Wild Fig: From 1 Different Sources
Ficus speciesDescription: These trees have alternate, simple leaves with entire margins. Often, the leaves are dark green and shiny. All figs have a milky, sticky juice. The fruits vary in size depending on the species, but are usually yellow-brown when ripe.Habitat and Distribution: Figs are plants of the tropics and semitropics. They grow in several different habitats, including dense forests, margins of forests, and around human settlements.Edible Parts: The fruits are edible raw or cooked. Some figs have little flavor.
Health, Protection... figwort
Barley tea is widely consumed due to its medicinal properties. It fights effectively against several types of cancer, due to its high content of antioxidants.
Barley Tea description
Barley is a self-pollinating annual plant, member of the grass family. It grows to a height of 1 to 4 feet, being able to withstand various growing conditions. It is found in grasslands, woodlands, disturbed habitats, roadsides and orchards.
The grass of barley is acknowledged to be a source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids and it also has a high content of antioxidants.
In traditional Chinese medicine, Barley grass has been prescribed to fight diseases of the spleen or poor digestion. It has also been effectively used to treat depression or emotional imbalance.
Barley tea is the resulting beverage from brewing the abovementioned plant.
This is a very common and appreciated drink in many parts of Asia including Japan, China, Malaysia and Singapore.
Barley tea is popular in Japanese and Korean cuisine: the barley grass is often roasted and then stewed in hot water.
It is also intaken as a caffeine-free coffee substitute in American cuisine.
It is traditionally used for detoxification, to improve digestion and for urinary tract infections.
Barley Tea brewing
Barley tea is available in loose grains, tea bags or already prepared tea drinks.
It is usually made by briefly simmering roasted barley grains.
The resulting beverage has a toasty taste, with slight bitter undertones.
Barley tea is best consumed hot, though some report that room temperature and even cold barley water is still effective.
Barley Tea benefits
Studies conducted so far showed that
Barley tea is effective in treating:
- certain forms of cancer
- digestion
- prostate
- sleep disorder
Barley tea is believed to help relieving early symptoms of colds, acting as a daily nutritional supplement and successfully cleansing the body of toxins.
This tea may help improve blood sugar levels and also reduce bad cholesterol levels.
Barley Tea side effects
Barley tea is not recommended for nursing and pregnant women because it may stop lactation.
Barley tea is a healthy alternative to caffeine drinks and people choose it daily to replace the first mentioned beverage.... barley tea may fight cancer
Capparis aphyllaDescription: This is a thorny shrub that loses its leaves during the dry season. Its stems are gray-green and its flowers pink.Habitat and Distribution: These shrubs form large stands in scrub and thorn forests and in desert scrub and waste. They are common throughout North Africa and the Middle East.Edible Parts: The fruit and the buds of young shoots are edible raw.... wild caper
Pistacia speciesDescription: Some kinds of pistachio trees are evergreen, while others lose their leaves during the dry season. The leaves alternate on the stem and have either three large leaves or a number of leaflets. The fruits or nuts are usually hard and dry at maturity.Habitat and Distribution: About seven kinds of wild pistachio nuts are found in desert, or semidesert areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea to Turkey and Afghanistan. It is generally found in evergreen scrub forests or scrub and thorn forests.Edible Parts: You can eat the oil nut kernels after parching them over coals.... wild pistachio
Zizania aquaticaDescription: Wild rice is a tall grass that averages 1 to 1.5 meters in height, but may reach 4.5 meters. Its grain grows in very loose heads at the top of the plant and is dark brown or blackish when ripe.Habitat and Distribution: Wild rice grows only in very wet areas in tropical and temperate regions.Edible Parts: During the spring and summer, the central portion of the lower sterns and root shoots are edible. Remove the tough covering before eating. During the late summer and fail, collect the straw-covered husks. Dry and parch the husks, break them, and remove the rice. Boil or roast the rice and then beat it into flour.... wild rice
Arousal of the sympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system in response to fear but which also occurs in anxiety disorders. Adrenaline (epinephrine), noradrenaline (norepinephrine), and other hormones are released from the adrenal glands and nervous system, leading to a raised heart-rate, pupil dilation, and increased blood flow to the muscles. These effects make the body more efficient in either fighting or fleeing the apparent danger.... fight-or-flight response
Elderberry tea is commonly known as a remedy for flu or cold. This miraculous shrub has many other benefits for your health and can be used in many forms even for wines or sweets.
