Top benefits of pumpkin leaf juice for skin and body (how to make guide)
The benefits of olives, grapes or other different fruits and vegetables for your health is well-known in almost every country. Have you ever heard about the positive impact of Ugu vegetable’s leaves on your health? This vegetable has tons of vitamins and minerals, which help your body to stay healthy and skin to remain smooth. But how do you cook beneficial Ugu leaves juice? There are several approaches of Ugu’s leaves usage in food. The most popular is to make a juice out of them. Let’s see how you can do it and learn the health benefits of pumpkin leaf juice.
Pumpkin or Ugu leaf juice is widely used in African cuisine as an aside-dish for meat or a natural substitute for carbonated drinks. It is a very big source of vitamin D and minerals, so it is very beneficial for your health. It is also very delicious and many vegetarians give a preference to Ugu over other products. Sometimes it is used in many sweets or even when making medicine products. The Ugu leaf or simply pumpkin leaf is filled with iron, which helps with blood circulation and eases pain during “special days” in every woman’s life.
Pumpkin leaves have a lot of vitamins. The healthiest are Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, and iron. However, one more benefit, which pumpkin leaves juice has is that while the juice is very tasty, it still has low calories. The amount of vitamins works well for all areas of your body. Vitamin A benefits your vision. Vitamin C helps your skin, which means that in the case of any wounds, scars, this vitamin helps your skin to renovate and recover faster.
Also, pumpkin leaf has a lot of iron in it. Iron helps keep our muscles strong and carries oxygen itself from our lungs to other parts of the body. This is, what we call - hemoglobin. If you’ve ever had to deal with “anemia”, you know that this disease is caused due to iron deficiency.
How to make pumpkin leaf juice?
Before we will talk about the many benefits of this amazing juice, let us show you this great recipe for preparing pumpkin leaf juice. There many different ways to prepare this wonderful drink, but we will tell you about Ugu juice recipe which is popular in Ebonyi state. It is more a smoothie than a juice. The taste of the drink is unforgettable. To make it, you need a sieve and a blender to process the leaves. This method of making the juice is easy and takes only 20 minutes.
Check out how easy it is:
• First of all, prepare the ingredients: some Ugu leaves, milk or a bottle of malt drink and one orange. Some people like to use both milk and malt drink. Also, if you do not have orange, you can also use pineapple instead.
• Take Ugu leaves and rinse them with water, wash properly to avoid contamination. Make sure to remove all insects.
• After the leaves are ready to go, you do not need to cut them. Just simply put them into the blender.
• Add a bit of water and blend it until you see that the leaves have turned smooth. If you use a high speed to blend, this could take up to five minutes. It can also depend on what kind of blender you use.
• Five minutes later, pour the juice through a sieve.
• The juicy mass should be boiled for 90-120 seconds. This way, all the vitamins will stay in juice, which makes it not only tasty but a healthy drink. Leave the juice for a bit and let it cool down.
• Add a full cup or tin of milk or malt bottle drink into the solution.
• And now it is time for the orange! Squeeze the orange into the drink. Now, your Ugu leaf juice is ready to go!
Pumpkin juice is not only a tasty but healthy drink
Ugwu juice is not only tasty but very good for your health. The benefits of pumpkin juice are uncountable. They contain many vitamins and minerals such as B1, B2, B6, C, E vitamins. Some minerals, such as phosphorus, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron are also present in the vegetable leaves. Half a cup of pumpkin leaves juice is recommended for every person to drink daily. So let’s take a look at benefits of drinking Ugu leaves juice.
Health benefits of pumpkin leaves
1. Helps to solve liver and kidney problems
Pumpkin leaf juice can help your liver and kidney. If you suffer from gall bladder or kidney stones problems, drink a bit of juice. One cup per day can improve your condition. You should drink half a cup in the morning and half a cup in the evening for ten days. Also, Ugu leaves have a great laxative effect. It will help your digestive system and cure constipation.
