries in some cases aren’t bad for health!.

Potatoes are edible tubers produced by the plant solanum tuberosum, belonging to the Solanaceae family. Potatoes aren’t a fatty food and, from the nutritional point of view, they are characterized by a high content in vitamins, such as group B and C, mineral salts, such as calcium, iron, phosphorus and potassium, that makes the potatoes a food able to relax, proteins and anti inflammatory and antioxidant substances (Camire et al, Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2009). In the previous post we have seen s...

Black grapes

Both in the form of fruit and juice, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, able to show protective properties for the heart, for the liver and the brain, useful to counteract diabetes and overweight.

Grapes are the fruit of the grape vine, vitis vinifera, juicy, sweet and tasty, have been a part of human life for thousands of years. There are different types of grapes, sweeter or more sour, smaller or bigger and of different colors. Today we will talk about black grapes. Black grapes, properties and benefits - Black grapes, more than other varieties, are an exceptional source of polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants. Polyphenols are mainly found in grape skin and, in case of catechi...

Food combinations and cooking methods, the mushrooms

Vitamins and mineral salts, anti cancer properties, able to support the liver and the immune system, counteract high levels of cholesterol and blood sugar, useful in case of overweight, constipation and anemia, let’s see the best food combinations and the cooking methods that maximize the properties of mushrooms.

In June the mushrooms start growing in the woods. The mushrooms, even if they are vegetables, aren’t constituted by cellulose, such as salads or fruits, but by nitrogenous substances, carbohydrates, low fat and, in particular, proteins. And it is thanks to this characteristic that mushrooms have been nicknamed the plant based meat. But the mushrooms are also a precious source of mineral salts such as iron, zinc, magnesium and selenium that give anticancer and antioxidant properties. Mushrooms co...

Chokeberries

Vitamins and mineral salts, able to lower blood sugar levels, helpful to counteract cholesterol, against water retention and cellulite, able to protect the liver, the stomach and the heart, reduce the waist line.

Aronia, scientific name aronia melanocarpa, is a bush belonging to the Rosaceae family. Its fruits, called aronia berries or chokeberries, are berries that, for what concerns their appearance, remind the blueberries but the taste is a bit sourer. Aronia berries can be found in the form of dried berries or in the form of juices. Chokeberries, properties – As for the properties, aronia berries are a source of vitamin K, useful for the health of bones and the proper blood clotting, vitamin C, gro...

Mung beans and their sprouts

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, protein content and low caloric intake, useful in case of overweight and obesity, help to reduce cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure, in the form of sprouts powerful antimicrobial and antiviral action, proved useful also to counteract cold sores and Helicobacter pylori.

Mung bean, also called green gram or moong, scientific name Vigna radiata, is a plant of the Fabaceae or Leguminosae family. The fruits of this plant are pods that contain edible seeds characterized by a peel of an intense green color. These seeds can be found on the market both in the dried form, in this case they should be soaked in water and then cooked, or in the form of sprouts, the famous mung bean sprouts, that can also be self-produced at home. Mung beans are the most used seeds in the w...

Burdock

Powerful purifying action on the liver, prebiotic effect for the intestinal health, useful especially in case of skin problems such as acne, pimples, blackheads and eczema, improves skin texture.

Burdock, scientific name Arctium lappa, is a plant belonging to the Asteraceae family whose root is used as a powerful natural remedy. The use of burdock as a medicinal plant has a great tradition, in fact already in ancient China this plant was used to treat colds while it even appears in the herbology volume The Compendium of Materia Medica written by Li Shizhen in 1578 during the Ming dynasty. Properties - Science has become very interested in burdock and, as often happens, research has con...

Health and beauty, the remedies of the spring

The natural remedies to purify the body and counteract the stagnations by removing toxins, stimulating the work of the liver and fighting inflammations.

During winter the lymph of the trees doesn’t reach the branches but tends to go down along the trunk towards the roots to avoid that the cold may freeze it. In spring the lymph starts again to flow. In our body happens something very similar, during winter all the processes slow down and then, with warm weather, vitality and energy come back. It is important, in this seasons change that welcomes spring, sun and warmer weather to help the body remove the accumulated toxins, to purify it but also ...