About Elderberry tea
Originally native to Europe and Western Africa, elderberry is a bush with white flowers and clusters of berries that are purplish to black in color. The best type of elderberry is considered to be the sambucus nigra, because it is truly the only safe type. Other types can be poisonous (especially stems and leaves) so be careful when you pick it yourself or when you buy it from stores.
The elderberry flowers and fruits are usually used to prepare teas, wine, jams, pies and syrups and are sometimes used as flavoring for soft drinks. The elderberry plant is also sometimes used as an ornamental plant.
Elderberry tea is rich in vitamin C and has high levels of flavonoids, anthocyanin, sambucin, sambunigrin and potassium nitrate, along with sugars. Only dried white flowers are used to prepare the tea which has a delicate tasty flavor.
How to prepare Elderberry tea
For a delicious cup of Elderberry tea, take 3 teaspoons of dried flowers and combine them with a cup of boiling water. Let them steep for approximately 10 minutes. Cool, strain and enjoy it afterwards. The same procedure must be followed if you use teabags, but use only 1. Drink it up to three times a day to treat flu or other respiratory conditions. If you add honey, its benefits will be doubled.
Benefits of Elderberry tea
Elderberry tea has lots of benefits especially when it comes to flu or fever.
It helps relieving respiratory conditions caused by a buildup of mucus or phlegm, such as colds, bronchitis, and asthma problems. It clears the system out, lowers fever and eases flu symptoms.
Elderberry tea also acts as an antioxidant protecting the body against aging free radicals thanks to the flavonoids contained. It has also a detoxifying effect helping the liver and kidneys to process and remove toxins from the body.
Elderberry tea may help in the treatment of various types of allergies.
Elderberry tea may be helpful in the quick recovery of patients with eruptive diseases caused by viruses like measles and chicken pox.
It is also recommended in the treatment of arthritic and rheumatic pain.
Side effects of Elderberry tea
Although Elderberry tea is considered generally safe, it can occasionally generate some side effects like gastrointestinal upset.
Please keep in mind that it is always a good idea to ask your physician’s opinion before taking this tea if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
As you can see, Elderberry tea has many benefits for your health and as long as you have chosen the right type and you do not exceed 3 cups a day you can drink it with no worries.... elderberry tea - a natural flu fighter
Mostly known as a cleansing herb, figwort tea was used in the past to treat tuberculosis. Some of the benefits of figwort tea are the detoxifying properties and the capacity to treat skin conditions.
About Figworth tea
Botanically called Scrophularia nodosa, figwort is also known as carpenter’s square, knotted figwort, throatwort or rose noble.
Figwort is a perennial plant with thick square fleshy stems and green or purple flowers, commonly found in the cooler woodlands of Europe, North America and Central Asia. It is harvested in the summer when it is in bloom.
It was used in the past to treat tuberculosis commonly called scrofula. It is commonly known as a powerful diuretic and a detoxifier. In China it is associated with salt and taken as a yin tonic. Figwort is typically prepared as a tea infusion, a tincture or as a compress.
Figwort tea is prepared from the aerial parts and the roots. Figwort tea contains saponins, cardioactive, glycosides, flavonoids, resin, sugar and organic acids.
Ho to prepare figwort tea
To make figwort tea, use two teaspoons of dried figwort herbs in a cup of boiling water. Take it out of the heat, and let the mix infuse for about 10 - 15 minutes. It is recommended to be taken not more than twice a day.
Benefits of figwort tea
Figwort tea is used externally to treat skin conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis. It may also help heal wounds, ulcers, burns, and hemorrhoids.
In homeopathic medicine, figwort tea is used to treat decreased resistance, tonsillitis, and lymph edema. It is used internally for its mild laxative effect and its mild diuretic and heart strengthening properties.
Figwort tea may stimulate the lymphatic system.
Some people believe that figwort Tea may have anti tumor properties.
Side effects of figwort tea
Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also avoid use, as well as those with cardiac conditions or diabetes, as it might create cardiac disturbances or slow the heart beatings or interfere with some medication.
