The different virtues of black tamarind, a fruit found almost everywhere in West Africa.
Black tamarind is a fruit widely used in West Africa. It has several names depending on the country and region, including attitoè in Togo, mak poussa in Mooré (Burkina Faso), solom in Senegal and chat noir in Ivory Coast.
To understand its benefits we will first study its composition.
Not to be confused with tamarind which is a very different fruit.
Warming !!
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Composition of black tamarind – a treasure trove of concentrated nutrients
On 100 grams, here is the composition in milligrams respectively of the pulp and the seed of the black tamarind tree.
- Organic matter: 98.2 and 97.5
- Dry matter 95.1 and 94.1
- Total carbohydrates 86.6 and 70.6
- Ascorbic acid 35.7 and 6.4
- Humidity 4.9 and 5.9
- Crude protein 4.2 and 15.7
- Crude fat 2.6 and 5.4
- Raw fiber 2.2 and 6.6
- Ashes 1.8 and 2.5
- Potassium 1088 grams
Black tamarind is composed of several nutrients, the most important of which are carbohydrates and ascorbic acid commonly known as vitamin C. It also contains potassium, proteins and fats.
The 12 benefits of black tamarind
The black tamarind fruit and tree has many benefits when used correctly.
This sour and sweet fruit helps reduce the risk of contracting heart diseases, overcome anemia and even treat malaria.
The benefits of this fruit are numerous but in this article we will only mention 12 that seem to us to be the main benefits.
1- Reduces the risk of contracting chronic diseases
Chronic diseases are diseases that are difficult to cure. Patients must spend their entire lives trying to reduce the symptoms of these diseases.
To name just two examples, diabetes and asthma are among them.
The causes of these types of diseases come from highly reactive chemicals called free radicals .
These come naturally from the “waste” from chemical reactions that allow cells to convert fatty acids and glucose into energy using oxygen.
To fight free radicals, the body uses antioxidants to trap them, making them harmless to humans.
Antioxidants are found in all foods rich in vitamin C such as the pulp of black velvet tamarind.
2- Black tamarind prevents high blood pressure
Excess sodium in the body prevents the kidney from functioning properly. This causes a greater amount of water in the blood and therefore an increase in blood pressure.
A decoction made from black velvet tamarind leaves prevents hypertension by helping the kidneys to better evacuate excess fluids from our body.
The potassium it contains balances the amount of sodium in the blood and facilitates the extraction of water from cells through osmosis .
To prevent hypertension it is recommended to consume fruits containing potassium and reduce the amount of salt in our food.
Apart from the pulp of the black tamarind tree, fruits rich in potassium are nuts, avocado, banana and especially dried dates.
3- Combats the risks of cardiovascular diseases
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the world. Many factors cause cardiovascular disorders.
These include poor diet, physical inactivity, tobacco consumption and excessive alcohol consumption. The consequences noted are increased blood glucose or lipid levels, hypertension and finally overweight and obesity.
To reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, it is recommended to consume foods rich in vitamin C such as the pulp of the velvet tamarind tree. Lemon, oranges or grapefruit also prevent heart-related diseases.
4- Treats malaria (favorite benefit)
The leaves of the black velvet tamarind inhibit the growth of Plasmodium falciparum , the parasite that causes malaria. A decoction made from the leaves of the velvet tamarind is used to treat malaria patients.
5- Treats gastric ulcers
Consuming a decoction made from black tamarind leaves increases the secretion of gastric mucus. This helps prevent gastric ulcers.
6- Treats iron deficiency or anemia
Iron is an important nutrient for the body. It acts mainly in the storage of oxygen in the blood. It is also present in the muscles in order to provide them with the oxygen necessary to function.
A low amount of iron in the body leads to iron deficiency anemia, which is characterized by a lack of red blood cells in the blood.
This disease is also a consequence of the low absorption of iron in the blood by the body.
To prevent anemia due to iron deficiency, one should consume foods rich in vitamin C. The pulp of black tamarind helps prevent anemia thanks to the vitamin C it contains in abundance.
7- Increases antioxidants in the body
Antioxidants effectively fight free radicals in our body.
Free radicals are highly reactive molecules responsible for several types of diseases including chronic diseases . Free radicals are also responsible for the aging of cells and therefore the aging of human beings.
The role of antioxidants is to destroy free radicals, rendering them harmless to the body.
The high amount of antioxidants contained in the black velvet tamarind leaf can effectively slow down the aging of an individual.
To prevent free radicals, it is necessary to reduce as much as possible the consumption of industrialized foods, contact with chemicals and pesticides.
8- Increases lactation
Most new mothers suffer from insufficient or even no milk in rare cases. To increase lactation, mothers in some parts of West Africa consume the pulp of the black tamarind.
9 – Boosts immunity by strengthening white blood cells
White blood cells are cells designed to fight infections and diseases. These immune system cells are created in the bone marrow to protect us.
When present in low quantities in our body, bad bacteria can become a deadly danger to humans.
This is why the quality of our immune system depends largely on the quality and number of our leukocytes (white blood cells). The production of the latter depends on what we eat.
A study showed that vitamin C strengthens our immune system by increasing the mobility of white blood cells.
It also promotes the production of immunoglobulins, responsible for the differentiation of dangerous or non-dangerous cells.
Black tamarind being a fruit containing a large amount of vitamin C, boosts our body by strengthening white blood cells.
10- Treats diabetes
Black tamarind, in addition to its nutritional values, has several properties.
That of reducing the sugar level (commonly called glycemia) in the blood and increasing sensitivity to insulin. The latter is a hormone secreted by the pancreas to regulate our blood sugar.
People with type 1 diabetes cannot produce insulin. People with type 2 diabetes produce it, but the body does not use it well.
This is why some people have to inject themselves with insulin. People who favor natural treatments will want to use black velvet tamarind. Be careful, this will not exclude medical visits.
11- Treats hemorrhoids
Black velvet tamarind helps treat hemorrhoids and piles thanks to its special nutritional composition.
The ethanol contained in this fruit helps shrink abscesses while reducing inflammation.
12- Reduces the level of bad cholesterol in the blood
The pulp of black velvet tamarind contains fibers that are very useful for reducing the level of bad cholesterol in the blood.
Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/
https://www.nairaland.com
https://drhealthbenefits.com/
https://www.healthline.com/
https://www.who.int/
https:/ /www.diabete.qc.ca/fr/
https://has-sante.fr/
https://www.passeportsante.net
https://www.santepratique.fr
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