Bitter leaf, dried. 0.10 lbs packets

Bitter Leaf is a shrub or small tree that grows up to 23 feet tall with gray or brown bark that is rough and flaked. The leaves are green and oblong and the flowers are white, small, thistly, and clustered. The pith, leaf, and root have the medicinal qualities. In many parts of Africa, Bitter Leaf is prepared and eaten like spinach. The root and twigs are chewed as appetizers. This herb is believed to have tonic, anti-parasitic, anti-tumor, and anti-bacterial properties.

Other names with which this plant is known includes:
• Orugbo (amongst the Itsekiri and Urobo tribes in Nigeria)
• Onugbo
• Ewuro
• Mojunso (East Africa – especially Tanzania)

The leaf can be eaten fresh like spinach is soup or dried too. African cuisines featuring this leaf as ingredients include:

• Egusi soup
• Ogbono soup
• Okra and bitter leaf soup
• Pepper soup
• Bitter leaf soup (Ndole in Cameroon)
• Banga soup

In many parts of West Africa, the leaves are used to wash slime off fish and snail before been cooked.

The roots and twigs are eaten as appetizer too.

Medicinal Value
These leaves have great nutritional, herbal and medicinal value.

It is contains very high amount of zinc, important in many enzyme function and keeping the skin fresh.

As a general guide, washing your leaf very well and by so doing, you remove saponins to concentrations that are okay for the body to handle.

They also contains saponins and tannins (glycosides), as well as alkaloids. At least 13 other new compounds or vital ingredients have been found in these leaves, after a 40 years study, and have the following benefits:

• Ant-imalaria
• Anti-bacteria
• Anti-parasites
• Anti-cancer.

It is also effective in preventing indigestion, scurvy, sciatica, and rheumatism.

At least 30 different illnesses have been suggested to be curable with the use of bitter leaf herbs.