Health Benefits of Garden Egg Leaf

Garden egg leaves, also known as African eggplant leaves (from Solanum macrocarpon), Akwukwo Anyara (Igbo), and Ganyen Gauta (Hausa). West Africa cultivates garden egg leaves extensively, with Nigeria boasting a particularly high abundance. This leaf is useful for culinary purposes as well as in traditional medicine in West Africa. It has a slightly bitter taste which adds a unique flavour to dishes. We cannot overlook the health benefits of garden egg leaves, and we shall discuss them in this article.

Health Benefits of Garden Egg Leaf

1. Digestive Function: Garden egg leaves are a good source of fiber, which is essential for digestive health. Fiber helps add bulk to stool, making it easier to pass and promoting regularity. This can also help to prevent constipation and keep your digestive system moving smoothly.

2. Antioxidant: Garden egg leaves contain various antioxidant compounds, including flavonoids and phenolic acids. These antioxidants can scavenge free radicals, potentially offering some cell protection.

3. Kidney Health: It is a common belief that the garden egg leaves help to combat kidney stones and help to maintain general kidney health.

4. Regulating Blood Sugar: Studies suggest that certain compounds in garden egg leaves might have properties that help regulate blood sugar levels. These compounds, like chlorogenic acid and some flavonoids, have been shown to play a role in blood sugar management.

5. Blood Pressure: Chlorogenic acid is a type of polyphenol, a natural compound found in many plants. Garden egg leaves contain a valuable amount of chlorogenic acid, which aids in regulating blood pressure.

6. Improved Eye Sight: Garden egg leaves are a good source of vitamins and minerals essential for healthy vision. They contain vitamin A, a well-known nutrient for maintaining good eyesight, particularly night vision.

7. Weight Loss: Garden egg leaf does not contain a lot of carbohydrates, but has high water contents as well as micronutrients. All of these help in body fat reduction when you consume this rich plant constantly and coupled with a healthy diet.

8. Pregnancy: Due to its high content of micronutrients such as zinc, iron, magnesium and potassium, garden egg leaf is great for pregnant women as these nutrients help to maintain a healthy pregnancy.

9. Fertility: It is a popular traditional belief that garden egg leaves help to cure barrenness and boost fertility, especially in women.

10. Blood Tonic: In some cultures, green leaves are a common ingredient in homemade blood tonics. Garden egg leaves are no exception. People traditionally consume the juice extracted from the leaves, either on its own or mixed with milk to improve the taste.

More About Solanum Macrocarpon

According to Wikipedia, “Solanum macrocarpon can grow to a height of 1-1.5 m. It has an alternate leaf pattern with a blade width of 4–15 cm and a height of 10–30 cm. The shapes of the leaves are oval and lobed with a wavy margin.”

A breakdown of Vitamins and Minerals contained in the plant is also provided by WebMD as follows:

100 grams of juice contains:

• Water, 89.27 g
• Protein, 2.24 g
• Fat, 0.52 g
• Fiber, 2.96 g
• Ash, 0.87 g
• Carbohydrates, 4.14 g
• Calcium, 498.47 mg
• Magnesium, 1.98 mg
• Iron, 1.02 mg
• Potassium, 4.474 mg
• Zinc, 0.077 mg