TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Not only the fruit, melinjo leaves also has various benefits. Melinjo leaves contain protein, fiber, copper, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, vitamin A, antioxidants, zinc, manganese, and magnesium.
Tree melinjo widely cultivated for food purposes. The fruit is elliptical, 1-3.5 cm long and half wide. The leaves are simple and dark green. The fleshy strobili weigh about 5.5 g and the seeds weigh about 3.8 g. Melinjo is most often used in Indonesian cuisine.
Launching from Specialtyproduce.com, melinjo leaves are used by rural communities in Aceh and the Karbi Tribe in Northeast India for celebrations and important events. Kuah pliek is a traditional vegetable curry that is often made with young melinjo leaves and is used for keureudja and khanduri in Acehnese culture.
In the Karbi Tribe of Northeast India, Karbis refer to themselves as “sons of Hanthu and Mehek,” Hanthu means Melinjo, and Mehek refers to another wild plant. The Karbis tribe uses melinjo leaves in religious rituals, where the leaves are cooked with the meat of sacrificial animals. In addition to culinary purposes, melinjo leaf sap is also used for eye infections.
According to research from Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh, melinjo leaves are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidant substances are spread in almost all parts of the melinjo plant. However, the highest levels of antioxidants are in the leaves, which is 5.97 percent.
The flavonoid type antioxidants in melinjo leaves are able to control blood sugar levels. Flavonoids work as antidiabetic which binds free radicals so that they can reduce oxidative stress. This oxidative stress triggers insulin retention and prevents pancreatic beta cell dysfunction and damage.
Flavonoids can reduce glucose absorption and regulate the work of enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism. That way, the risk of getting diabetes will decrease. However, to get the benefits of melinjo from melinjo leaves, how to process it must be considered. Consumption of melinjo leaves can be mixed in sour vegetables.
VALMAI ALZENA KARLA
Read: The Benefits of Melinjo Skin Help Lower Uric Acid and Prevent Chronic Diseases
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