Figwort tea is mainly considered safe for regular consumption but do not ignore it’s precautions before deciding to drink it regularly.... figwort tea
see occupational mortality.... comparative mortality figure
a test for folate or vitamin B12 deficiency. A dose of the amino acid histidine, which requires the presence of folate or vitamin B12 for its complete breakdown, is given by mouth. In the absence of these vitamins, formiminoglutamic acid (figlu) – an intermediate product in histidine metabolism – accumulates and can be detected in the urine.... figlu test
a classification drawn up by the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics to define the extent of the spread of gynaecological cancers.... figo staging
Nutritional Profile
Energy value (calories per serving): Moderate (fresh figs) High (dried figs)
Protein: Low
Fat: Low
Saturated fat: Low Cholesterol: None Carbohydrates: High Fiber: Very high
Sodium: Low (fresh or dried fruit)
High (dried fruit treated with sodium sulfur compounds)
Major vitamin contribution: B vitamins
Major mineral contribution: Iron (dried figs)
About the Nutrients in This Food
Figs, whether fresh or dried, are high-carbohydrate food, an extraordinarily good source of dietary fiber, natural sugars, iron, calcium, and potassium.
Ninety-two percent of the carbohydrates in dried figs are sugars (42 percent glucose, 31 percent fructose, 0.1 percent sucrose). The rest is dietary fiber, insoluble cellulose in the skin, soluble pectins in fruit. The most important mineral in dried figs is iron. Gram for gram, figs have about
50 percent as much iron as beef liver (0.8 mg/gram vs. 1.9 mg/gram).
One medium fresh fig has 1.4 g dietary fiber, six grams sugars, and 0.18 mg iron (1 percent of the R DA for a woman, 2 percent of the R DA for a man). A similar size dried, uncooked fig has 0.8 g fiber, four grams sugars and the same amount of iron as a fresh fig.
The Most Nutritious Way to Serve This Food
Dried (but see How other kinds of processing affect this food, below).
Diets That May Restrict or Exclude This Food
Low-fiber, low-residue diets
Low-sodium (dried figs treated with sulfites)
Buying This Food
Look for: Plump, soft fresh figs whose skin may be green, brown, or purple, depending on the variety. As figs ripen, the pectin in their cell walls dissolves and the figs grow softer to the touch. The largest, best-tasting figs are generally the ones harvested and shipped in late spring and early summer, during June and July.
Choose dried figs in tightly sealed airtight packages.
Avoid: Fresh figs that smell sour. The odor indicates that the sugars in the fig have fer- mented; such fruit is spoiled.
Storing This Food
Refrigerate fresh figs. Dried figs can be stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature; either way, wrap them tightly in an air- and moistureproof container to keep them from los- ing moisture and becoming hard. Dried figs may keep for several months.
Preparing This Food
Wash fresh figs under cool water; use dried figs right out of the package. If you want to slice the dried figs, chill them first in the refrigerator or freezer: cold figs slice clean.
What Happens When You Cook This Food
Fresh figs contain ficin, a proteolytic (protein-breaking) enzyme similar to papain in papayas and bromelin in fresh pineapple. Proteolytic enzymes split long-chain protein molecules into smaller units, which is why they help tenderize meat. Ficin is most effective at about 140 –160°F, the temperature at which stews simmer, and it will continue to work after you take the stew off the stove until the food cools down. Temperatures higher than 160°F inac- tivate ficin; canned figs—which have been exposed to very high heat in processing—will not tenderize meat.
Both fresh and dried figs contain pectin, which dissolves when you cook the figs, mak- ing them softer. Dried figs also absorb water and swell.
How Other Kinds of Processing Affect This Food
Drying. Figs contain polyphenoloxidase, an enzyme that hastens the oxidation of phenols in the fig, creating brownish compounds that darken its flesh. To prevent this reaction, figs may be treated with a sulfur compound such as sulfur dioxide or sodium sulfite. People who are sensitive to sulfites may suffer serious allergic reactions, including potentially fatal ana- phylactic shock, if they eat figs that have been treated with one of these compounds.
Canning. Canned figs contain slightly less vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin than fresh figs, and no active ficin.
Medical Uses and/or Benefits
Iron supplementation. Dried figs are an excellent source of iron.
As a laxative. Figs are a good source of the indigestible food fiber lignin. Cells whose walls are highly lignified retain water and, since they are impossible to digest, help bulk up the stool. In addition, ficin has some laxative effects. Together, the lignin and the ficin make figs (particularly dried figs) an efficient laxative food.
