There is more than you know about Lagerstroemia Speciosa.
A flowering tree that thrives in tropical countries like India and the Philippines, Lagerstroemia Speciosa (known as Banaba in the Philippines) has been traditionally used as herbal and Ayurvedic treatment for diabetes. This tree can grow up to 10 meters high whereas the leaves are oblong in shape and about 3 inches in width and 7 inches in length. The flowers are racemes, or grouped in clusters, and are pink to lavender in color.
The substance that makes Lagerstroemia Speciosa a medicinal goldmine is the corosolic acid found in the leaves and flowers of the plant. Other than that, Lagerstroemia Speciosa is also rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers. To help you be better reacquainted with Lagerstroemia Speciosa, we’ve listed the five medicinal benefits that you’ll get from it.
For hundreds of years, people in tropical Asia used Lagerstroemia Speciosa to treat any sugar-related sickness. A study published in 2011 found out that administered leaf extracts of Lagerstroemia Speciosa decreased the blood sugar level of mice after 15 days of exposure. The reason for this lies in the corosolic acid found in the leaves and flowers of the plant. Corosolic acid is a chemical compound of insulin that can regulate your body’s glucose levels.
You can use Lagerstroemia Speciosa to manage your diabetes naturally by using the dried leaves and fruits for tea. Making Lagerstroemia Speciosa tea is easy and if you want, you can make it at home. All you must do is dry the leaves and fruits for about two weeks and then cut the husks into pieces. Once cut, boil the husks in water for 30 minutes. After that, strain the fruits and leaves from the tea. Then, be sure to take this tea 4-6 times a day.
- Lowers Blood Pressure
One of the key medicinal traits of Lagerstroemia Speciosa, aside from its ability to help your body reduce its blood sugar level naturally, is that it aids in lowering your blood pressure to normal level as well. High blood pressure is very dangerous since it might lead to stroke or even death. The American College of Cardiology (ACA) has released new guidelines for high blood pressure in 2017, indicating blood pressure between 120/80 and 129/80 as elevated and 130/80 or above is high. To the ACA, hypertension stage 1 is 130-139/80-89 and hypertension 2 as 140-higher/90-higher. Complications of high blood pressure include heart disease, kidney disease, atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries), eye damage, and brain damage.
- Heart Disease Prevention
Aside from diabetes, Lagerstroemia Speciosa is also capable of helping prevent heart disease. Again, this is due to the corosolic acid found in the leaves and the flowers. This medicinal substance helps the body lower its cholesterol level and from that, the chances of having a heart disease plummets considerably. Also, having a lower cholesterol level will do wonders to your endurance and will make sure that plaque buildup won’t happen to your artery walls and cause stroke. That doesn’t end there, though. Plaque buildup can also lead to blood clots which, in turn, cause heart attacks.
- For Diet Treatment
One of the most sought-after health benefit these days is losing unwanted weight. One of the major causes of obesity is insulin resistance. Glucose on the bloodstream cause the pancreas to release insulin, so when there’s a high level of glucose, the pancreas releases more insulin into the body. This can be harmful in the long run and might even lead to diabetes. Although, the most common effect of this is an increase in body weight or obesity. High blood sugar becomes fat and this gets stored in the body. By lowering your blood sugar levels, you’re preventing the excess glucose from turning into fat.
- Natural Diuretic
Lastly, Lagerstroemia Speciosa is also a natural diuretic. Diuretics function by causing the kidneys to filter salt from the urine at first. Then, the kidneys respond to the lesser amount of salt in the blood and filter the water as well to maintain serum homeostasis, causing increased urination. Increased urination can be a good thing for the body if it is not triggered by a complication or disease. Diuretics can reduce hypertension by lessening the sodium content of the blood. Excessive sodium in the blood is the primary cause of hypertension. Also, diuretics can compensate for poor functioning of the kidneys. Finally, diuretics can reduce bloating caused by water retention.
Not Just Pretty Flowers
With the amount of medicinal and health benefits that you’ll get from Lagerstroemia Speciosa, the somewhat grandiose title that it was bestowed by a grateful people makes sense right now. It truly is something that a country can consider as one of the things that make it proud. It’s a shame then, that this wonderful herb only grows in tropical countries…or not?
If you live in a country that doesn’t have this wonder herb, you can always buy supplements that have extracts of Lagerstroemia Speciosa instead to enjoy the medicinal benefits that it brings. A good example of that is Ampalaya Plus, an herbal supplement for diabetics that contain bitter gourd, turmeric, and Lagerstroemia Speciosa. Not only does it helps the body manage its blood sugar naturally due to the bitter gourd, it also has Lagesrtroemia Speciosa and Turmeric, bringing the health benefits of those two superfood and spice to the mix.
