Uziza leaves well known as hot leaf has other common names like; Cubby pepper, piper guineense.

Has other traditional names which includes; Uziza among the Igbo, Iyere among the Yoruba, Uda among the Hausa, Etinkene among the Efik/Ibibio and other names.

The leave is an African medical herbs with lots of benefits. It leave is green when fresh and dark green when dry. It has peppery and slightly bitter taste.

The leaves can be used when fresh for natural benefit like cooking and when dry for herbs or other medical benefits.

Uziza leaves has some Nutritional Ingredients which includes;

• Dietary Fiber
• Protein
• Essential Oil
• Flavonoids
• Alkaloids
• Peptitide
• Glycosides
• Steroids
• Phenols
• Piperine

The most active ingredient in Uziza leave is the pipeline which gives that peppery taste. The above mentioned ingredients serves a lot of benefits when used for different purposes.

Benefits of uziza Leaves

We will be focusing on ten (10) important benefits of uziza leaves. They include;

1. Uziza Leaves Ease Cough:

Uziza leaves are very effective in the treatment of cough caused by cold. Just like every other spices, it can clear the throat and cure a runny nose.

When you have a cough you can use uziza leave to clear the mucus blocking the throat out.

To do this, you need to boil some of the leaves in water and sieve. You can either drink the uziza water or inhale it. This will help clear your cough.

Norland Cordyceps Coffee also help to relieve cough

2. Uziza Leaves Alleviates Stomachache:

The leaves can help to stop stomachache as well as bringing relieve to menstrual cramps.

Most of the stomachache are caused when something goes wrong with your digestive system. Taking uziza leaves is of good benefits to the digestive tracks there alleviating stomachache effectively.

3. Prevents Constipation:

Constipation is caused by the absence of dietary fiber in our food. These fibers helps in promoting active bowl movements which are important for preventing consultation.

Uziza leaves contains high amount of dietary fibers which helps to solve the problem of constipation.

It is important to note that uziza cannot treat constipation permanently but can only prevent it from occurring.

4. Relieves Pains:

Uziza leaves contains alkoloids. Alkaloids are known to act as a pain killer which means, taking uziza leaves solves pains which may include; headaches, toothaches, stomachache and painful joints.

It is also very good and essential in the treatment of menstrual pain.

5. Prevent Cancer:

Uziza leaves contains an ingredient called flavonoid which is a powerful anticipation which can help neutralize free radicals in the body.

These free radicals cause Cancer in the human body.

By consuming an antioxidants regularly, it neutralizes the free radicals and the chance of your body developing cancerous cells will be minimized.

6. Uziza Leave is a Treatment for Diarrhea:

Uziza leaves has the ability to fight diarrhea causing micro organs in the intestine because it contains a powerful antibacterial mineral.

Adding uziza leave to your food helps fight against or treat diarrhea.

7. Improves Fertility:

Uziza leaf is a natural medication for infertility in women and low sperm count in men. It is best taken with honey.

For women, the leave has to be boiled with water and some scoops of honey should be added. For best result, it should be taken during your menstrual period.

For men, you can drink the boiled uziza leave with honey regularly.

8. Uziza leave is Important for Nursing Mothers:

Although it has not been medically proven, some traditions especially the Igbo prepare pepper soup with uziza leave for women who just gave birth.

This is because uziza leave helps the uterus to shrink back to its normal size after pregnancy and it also helps in production of milk for breastfeeding the baby.

9. Uziza leaf is Essential for Weight Loss:

Thinking of loosing some weight then think of uziza leave. The dietary fiber in uziza leave helps in weight loss.

It serves same benefits as drinking green tea for weight loss. All you need to do is to boil the fresh leave in water and drink as tea on an empty stomach.

10. Uziza Leave is Use for Cooking:

A lot of traditions in Nigeria has adopted to the use of uziza leave in their dishes.

The leave has a nice taste and can be used to cook some dishes like; Oha soup, Egusi soup, Ekpang nkukwó, Palm oil rice, Ji Mmiri Oku (Yam pepper soup). It’s a natural spice for food.

Other Benefits of Uziza Leaves includes;

• Prevents ulcer
• Induces uterine contractions after childbirth
• Improve appetite
• Ease indigestion
• Prevents hypertension
• Prevents diabetes
• It helps to lower cholesterol level.

Conclusion

Uziza leaves are generally used for both medicinal and nutritional purposes.

For the medical purpose, it can be use as an herbal team or grounded into capsule and take as supplements.

For the nutritional purposes, you can add it to your soup or sprinkle the dried leave in your salad.