Lower risk of stroke. Potassium lowers blood pressure. According to new data from the Harvard University Health Professionals Study, a long-running survey of male doctors, a diet rich in high-potassium foods such as bananas may also reduce the risk of stroke. The men who ate the most potassium-rich foods (an average nine servings a day) had 38 percent fewer strokes than men who ate the least (less than four servings a day).
Adverse Effects Associated with This Food
Sulfite allergies. See How other kinds of processing affect this food.
Food/Drug Interactions
MAO inhibitors. Monoamine oxidase (M AO) inhibitors are drugs used as antidepressants or antihypertensives. They inhibit the action of natural enzymes that break down tyramine, a nitrogen compound formed when proteins are metabolized, so it can be eliminated from the body. Tyramine is a pressor amine, a chemical that constricts blood vessels and raises blood pressure. If you eat a food rich in one of these chemicals while you are taking an M AO inhibitor, the pressor amines cannot be eliminated from your body, and the result may be a hypertensive crisis (sustained elevated blood pressure). There has been one report of such a reaction in a patient who ate canned figs while taking an M AO inhibitor.... figs
Corylus speciesDescription: Hazelnuts grow on bushes 1.8 to 3.6 meters high. One species in Turkey and another in China are large trees. The nut itself grows in a very bristly husk that conspicuously contracts above the nut into a long neck. The different species vary in this respect as to size and shape.Habitat and Distribution: Hazelnuts are found over wide areas in the United States, especially the eastern half of the country and along the Pacific coast. These nuts are also found in Europe where they are known as filberts. The hazelnut is common in Asia, especially in eastern Asia from the Himalayas to China and Japan. The hazelnut usually grows in the dense thickets along stream banks and open places. They are not plants of the dense forest.Edible Parts: Hazelnuts ripen in the autumn when you can crack them open and eat the kernel. The dried nut is extremely delicious. The nut’s high oil content makes it a good survival food. In the unripe stage, you can crack them open and eat the fresh kernel.... hazelnut or wild filbert
Malus speciesDescription: Most wild apples look enough like domestic apples that the survivor can easily recognize them. Wild apple varieties are much smaller than cultivated kinds; the largest kinds usually do not exceed 5 to 7.5 centimeters in diameter, and most often less. They have small, alternate, simple leaves and often have thorns. Their flowers are white or pink and their fruits reddish or yellowish.Habitat and Distribution: They are found in the savanna regions of the tropics. In temperate areas, wild apple varieties are found mainly in forested areas. Most frequently, they are found on the edge of woods or in fields. They are found throughout the Northern Hemisphere.Edible Parts: Prepare wild apples for eating in the same manner as cultivated kinds. Eat them fresh, when ripe, or cooked. Should you need to store food, cut the apples into thin slices and dry them. They are a good source of vitamins.CAUTIONApple seeds contain cyanide compounds. Do not eat.... wild crab apple or wild apple
Citrullus colocynthisDescription: The wild desert gourd, a member of the watermelon family, produces an 2.4- to 3-meter-long ground-trailing vine. The perfectly round gourds are as large as an orange. They are yellow when ripe.Habitat and Distribution: This creeping plant can be found in any climatic zone, generally in desert scrub and waste areas. It grows abundantly in the Sahara, in many Arab countries, on the southeastern coast of India, and on some of the islands of the Aegean Sea. The wild desert gourd will grow in the hottest localities.Edible Parts: The seeds inside the ripe gourd are edible after they are completely separated from the very bitter pulp. Roast or boil the seeds--their kernels are rich in oil. The flowers are edible. The succulent stem tips can be chewed to obtain water.... wild desert gourd or colocynth
Rumex crispus and Rumex acetosellaDescription: Wild dock is a stout plant with most of its leaves at the base of its stem that is commonly 15 to 30 centimeters brig. The plants usually develop from a strong, fleshy, carrotlike taproot. Its flowers are usually very small, growing in green to purplish plumelike clusters. Wild sorrel similar to the wild dock but smaller. Many of the basal leaves are arrow-shaped but smaller than those of the dock and contain a sour juice.Habitat and Distribution: These plants can be found in almost all climatic zones of the world, in areas of high as well as low rainfall. Many kinds are found as weeds in fields, along roadsides, and in waste places.Edible Parts: Because of tender nature of the foliage, the sorrel and the dock are useful plants, especially in desert areas. You can eat their succulent leaves fresh or slightly cooked. To take away the strong taste, change the water once or twice during cooking. This latter tip is a useful hint in preparing many kinds of wild greens.... wild dock and wild sorrel