2. Improves eyes health
Ugu leaves juice is a perfect source of Vitamin A, which is important for eye health and prevents many diseases that come with age. It also prevents degeneration of some of the parts of the eye.
3. Treats arteriosclerosis
Do you want to get rid of the old build-up of arterial deposits? Well, this vegetable will help to clean out your arteries and reduce the risk of heart diseases. It contains a lot of anti-oxidants, which help to prevent arteriosclerosis.
4. Relieves morning sickness
If you suffer from morning sickness, when pregnant, try some pumpkin leaf juice! Ugu juice is an effective way to reduce morning sickness. Most of pregnant women asked, admitted that half of cup of juice really helped them to overcome morning sickness.
4. Helps in treatment of Hepatitis A and Reactivates Liver Function
Do you suffer from viral hepatitis A? Ugu juice can be a solution for you. Make it a part of your regular diet. Also, if you have any problem with liver functions, then pumpkin’s biologically active substances can also help you feel better.
5. Has sedative benefits
Feeling tired or not getting enough of sleep lately? One cup of Ugu leaf juice before you go to bed can help you to fight insomnia. A glass of pumpkin leaf juice with honey is even better than milk with honey!
6. Lowers high blood pressure risks
The juice helps to minimize the risk of high blood pressure. Due to the high level of pectin, this vegetable is at the top among all vegetables that help in reducing cholesterol.
7. Improves lactation
Pumpkin leaves are rich in calcium, so the juice of Ugu leaves is popular among lactating mothers. It normalises the calcium level and helps women lactate properly.
8. Boosts weak immunity
To boost your immunity, drinking a bit of juice every day is required by most of doctors. Vitamin C and other minerals protect the body from various diseases.
9. Boosts fertility
A recent study shows that pumpkin leaves have the potential to increase spermatogenesis and help women's fertility.
10. Prevents convulsion
This recommendation is usually given by doctors, who practice ethno medicine. To prevent convulsion, you are supposed to drink pumpkin leaves juice mixed with coconut water. First of all, have your leaves sliced and mixed with coconut water. Then put some salt in it and store it in a bottle.
11. Protects from infections
It is not a secret that Ugu leaves have antibacterial properties, consumption of these leaves on a regular basis will keep you to resist/prevent many bacterial infections.
12. Helps in digestion
It is obvious that pumpkin leaf has high fiber content, so it helps in improving digestion. The juice made from pumpkin leaves is considered as one of the best juices for detoxication.
Ugu leaves help your skin
It is not a secret that Ugu leaves contain antioxidants, so these leaves are the well-known remedy to slow down the aging process. So, if you want to look younger and get rid of wrinkles - start consuming these leaves and enjoy your beauty over again! Not only health and hair benefits of pumpkin juice are discovered, it is also said that this juice is beneficial to your skin. Let’s look at the ways.
1. Anti-wrinkle and hydrating effect
Many cosmetic companies admit that they started to use pumpkin leaves a long time ago. It is mostly because of the anti-wrinkle and hydrating effects’ of the juice. At home, you can also make a cream using Ugu leaves. It is used in facial cosmetics in combination with different ingredients: honey, lemon juice, yoghurt, and vitamin E oil. It can be applied on all types of skin.
2. Healthy and smooth skin
It is said that fresh pumpkin leaves juice is not only a great source of vitamin A, but Vitamin C and E as well. All vitamins mentioned above help to maintain your skin and keep it as smooth and fresh as it can be.
3. Treatment of burns and bites
In the case of burns, inflammation or abscess, Ugu leaf juice works as a cooling agent. It is very effective for treatment and relieves pain caused by insect bites as well. Antioxidants, such as vitamins A, C, E, and zinc help your wound or burn to be healed faster.
The drink, made out of Ugu leaves may not be so sweet, but it contains plenty of nutrients, which are good for your health. Therefore, pumpkin leaves juice benefits your health, skin, and hair’s conditions. Besides, it is a very refreshing and delicious drink both in hot and cold weather. So if you want something fresh and healthy, make some Ugu leaves smoothie for yourself!
Source: Legit.ng
