I read an interesting article about chili pepper from Dr. Rodriguez, Professor from the Institute of Chemistry, University of the Philippines. Her article detailed the promising health and wellness benefits of fruits and vegetables and I want to focus strictly on Peppers. According to Dr Rodriguez, photochemical are what help people stay healthy. Phytochemicals are chemical compounds that occur in fruits, vegetables and other plant species consumed by man.  These naturally-occurring compounds which act as anti-oxidants capable of metabolizing free-radicals in the body that can cause cell death.

In chili pepper, carotenoids and phenolic acids are the phytochemicals that can be derived from its leaves and fruits. The potential disease-preventive mechanisms of pyhytochemicals in fruits and vegetables and their constituents are not limited to antioxidant activity alone.  The phytochemicals can also act in the modulation of detoxification enzymes, stimulation of the immune system, alteration of cholesterol mechanism, and blood pressure reduction.

My wife grows the most common species of chili peppers in our garden. She utilizes the fruit and leaves from all varieties in preparing culinary dishes. The capsicum frutescens is my favorite and is one species of chili pepper that has the potential to reduce the risk of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, cataracts, and macular degeneration. The labuyo fruit was earlier utilized as a herbal plant to ease arthritis and rheumatism and is suppose to be an effective cure for dyspepsia, flatulence, and toothache.

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One of my favorite treats from the garden is sweet potato leaves. They are a common dish in the Philippine cuisine, which was introduced to me y my lovely wife. The sweet potato leaves is a health vegetable rich in antioxidants and other nutrients useful in maintaining a healthy body.

Aside from its antioxidant properties, sweet potato leaves are used to treat diabetes and hookworm.

I like the leaves steamed then dipped into soy sauce or a vinegar and chili mixture. You can also sauté in butter or serve fresh in a mixed salad.

In the Philippines they have a miracle vegetable, called Malunggay, which they considered as one of the most useful plants in the world. In English you will hear this plant referred to as a Horseradish Tree. My wife is from the Philippines and utilizes this plant for medical and culinary purposes.

All aspects of the plant can be eaten: flowers, leaves, pods and the roots. Our favorite culinary use for Malunggay is to cook the leaves in chicken or fish dishes The leaves can be boiled with vegetables, served in soup and the leaves added to salads. The roots taste like horseradish and can be used a s a substitute. The pods can be boiled like a bean and the seeds yield a bean oil that can be used as salad oil or for frying.

Antioxidants are essential for maintaining health and preventing diseases. The leaves contain four times the calcium as in milk, three times the potassium as in bananas and four times the amount of vitamin A as in carrots and seven times the vitamin C as in oranges. The Malunggay is used in the Philippines as an antioxidant to maintain health and prevent diseases such as cancer, heart and kidney disease, rheumatism, arthritis, smallpox and chickenpox. It is well know in the Philippines as an anti-ox vaccine.

I will provide another update on other uses for Malunggay at a later date.