இயற்கை மருத்துவம்

 

*Thuthuvalai* 

*Introduction:*

          It is also known as Purple Fruited Pea Egg Plant, Thuthuvalai, Tutavalam, Alarkapatramu, Ambusondeballi, Kantakaari Lataa, Bryhoti, Achuda.

*Medicinal Uses:*

1. *Antioxidant Properties:*

        Thuthuvalai has amazing antioxidant properties. Consuming antioxidant rich ingredients is the key to good health. Consuming antioxidant rich ingredients will prevent free radical damage which is the main cause of premature ageing of the skin and hair. Consuming thuthuvalai in any form will help.

2. *Repels Mosquitoes:*

        Thuthuvalai leaf extract has the ability to repel Anopheles Stephensi mosquitoes when we apply the extract on our skin along with preventing the egg laying. When we spray the thuthuvalai leaf extract on areas where mosquitoes are usually found, it reduces the egg laying capacity by almost 30 to 90 % depending on the concentration.

3. *Anti Inflammatory Properties:*

        Thuthuvalai leaf extract has amazing anti inflammatory properties and if you are suffering any kind of inflammation, try to include thuthuvalai soup or thuthuvalai rasam in your diet for a few days. It will greatly help bring down the inflammation. You can read the study that supports this claim here.

4. *Anti Bacterial Properties:*

        Almost all parts of thoothuvalai has anti bacterial properties, the flowers, the fruits and the leaves all exhibited powerful anti bacterial properties and the effect was more effective against gram positive bacteria than gram negative bacteria. The best part is thuthuvalai extract proved to be more effective than even antibiotics!

5. *Anti Diabetic Properties:*

        Thuthuvalai has wonderful anti diabetic properties too. Thuthuvalai not only helps reduce blood sugar levels but has a protective effect on our kidneys too. People who have diabetes will greatly benefit if they regularly include thuthuvalai in their diet. You can read the study that supports this claim here. 

6. *Anti Asthma Properties:*

        Thuthuvalai has long been used for treating asthma. The soup made with thuthuvalai leaves is given to people suffering from asthma and it greatly helps. Now this traditional practice has been backed by research, in the study all the symptoms including breathlessness, cough and sputum decreased significantly and you can read the study here.

7. *Anti Cancer Properties:*

        Thuthuvalai has amazing anti cancer properties. The chemical compound called sobatum found in thuthuvalai not only prevents cancer but also inhibits the growth of existing cancer cells. Also since thuthuvalai is rich in antioxidants, it greatly prevents oxidative stress which is the leading cause of many diseases including cancer.

8. *Has A Protective Effect:*

        Regularly including thuthuvalai in our diet helps improve immunity and prevents us from many diseases. This is because thuthuvalai greatly prevents lipid peroxidation in which cells get damaged due to free radicals. If we consume thuthuvalai regularly, it will greatly help strengthen our immune system keeping us healthy always.

*How To Make Thuthuvalai Powder?*

        To make thuthuvalai powder, collect a handful of thuthuvalai leaves and wash them to get rid of any dirt. Now spread the leaves on a kitchen cloth to absorb all the moisture. Once there is no moisture left, spread on a plate and sun dry till crisp. While still crisp from sun drying, powder in a dry mixer, sieve and store in an airtight box.

*4 Best Thuthuvalai Keerai Recipes:*

*1. Thuthuvalai Dosai:*

        To make thuthuvalai dosai soak a cup of idli rice in the morning. In the evening, collect a handful of thuthuvalai leaves and wash them to get rid of any dirt. Now grind the soaked rice along with 1 green chilli,  1/4 tsp of jeera, five to six small onions, a small piece of ginger along with little salt.

        Add in enough water and grind to a smooth paste. You can make the dosais in the night. I like to serve it with coconut chutney. This dosai tastes very nice and is very healthy, serve it to kids too.

*2. Thuthuvalai Rasam:*

        To Make thuthuvalai rasam, take 1/2 tsp of jeera, 1/4 tsp of peppercorns, 3 garlic cloves, 2 green chillies and a handful of freshly plucked thuthuvalai leaves in a mortar and pestle and pound lightly. Now soak a small piece of tamarind in a cup of water for 1/2 an hour and strain. 

        Now heat a tsp of oil in a pan, add in mustard and once it splutters, add in a small piece of asafoetida, 1 red chilli broken and few curry leaves. Now add in 1 finely cut tomato along with little salt and turmeric powder and sauté for a few minutes. 

        Now add in the tamarind water along with salt and let it boil till the raw smell goes away. Now add in the pounded thuthuvali mixture and once it is about to come to boil again, switch off and serve. Apart from treating cold and cough, this thuthuvalai rasam will also give good relief from stomach pain caused due to indigestion.

*3. Thuthuvalai Soup:*

        To make the soup, first collect five to six thuthuvalai leaves and wash them to get rid of any dirt. Pound 1/4 tsp each of pepper corns and cumin seeds along with 1 small garlic pod in a mortar and pestle and then add the leaves and pound everything together well.

        Boil water in a pan along with little bit organic turmeric powder and salt. Add the pounded mixture and boil till the leaves are cooked. Strain and your effective home remedy for cough and cold is ready! This thuthuvalai soup tastes really nice and is very comforting to drink.

        It is especially nice to drink when we have a cold or cough and it gives very good relief. You can give this soup to children too, but reduce the amount of pepper for them. Try to use fresh thuthuvalai leaves for making the soup and don’t use more than a pod of garlic.

*4. Thuthuvalai Thuvaiyal:*

        To make thuthuvalai thuvaiyal, collect a handful of thuthuvalai leaves and wash them to get rid of any dirt. Now heat a tsp of sesame oil in a pan. Add in a tbsp of bengal gram dal and fry till it changes color. Add in 2 red chillies, 1 big garlic clove, the washed thuthuvalai leaves and fry till the leaves wilts.

        Now add in 1/4 cup of grated coconut along with little bit of tamarind and required amount of salt and fry for a few seconds. Let the mixture cool and then grind in a mixture to a thick paste. We serve it along with rice and ghee for lunch, tastes heavenly and is very good for our health too!