Tamarind is a tropical fruit with a tangy sweet and sour flavor. The fruit is enclosed in pods and can be consumed raw or added to a variety of foods as a spice or ingredient. The fruit is cultivated in many parts of the world because of its unique flavor and health benefits.
Tamarind is used to treat a wide variety of ailments because of its antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties. It also contains powerful antioxidants and other beneficial components.
These elements include an array of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins A, B, C, E, K, as well as calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, riboflavin, iron, and zinc.
Health Benefits of Tamarind
Get familiar with the wide array of health benefits associated with tamarind now.
1. Treats Constipation and Diarrhea
Tamarind can be used as a natural laxative, and it also helps treat chronic diarrhea. Tamarind treats constipation and diarrhea naturally by increasing the effectiveness of the digestive tract.
Symptoms of constipation include bloating, lethargy, hard stools, and difficulty having bowel movements.
Research studies have found the pulp of tamarind to be an effective remedy for improving bowel movements because it contains dietary fibers and different forms of sugar known as saccharides, which stimulate the gastric juices responsible for digestion.
Food is dissolved and propelled through the digestive tract at a faster rate. The fiber also eases the movement of stool as it travels through the digestive tract.
Tamarind can also help treat the loose, watery stools characteristic of diarrhea by bulking up the stool due to its high fiber content.
2. Lowers Blood Sugar
Tamarind contains an enzyme called alpha-amylase that lowers blood sugar. This enzyme helps prevent the absorption of the carbohydrates in food converted to sugar during digestion.
Individuals who consume a lot of foods with carbohydrates may have a higher risk of diabetes because of the uncontrolled levels of glucose and insulin caused by the compounds. Elevated levels of blood sugar and fluctuating levels of insulin can lead to diabetes and other diseases.
Tamarind’s high content of magnesium also enables it to control glucose and insulin levels. A deficiency of this mineral is linked to a variety of diseases, including type 2 diabetes.
3. Protects Against Heart Disease
Tamarind is heart healthy because it reduces cholesterol and blood pressure. Consumption of the fruit protects against heart disease in several ways. The antioxidants and high fiber content in tamarind help control cholesterol levels by reducing oxidative damage.
The dietary fibers work to rid the arteries of bad cholesterol by binding to bile salts during the digestive process. They decrease the reabsorption of these substances and help expel them from the body.
Some of tamarind’s micronutrients like flavonoids also help regulate cholesterol levels in ways that provide protection against heart disease.
Vitamin C is one of the antioxidants in tamarind, and it reduces the damage caused by free radicals. Symptoms associated with heart disease and other health conditions have been linked to free radicals.
4. Reduces Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a very common health condition over eighty million individuals in the United States suffer from. It can lead to many illnesses, including stroke or heart attack, but can be controlled by diet, medication, and exercise.
Tamarind is one of the foods that can make an impact on blood pressure. According to a study published in the Food and Chemical Toxicology journal, the high content of potassium and fiber in the fruit reduces blood pressure and cholesterol.
Dietary fiber helps remove bad cholesterol from veins and arteries, which in turn brings blood pressure lower or closer to normal.
Potassium reduces blood pressure by promoting the dilatation of blood vessels. The mineral helps relax the blood vessels and lower the level of stress on the cardiovascular system.
5. Potentially Reverses Fatty Liver Disease
The liver is a vital organ that performs many bodily functions like detoxifying the blood and helping with the digestion of food. Fatty liver disease is the result of the liver becoming overwhelmed by excessive amounts of fat, causing the liver to become inflamed and clogged.
Tamarind offers many protective properties for the liver and potentially reverses fatty liver disease. Its decongestive properties, high fiber content, and unsaturated acids help with liver detoxification and cleansing.
Tamarind has been shown to improve digestion, reduce toxins, stimulate bile production, and reduce fat production and levels of fat in the liver. Its antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties combat free radicals that can cause damage to the organ.
Tamarind also treats bilious disorders, and these effects not only keep the liver healthy, but also keeps the colon and other digestive organs functioning properly.
Via: DoveMed | MeditativeMind