Food combinations and cooking methods, ginger Part 1

Ginger is rich in active substances that make it a powerful remedy with digestive and anti-inflammatory properties, able to protect the cardiovascular system and the immune system, we’ll see the preparation methods and the food combinations that allow you to make the most of these effects.

Ginger is a plant, scientific name Zingiber officinale family of Zinziberaceae, whose rhizome, also called root, is used to cook, thanks to its fresh aroma, and to prepare herbal remedies. Ginger is rich indeed in active substances, such as zingiberene, gingerol and shogaol, resins and mucilage. Thanks to these characteristics, ginger shows anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-cancer and antioxidant properties. In addition, ginger is also able to keep at bay blood sugar, triglycerides and chol...

Artichoke, herbal remedy

Mother tincture able to protect the liver, to lower the blood sugar levels, triglycerides and cholesterol, helps the liver regenerate and rebalances the values of transaminases if altered, useful in case of poor digestion, diabetes cellulite.

Cynara scolymus is the scientific name of the artichoke, the vegetable that we use for cooking. The artichoke belongs to the Composite family and it isn’t just a yummy ingredient but it may become also a herbal remedy. From its leaves, indeed, a mother tincture is obtained rich in phenol compounds such as cynarin, cinaropicrin and caffeic acid. Thanks to these substances the remedy has antioxidant and diuretic properties and is able to protect the liver and the cardiovascular system (Kurt et al,...

Desmodium

Source of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substances, able to protect kidneys but especially the liver from the action of free radicals caused by viral infections, alcohol or medicine abuse, able to rebalance the transaminases, beneficial action in case of asthma.

Desmodium, scientific name Desmodium adscendens, called also tick trefoil or tick clover, is a plant belonging to the Fabaceae family used to protect liver and kidneys and to fight asthma. Desmodium is a natural medicine of tradition, known and used for centuries by the people of the Amazon rainforest and Africa. Nowadays, desmodium is the subject of various scientific studies to test its effectiveness. Properties - What is emerging from the scientific researches is that desmodium is a source ...

Food combinations and cooking methods, onion First Part

Raw onion preserves all the diuretic, hypoglycemic, antibiotic, anti cancer and anti aging properties, is able to protect the cardiovascular system, this action is maximized if onion is associated with vitamin C and E, also sofrito with onion for the preparation of tomato sauce has interesting beneficial properties.

The onion, belonging to the Liliaceae family, is well known, appreciated and eaten for millennia. The first signs of its usage go back to the Chaldeans, 4000 years ago, but also the ancient Egyptians used onions a lot, while during Middle Ages the onions were considered a so precious food that they were used as coins. Nowadays, thanks to scientific studies, we know that this edible bulb isn’t just tasty but also rich in antibiotic, antiseptic, expectorant, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, thus usefu...

Yellow dock

Purification of the liver, diuretic action, useful in case of rheumatism and constipation, remedy for skin problems such as dermatitis, hives, psoriasis or eczema, according to scientific studies antioxidant effect and able to prevent or treat osteoporosis.

Yellow dock, also known as curly dock, scientific name Rumex crispus, is a plant of the Polygonaceae family. The extract obtained from the roots of this plant is a remedy with purifying and diuretic properties, it stimulates the activity of the liver, is laxative, thus helping in case of constipation, and is useful in case of anemia as it provides iron. Moreover, rumex extract is characterized by a well demonstrated antioxidant effect, therefore useful to counteract oxidative stress and the dama...

Food combinations Part 5, the best ways to eat artichokes

Raw artichokes, cooked in oil or boiled, prepared with ginger or garlic, every preparation has its properties in order to help the liver, to counteract poor digestion, insomnia, anxiety or anemia.

The artichoke is the flower bud of the plant Cynara scolymus. The artichoke is rich in iron, potassium, magnesium, cynarine, an alkaloid able to protect the liver and to lower the cholesterol, inulin, a prebiotic that protects and stimulates the bacterial flora of the gut, antioxidants such as tannins (Rondanelli et al, Monladi Arch Chest Dis, Mar 2013 – Lopez-Molina et al, Phytochemistry, Jun 2005). However, the properties of the artichoke depend on the ways of cooking and on the foods served t...