Learn the Health Benefits of Kangkong

Health Benefits of Kangkong - “Eat your leafy greens”, a line heard commonly by children said by their parents. But actually sometimes even adults forget to eat them too. Both adults and children alike benefit a lot from eating their leafy greens. One leafy green that is not only easily cooked with many dishes but has also many benefits is Kangkong or also known as Water Spinach or Ipomoea aquatica.

Kangkong is a semi-aquatic, tropical plant that flourishes naturally in water and moist soil. It is an edible plant harvested as a leaf vegetable. Kangkong thrives in tropical and subtropical regions and is more commonly found in Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines.

Here are the Top 10 benefits of Kangkong.

1] Kangkong Reduces Cholesterol Levels

For those aiming to shed some pounds and keep healthy, Kangkong is a good food source. It helps individuals stabilize and eventually reduce their cholesterol levels.

2] Prevents Constipation

Its high level fiber content then helps those who eat it have a regular bowel movement.

3] Anti Diabetic

There have been numerous studies that prove that through regular consumption, this leafy green vegetable slowly creates a resistance from diabetes within the body. It has actually been a way to treat pregnant women with diabetes. Its substances take in the excess blood sugar in the body.

4] Good Eyesight

Yes, carrots aren’t the only veggies that help maintain good eyesight. Kangkong has high content of vitamin A which is essential in keeping one’s eyesight healthy. Vitamin A is also an antioxidant which actually prevents radical attacks in a person’s cornea.

5] Fights Anaemia

Kangkong also has high iron levels. And for people with anemia, a iron-rich diet is the advisable and best way to fight it. It helps increase a person’s hemoglobin. And it is also beneficial for pregnant women who need tons of iron in their body.

6] Boosts Immunity

High vitamin C means better results for your immune system. And it improves bone health as well. Kangkong is a cheap alternative to medicine that can improve your overall health. A vegetable that helps further eliminate toxins.

7] Helps Liver Problems

Researches have proven that Kangkong has chemical compounds that gives extra protection to the liver thus improving any liver possible liver damage a person may already have by modulating the detoxification of enzymes.

8] Improves Skin Health

As mentioned earlier, Kangkong eliminates harmful toxins which results to better skin health. What is left with your body are the healthy toxins and of course the vitamins it has also improves the overall skin health. And for those with skin disorders, it helps eliminates them as well.

9] Removes Intestinal Parasites

In case you may intake dirty food which can cause intestinal parasites, a good food to take to remove them would be Kangkong. Kangkong causes these intestinal parasites to be flushed out from your body.

10] Anti-ageing Effects

Removing possible free radical damage in our body, Kangkong improves the bodies capability to resist from any form of damage that comes from the sun. It also limits the extent of wrinkling. No need to get a face lift when you have Kangkong around.

If you are still not a fan of this green leafy vegetable then you are missing out on all of the benefits it can give you.

References:

Dhanasekaran Sivaraman and Palayan Muralidaran, “CNS Depressant and Antiepileptic Activities of the Methanol Extract of the Leaves of Ipomoea Aquatica Forsk,” E-Journal of Chemistry, vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 1555-1561, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1155/2010/503923.
K. Nagendra Prasad, G.R. Shivamurthy and S.M. Aradhya, 2008. Ipomoea aquatica, An Underutilized Green Leafy Vegetable: A Review. International Journal of Botany, 4: 123 129. DOI: 10.3923/ijb.2008.123.129 URL: https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=ijb.2008.123.129
Prasad, K & G.R, Shivamurthy & S.M, Aradhya. (2008). Ipomoea aquatica, An Underutilized Green Leafy Vegetable: A Review. International Journal of Botany. 4. 10.3923/ijb.2008.123.129. https://bit.ly/2s3aYcI
Ribo, A. A., Dequito, A. L., Lunio, L. G. & Mato, K. B.. (2012). Phytochemical Screening and Determination of the Antioxidant Levels of Cabbage (Brassica oeracea) And Kangkong (Ipomoea aquatica) Leaf Extracts. Root Gatherers, 3(1). Retrieved from https://ejournals.ph/form/cite.php?id=6904

How to cook Kangkong:

You can stir fry, use in soups, stews, or simply steam the Kangkong. It works well in just about any dish that you use the regular spinach in but with a much flavorful result. Kangkong (River Spinach) can be cooked with fish, shrimp, chicken, and other meats.

Below you can find a number Kangkong recipes that you can prepare for your family;

Top 10 Health Benefits of Kangkong

Learn the Health Benefits of Kangkong