Alugbati good source of vitamins A, B, and C,
Basella alba Linn. with a high roughage value.
SPINACH VINE Others
Cosmetic: Fruit used by women as
rouge for cheeks and lips; also as a
dye.
Dye: With the anthocyanin content, it
makes for a natural food
colorant. Fruit provides a dark violet
color as food colorant.
Veterinary: Ground leaves rubbed on
the human hand to introduce the
preparation into the animal vagina
every morning for the treatment of
sterility.
Pharmaceuticals: Plant mucilage has
been proposed for applications in
medicine and cosmetics. The
mucilage has also been proposed as
Botany thickener, water-retention agent,
Alugbati is a succulent, branched, gelling agent, suspending agent and
smooth, twining herbaceous vine, film former.
several meters in length. Stems are
purplish or green. Leaves are
somewhat fleshy, ovate or heart-
shaped, 5 to 12 centimeters long,
stalked, tapering to a pointed tip with
a cordate base. Spikes are axillary,
solitary, 5 to 29 centimeters long.
Flowers are pink, about 4 millimeters
long. Fruit is fleshy, stalkless, ovoid or
nearly spherical, 5 to 6 millimeters
long, and purple when mature.
Uses
Edibility / Nutrition
- Common market product, a popular
leafy and stew vegetable, and a good
substitute for spinach.
- The green and purple cultivated
varieties are preferable to the wild
ones.
- Both the young shoots and stems
are eaten.
- Excellent source of calcium and iron;
Kang Kong phenolic compounds, so there is
powerful antioxidant activity.
Botanical Name: Ipomea Research has indicated that there is
aquatica significant medicinal value in the
Kang Kong plant, with studies on
cholesterol and diabetic
treatments being explored.
In Ayurveda Medicine, it is used
to treat jaundice and liver
problems. The leaves are used to
treat diabetes in pregnant
women and it is also used as a
sedative to promote sleep and
relaxation.
Kang Kong is an herbaceous
trailing vine with a semi-aquatic
habit. It has long hollow stems
that help it to float when
growing in water. The stems
help keep the leaves above the
surface and the plant continues
to root at the nodes. The
alternately positioned leaves
are from 5-15cm long and arrow
shaped, or lanceolate. They may
be from 2-8cm wide and held on
the trailing stems, which may be
2-3 meters long. The leaves are
green but may have a purple
blush that varies depending on
the individual plant. The white
to pink-lilac flowers are trumpet
shaped with a mauve centre and
are from 3-5 cm in diameter. The
seed pods are oval shaped and
house 1-4 grey seeds.
Medicinal Uses
Kang Kong has a long history of
traditional medicine use, with the
stems being determined as more
potent than the leaves. The plant is
rich in minerals such as calcium and TALBOS NG KAMOTE
iron, and contains sodium,
magnesium, phosphorous,
manganese, copper and zinc. COMMON FILIPINO
Vitamin B2, C and K are also NAME : Talbos ng Kamote
present. Further active ingredients COMMON ENGLISH
include flavonoids, catechin and
NAME : Camote Tops CURATIVE BENEFITS /
SCIENTIFIC NAME : Ipomoea MEDICINAL QUALITIES :
Batatas Among all the other plants,
research studies have shown
that Camote tops may be used
as a remedy to Dengue fever. It
is said to help increase
platelet counts that would
help recover from Dengue.
Camote tops can also be used
to treat other diseases or
sicknesses:
• Diabetes
• Heart Disease
• Cancer (Colon, stomach)
• Problems on bowel
movement
• High Blood Pressure
VITAMINS AND MINERALS
DESCRIPTION : CONTENT / NUTRITIONAL
The leafy part of the Camote VALUE:
plant is familiarly known as Camote tops are a good
the Camote tops or Talbos ng source of vitamins and
Kamote, in Tagalog. Camote minerals that gives its
leaves are usually used as medicinal value.
vegetables in some traditional • Vitamins A, B, C
Filipino cuisines. The • Calcium
antioxidants present in a • Iron
Camote plant are believed to • Phosphorus
be mostly found within its • Dietary fiber
leaves. • Antioxidants
MOST POPULAR
SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFIT/S :
Camote tops’ vitamins and
minerals help in boosting one’s
immune system to prevent the
body from disease-causing
bacterias.
Fibromyalgia. Chili or siling labuyo
consumption can improve the
symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Relieves heavy menstrual bleeding.
A decoction of half a teaspoon of siling
labuyo mixed with warm water taken
twice a day can alleviate symptoms of
heavy bleeding.
Relieves pain and inflammation.
Crushed siling labuyo is mixed with oil
and massaged to joint pains,
gout, arthritis and rheumatism to relieve
pain and inflammation.
Can increase blood flow. Crushed
siling labuyo is a strong rubefacient, or
Siling labuyo irritant that makes the skin to become
red by causing dilation of the capillaries
Scientific Name: Capsicum and an increase in blood circulation.
