I have been taking these leaves…
…for a long long time now, way before I retired. I did blog about it here once, if anyone is interested.
They seem to be very hard to plant though. If you see a seedling sprouting out somewhere and you decide to transplant it nicely at a proper place, you can be sure it will wither and die very quickly. That is why I would just let it grow anywhere it appears and pluck the leaves (a friend of a friend said it must be an odd number, 3, 5, 7…but she said she heard it elsewhere and did not know why) every morning to brew and drink.
Lately, however, it seemed to sprout all over the place – in the flower pots…
…and all the cracks and crevices…
…so at this point in time, I have an abundant supply for my daily cuppa, once a day…though I did see somewhere that it is recommended that one should have it three times a day.
The problem is after a while, the plants will start to produce seeds and flower…
…and the leaves that appear are very much smaller, I don’t know why. That was why when they appeared all over the place, I decided to pluck the leaves and dry them in the sun…
…to keep so I would not have to worry about the supply running out. However, the “tea” that I brewed using those tasted kind of peculiar. Maybe that was due to fermentation or I did not dry the leaves long enough so in the end, I just threw it all away.
I don’t know if they still do that in Sarikei or not but at one time, I was getting a friend there to buy for me – the leaves, dried and crushed and put into capsules. I can’t remember exactly now but I think it was selling at RM13.00 for 100 or was it 50 capsules? I also heard that they did the same at a Chinese medical store here and were selling them at RM1.00 each. I went and googled and I found that these capsules are actually available elsewhere…
I don’t know what extract they are talking about – maybe they get the juice from the leaves and put that in the capsules, not the dried and crushed leaves, but they do claim that they do bring a whole lot of the same positive effects that people are saying these “king of bitters” can bring about.
For one thing, I’ve read claims that it helps detoxify one’s body so if one is on some kind of medication, then one should not be taking these leaves, the same thing with lobak putih (white radish), they say. People say that it cleanses away all the tok (poisons) in your body. Yes, I’ve had a lot of positive feedback regarding the leaves but yes, I have also heard people saying that they have no effect on them as well. I guess like medicines and medical treatments in general, they may work on some but not on others…
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
I know this. I used to joke that my mother’s house is a factory producing these. She’ll blend them until they are powdery and fill them up in capsules. She used to give a bottle to me too but I don’t really consume them so she stopped giving me. I heard it is good for people with high blood pressure. I know I use it to apply on ulcers in my mouth. SO bitter but it works wonders.
Ahhhhhh!!! Another testimony as to its positive effects. I’ve given to some friends and yes, they said it worked for whatever ailments they had. Much easier, consuming it in capsules because it is so very bitter. When I first started, it took me ages to finish one mug, so hard to drink but now I am used to it already. One go, no problem.
I so much prefer food as medicine as opposed to anything else. Great post, thank you so much for sharing. π
There are many health benefits in plants and things we consume regularly as food.
Wow new template! cute!
For me, it’s also better to cure my illness using the healing power of nature, for me, i feel clean about it instead of medicines who have side effects!
Two schools of thought – I know many who would swear by western medicine. Faith can move mountains, I guess. If you believe, it will come to be the way you want it.
Have had this new template for a while now – you have not been dropping by, eh? Will change the colour after Chinese New Year.
This is interesting. At first glance (1st pix), I thought it was basil leaves. The small flowers looks like a plant in my garden but then the leaves looks totally different. I don’t mind to drink as tea if it has benefits but will only take in moderation. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve been drinking it – once a day. The more recent one, the Sabah snake grass – that one, healthy people should not take – may harm the kidneys. Like chemo, may be good for cancer sufferers only but from what I read, one would need a lot!!! Where to find so much?
If me, i will prefer to drink it…
VERY bitter but after a long time, like in my case, I do not feel it so much anymore. Not as bad as chewing the leaves and eating them straight.
ooo, you have a green thumb … sounds good … personally since i’m not experienced with gardening, i wouldn’t know which leaves to consume and which to avoid … for fear that some might be toxic! heheh π
No, if I were to plant it myself, it would die very soon, my thumb’s far from green.
There are many plants with lots of health benefits even ginger, lemon grass, turmeric – a lot of those stuff sold at the pharmacies are from these plants…but being factory-made, I am not too sure how pure and natural those are…plus they do not come cheap! I’ve this thing about processed stuff, best to go natural, have the real thing. Of course, you must know what and which to take, don’t just simply consume.
Heard of these leaves and its so-called benefits. Good that you have it in the garden and drink it daily.
You can plant and ask your hubby to drink – good for high blood, they say.
It’s great that you can grow something that is good for your health!
Didn’t actually grow it, it grew out of nowhere by itself. π But we do have a few medicinal plants in our garden, my missus planted them and by some miracle, they actually grew…despite being grossly neglected.
No wonder you are hale and hearty with all the hempedu bumi you are consuming! I saw these in my dad’s garden and I wanted to bring back the seeds and plant. My mum discouraged me because she said this plant spreads like wildfire and will overtake my already messy garden.
Mine barely survived, struggling all these years…and now, suddenly, they’re sprouting in abundance. Dunno how long it will last though. I guess they all come out from the seeds flying all over but I hear when you plant the seeds, the birds will come and eat them all up so nothing would come out of it. Ah well, with my miserable record at planting anything, even if the birds don’t come, I don’t think anything will appear. π¦
As a rule of thumb, if you don’t keel over and die in 24 hrs after consumption, you’re fine π hahaha.. Just kidding! I have no idea what that is!
Well, I’ve been taking it for years…and yes, dunno if it is psychological, but I do feel good taking that. Think positive!
Yeah, this is getting really, really popular.
I heard one of my aunties talking about taking this too. They also have the plants at the back of my grandma’s house.
Interesting, I thought they could be dried too. Too bad about the funny taste, not sure if it’s due to fermentation or not. I’ve seen them take the dried leaves too.
Not sure. Maybe I did not dry them enough, not completely brown. Never mind, I don’t need the dried ones since I have a whole lot at the moment, fresh and green. Should I run out, I can always drop by your grandma’s house. Hehehehehe!!!!!
I take these leaves, too, in odd numbers, when I’m feeling heaty. Just steep in boiling water. Heard it’s a natural antibiotic and good for sore throat. Yes, they will sprout at odd places. I have some in my garden as well. The Chinese physicians called it ‘Chuan sin lien’. They sell it in capsules, rm15 for a bottle. I prefer to drink freshly steeped leaves, but the capsules are handy when one travels.
Yes, I used to buy them from Sarikei for that purpose, could not bring the leaves along. Otherwise, I would just stick to what’s fresh and natural.
Wow you can plant, thats one skill I dont have, in fact I kill plants just by touching them. The only plants that can grow in my garden are weeds π
Same here – everything I plant would die sooner or later but sometimes, by some miracle, I have plants appearing out of nowhere like some Thai basil leaves, and once I had cherry tomatoes…or bird eye chili.