Also called Longevity Spinach, Dawn, Egyptian Spinach, or Daun Dewa and Gynura divaricata is a tropical spinach that grows in warm climates and also as a wonderful house plant and in green houses lowers cholesterol and has many other health benefits.
Where it Grows – The plant originally comes from Formosa and Taiwan and other places in the orient and also grows in Hawaii, California, Texas, Puerto Rico, Florida, Cuba, Africa and other warmer areas of the world.
Growing – This plant grows very fast and spreads out well. And it’s a perennial plant that doesn’t need to be replanted on a regular basis like kale and other greens. Cuttings can be taken for transplanting and it can be trained to climb a trellis. Just pinch off a little bit of the plant and put it into the ground and it will root down. And moluccan spinach does grow well growing in pots, and loves good soil and lots of water, and it likes a little bit of shade and some sun. It will grow in full sun but the leaves are healthier in partial sun. And they like to be cut back, thus don’t be shy, use this wonderful spinach… it will grow back and it makes a nice ground cover.
Taste – The taste is similar to collard greens and holds up well to all kinds of cooking methods and it’s very tasty in salads.
Lowers Cholesterol – In Asia 3 or 4 fresh leaves of moluccan spinach are added to a cup of hot water and steeped for 15 minutes, and then drank 3 or 4 times a day to lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.
Lowers Blood Sugar – Also in Asia the same tea can be used to lower blood sugar. Studies with rates show that moluccan spinach helps with glucose uptake thus helping to lower blood sugar. Studies with rats show that moluccan spinach can help to prevent kidney and retinal damage created by high blood glucose. And this wonderful spinach has been show to help with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and their are not many herbs or foods that help with type 1 diabetes.
Anti-Inflammatory – Studies show that moluccan spinach is also a good anti-inflammatory agent helping with arthritis, joint disease, and other inflammatory processes. And since inflammation is the first step towards disease this spinach can be very important for keeping disease away.
Gastric Ulcers – Moluccan spinach also helps heal gastric ulcers. Lab studies showed that rates with induced gastric ulcers started to heal faster with the introduction of moluccan spinach in their diets.
Powerful Antioxidant – Studies show that Moluccan spinach is a very powerful antioxidant even more powerful than green tea. Thus making muluccan spinach a great plant for preventing and repairing DNA damage and preventing disease.
Lowers Blood Pressure – And in studies moluccan spinach has been shown to lower blood pressure without producing nitric oxide.
Lots of Protein – Moluccan spinach contains lots of protein making it important for great health and vitality.
Anti-Viral – Moluccan spinach also has anti-viral properties and may help with HIV infections… more studies to be done.
Cancer – Moluccan spinach also has powerful antioxidants that may help in controlling and healing cancer… more studies to be done.
Used in Cosmetics and Toothpaste – Moluccan spinach has been used in cosmetics because it’s a great anti-inflammatory and helps sooth inflamed skin and inflamed gums in toothpaste. Also in Hawaii the leaves are mashed and steeped in a little bit of alcohol and used for treating bruised and ulcerated skin.
Forms – Fresh moluccan spinach works great, but the dried leaves can also be used for making tea and for cooking. And an extract can be made of the leaves that also works well.
Culinary Uses – Moluccan spinach works well in salads, can be used in soups, stews, casseroles, stir fries, in sandwiches, as a juice, steamed, boiled, and just about any dish where greens can be used. And some people oven dry the leaves and eat them like potato chips… very tasty with a little salt. And if a person googles “Longevity Spinach Recipes” lots of great tasting ways to use this wonderful food will come up.
No Side Effects – Studies with rats with large doses of moluccan spinach have not produced any kind of side effects of any kind… and moluccan spinach has been used safely as food for hundreds of years in Asia.
Finding – Moluccan spinach plants can be order on-line just google “Buy Moluccan Spinach Plants” and lots of places will come up, and they can also be found on Amazon and Ebay.
Enjoy this tasty and healing spinach.
We grow moluccan spinach in our organic garden and we love it!
Dr. Paul Haider – Master Herbalist
Feel Free to Share – This information is meant to get you started… so you can do more research on your own… dig a little deeper and find what works for you. This article is for educational purposes only, I strongly recommend that you seek advice from your own GP, private doctor, or medical specialist for any ailment, illness, or medical condition.. this article not meant to be a scientific analysis in any way, shape, or form.
Dr. Paul Haider – Master Herbalist and Spiritual Teacher for over 25 years, helping people to recover and feel healthy. You can also find Dr. Haider on FB under Dr. Paul Haider, Healing Herbs, and at www.paulhaider.com – feel free to connect with him any time.
Here is a short video bio – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK6Eg-xlX3U
Dr. Paul Haider, Master Herbalist, HH, USA, Health and Wellness, Moluccan Spinach, Longevity Spinach, Dawn, Egyptian Spinach, Daun Dewa, Gynura divaricata, Where it Grows, Growing, Taste, Lowering Cholesterol, Lowering Trigs, Lowering LDL, Lowering Blood Sugar, Diabetes Type 1, Diabetes Type 2, Anti-Inflammatory, Gastric Ulcers, Antioxidant, Anti-Viral, Lowers Blood Pressure, Lots of Protein, Cancer, Cosmetics, Toothpaste, Forms, Finding, Culinary Uses, No Side Effects, Great Tasting,
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