Organic Okinawa Spinach 200g Malaysia
$3.00
Origin: Malaysia
Status: Organic
Certifications: NASAA
Highlights: Okinawan spinach (Gynura bicolor), sambung nyawa ungu or 红枫菜 Hóng Fēng Cài is a member of the daisy family (Asteraceae). It is a perennial tropical plant used as a leafy vegetable in Japan, Taiwan, China and South-East Asia.
The leaves have a mild, nutty taste and may be eaten raw. In TCM the herb is considered ‘cold’ and is used to balance excessive heat in the body, so Chinese dishes traditionally cook it with ginger, sesame oil & rice wine. In Japan, it may be added to miso soup, fried as tempura or served with a sauce made from sake, shoyu & rice vinegar. Do NOT overcook or it will become slimy.
The leaves are mineral rich with iron, potassium & calcium and contain useful antioxidant flavonoids, glycosides, polysaccharides, terpenoids, β-carotene and vitamin C. They can be used medicinally as poultices for skin problems. Other medicinal properties include anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive and chelating. The leaves are thought to be helpful in removing heavy metals and cholesterol from the body.