Frutescens
Antibiotic properties. Crushed leaves
of siling labuyo are applied to skin
Also knows as: Siling palay, siling wounds and sores, believed to possess
bundok (Tagalog), African Chili, antibiotic properties.
African Bird pepper, Tabasco
pepper, Chile pepper, Cayenne
pepper, red pepper, Chili pepper
(English), Tjabe Rawit, lombok
riewit (Indonesia).
MALUNGGAY
Description of Siling Labuyo: Siling
labuyo is an annual or short perennial
erect plant growing to a height of .5 to
1.2 meters in warm climates. Siling
labuyo plant has woody branches with
leaves that are oblong with pointed tip
about 3 to 8 cm in length.Flowers bloom
in a central axil, white, pale green or
yellow-green in color. The fruit of siling
labuyo is small, conical and tapering in
shape about 1.5 to 3 cm long. Siling
labuyo may be pale green or yellow
turning red as it ripens and contains
many small seeds. Siling labuyo may
be small but it is considered as among
the hottest variety of chili pepper.
Siling labuyo is widely used as folkloric
herbal medicine. Siling labuyo is known
for the following health benefits:
Moringa oleifera Lam. • Dosing: Overuse may cause undue
BEN OIL TREE
accumulation of iron. High iron can cause
gastrointestinal distress and
hemochromatosis. 70 g a day is
Botany suggested, a dose that prevents over
Malunggay is a much-branched small tree accumulation of nutrients. (59)
growing as high as 9 meters, with a soft • Processing of
and white wood and corky and gummy Moringa: Phytochemicals are higher in
bark. Leaves are alternate, usually thrice raw seed flour and amino acid content
pinnate, 25 to 50 centimeters long. Each was highest in fermented and germinated
compound leaf contains 3-9 very thin seed flour. Study evaluated leaves for
leaflets dispersed on a compound (3 retention of nutrients after boiling,
times pinnate) stalk. The leaflets are thin, simmering and blanching. Boiling was the
ovate to elliptic, and 1 to 2 centimeters most effective since it reduced the
long. Flowers are white and fragrant, 1.5 cyanide, oxalate, and phytate contents
to 2 centimeters long, on spreading more significantly than the two other
panicles. Pod is 15 to 30 centimeters methods. (59)
long, pendulous, three-angled, and nine-
ribbed. Seeds are three-angled, and
winged on the angles.
Uses• Water purifier: Moringa seed Scallions (also known
powder has been used as water purifier. as green onions, spring
Its water-clarifying property has been onions, or salad onions) are
attributed to a positively charged protein
call MOPC (Moringa oleifera Cationic vegetables of
Protein)—the crushed seeds added to various Allium onion species.
water will kill some of the microbes, Scallions have a milder taste
clumping together, and settling at the than most onions.
bottom of the container.
Breast feeding women
• Malunggay leaves and pods are helpful
in increasing breast milk in the breast-
feeding months. One tablespoon of leaf
powder provide 14% of the protein, 40%
of the calcium, 23% of the iron and most
of the vitamin A needs of a child aged one
to three. Six tablespoons of leaf powder
will provide nearly all of the woman's daily
iron and calcium needs during pregnancy
and breast-feeding.
• Preservation Methods: Moringa can
be preserved for a long time without loss
of nutrients. Leaves can be dried or
frozen for storage. Preservation by
dehydration improves shelf life. Study
(Yang et al.) showed low temperature
oven used to dehydrate the
leaves retained more nutrients except Allium fistulosum
vitamin C than freeze-dried leaves. (59) Common Name: scallion
Type: Bulb grown in herb gardens and
Family: Amaryllidaceae vegetable gardens where the
Native Range: Not known in wild young leaves and bulbils may
Zone: 6 to 9 be harvested for food. Leaves
Height: 1.00 to 3.00 feet are tasty when young, but are
Spread: 2.00 to 1.00 feet
not ornamentally attractive.
Flowering stalks are
Culture
ornamentally attractive when
Winter hardy to USDA Zones flowers are in bloom.
6-9 where this plant is easily
grown in rich, deep, medium
moisture, well-drained,
sandy-limey loams in full sun
to part shade. Plants tolerate a
variety of soil types. Best
performance occurs with
consistent moisture during
the growing season. Perennial
plants are easy to propagate
by division. This perennial
bunching onion can be
harvested year round in mild
winter climates. It
infrequently self-seeds, but
clumps will spread slowly in
the garden. In cold winter
climates north of Zone 6, this
plant is typically grown as an
annual. When grown as an
annual, sow seeds in early
spring for summer use. Plant
1/4” and 1/2” apart and 1/2”
deep. Provide regular shallow
cultivation to reduce weed
competition.
Garden Uses
Widely used as a food additive
in salads, garnishes, soups,
stews, stir fry and Chinese
cooking. Also serves as a
chive/leek substitute. May be
