Our super herb of the week is the mulberry leaf. The Mulberry tree is native to China and is now cultivated in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Mulberry leaves are highly nutritious and loaded with powerful plant compounds like polyphenol antioxidants, as well as vitamin C, zinc, calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium.
Mulberry leaves have also long been a well-known medicinal plant. In fact, it has been scientifically proven to fight heart disease. Specifically, a 2018 study published in Pharmaceutical Biology found that mulberry leaves contained numerous prominent functional compounds including 1-Deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ), phenolics and flavonoids. Their beneficial effects are that they ward against cardiometabolic risks including diabetes and heart disease. So the Mulberry leaf essentially combats hypertension, lowers cholesterol levels, and is a powerful anti-oxidant. It was also shown to have preventive effects on weight management.
The 1-DNJ is an ingredient only found in the Mulberry leaf. It holds back complex carbohydrates, starches, maltose and sucrose from breaking down into glucose essentially preventing sugar from entering into the bloodstream! Thus, the Mulberry leaf literally has the capacity to regulate fat while boosting metabolism.
Mulberry leaves are typically used to make tinctures and herbal teas. They are also cooked and consumed as a vegetable. You may also take mulberry leaves in the form of supplements.
Overall, the health implications of the Mulberry leaf is astounding. It is a potent solution to many health issues. It is also a great source of protein, vitamins A, C and B family of vitamins, nutrients, minerals and amino acids. In fact, these power-packed leaves contain six times more calcium than green tea, 25 times more than milk and 40 times more than cabbage. Meanwhile, it’s iron content is 2.5 times more than green tea and 10 times more than spinach. Now that’s what I call a super food!
Have you experienced the benefits of our super herb of the week, mulberry leaf? If so, in what way?