Luffa cylindricaDescription: The luffa sponge is widely distributed and fairly typical of a wild squash. There are several dozen kinds of wild squashes in tropical regions. Like most squashes, the luffa is a vine with leaves 7.5 to 20 centimeters across having 3 lobes.Some squashes have leaves twice this size. Luffa fruits are oblong or cylindrical, smooth, and many-seeded. Luffa flowers are bright yellow. The luffa fruit, when mature, is brown and resembles the cucumber.Habitat and Distribution: A member of the squash family, which also includes the watermelon, cantaloupe, and cucumber, the luffa sponge is widely cultivated throughout the Tropical Zone. It may be found in a semiwild state in old clearings and abandoned gardens in rain forests and semievergreen seasonal forests.Edible Parts: You can boil the young green (half-ripe) fruit and eat them as a vegetable. Adding coconut milk will improve the flavor. After ripening, the luffa sponge develops an inedible spongelike texture in the interior of the fruit. You can also eat the tender shoots, flowers, and young leaves after cooking them. Roast the mature seeds a little and eat them like peanuts.... wild gourd or luffa sponge
Vitis speciesDescription: The wild grape vine climbs with the aid of tendrils. Most grape vines produce deeply lobed leaves similar to the cultivated grape. Wild grapes grow in pyramidal, hanging bunches and are black-blue to amber, or white when ripe.Habitat and Distribution: Wild grapes are distributed worldwide. Some kinds are found in deserts, others in temperate forests, and others in tropical areas. Wild grapes are commonly found throughout the eastern United States as well as in the southwestern desert areas. Most kinds are rampant climbers over other vegetation. The best place to look for wild grapes is on the edges of forested areas. Wild grapes are also found in Mexico. In the Old World, wild grapes are found from the Mediterranean region eastward through Asia, the East Indies, and to Australia. Africa also has several kinds of wild grapes.Edible Parts: The ripe grape is the portion eaten. Grapes are rich in natural sugars and, for this reason, are much sought after as a source of energy-giving wild food. None are poisonous. Other Uses: You can obtain water from severed grape vine stems. Cut off the vine at the bottom and place the cut end in a container. Make a slant-wise cut into the vine about 1.8 meters upon the hanging part. This cut will allow water to flow from the bottom end. As water diminishes in volume, make additional cuts further down the vine.CAUTIONTo avoid poisoning, do not eat grapelike fruits with only a single seed (moonseed).... wild grape vine
Allium speciesDescription: Allium cernuum is an example of the many species of wild onions and garlics, all easily recognized by their distinctive odor.Habitat and Distribution: Wild onions and garlics are found in open, sunny areas throughout the temperate regions. Cultivated varieties are found anywhere in the world.Edible Parts: The bulbs and young leaves are edible raw or cooked. Use in soup or to flavor meat.CAUTIONThere are several plants with onionlike bulbs that are extremely poisonous. Be certain that the plant you are using is a true onion or garlic. Do not eat bulbs with no onion smell.Other Uses: Eating large quantities of onions will give your body an odor that will help to repel insects. Garlic juice works as an antibiotic on wounds... wild onion and garlic
Rosa speciesDescription: This shrub grows 60 centimeters to 2.5 meters high. It has alternate leaves and sharp prickles. Its flowers may be red, pink, or yellow. Its fruit, called rose hip, stays on the shrub year-round.Habitat and Distribution: Look for wild roses in dry fields and open woods throughout the Northern Hemisphere.Edible Parts: The flowers and buds are edible raw or boiled. In an emergency, you can peel and eat the young shoots. You can boil fresh, young leaves in water to make a tea. After the flower petals fall, eat the rose hips; the pulp is highly nutritious and an excellent source of vitamin C. Crush or grind dried rose hips to make flour.CAUTIONEat only the outer portion of the fruit as the seeds of some species are quite prickly and can cause internal distress.... wild rose
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