We all know the importance of leafy greens in our lives. While we would love to eat them throughout the year, unfortunately, some of them like spinach, lettuce, collard greens, and cabbage are not available all year round. But some greens on earth can be a great substitute to satiate your taste buds and keep you in pink health. One such leafy vegetable, Malabar spinach scientifically called Basella alba, is a popular green primarily native to India and Indonesia but found in other parts of the world too. This tender perennial veggie from the species in the family Basellaceae goes by other common names like ceylon spinach, vine spinach, climbing spinach, saan choy (Chinese), mong toi (Vietnamese), alugbati (Philippines), and remayong (Malay). Malabar spinach will always find its place in your kitchen garden by providing you with crisp greens all year long. In addition to being edible, it can also be grown as an ornamental vine.
Also Read: Purslane: Astonishing Health Benefits Of this Nutritious Wild Edible Plant - Infographic
This crunchy green leafy veggie has probably originated in the monsoon tropical regions of Malabar Coast of India and Sri Lanka-hence the name Malabar spinach. It is also found in abundance in Malaysia, the Philippines, tropical areas of South America, Africa, and Southeast Brazil. Ideally, an area with a warm, rainy climate is optimal for Malabar spinach growth but due to its ability to adapt to climates of almost all parts of the globe, Malabar spinach is treated as the best tropical spinach in the world. The dark green leafy vine loves to thrive in hot climates and prefers humid, and full sun exposures, but the best part is that Malabar spinach plants can be grown in partially shaded areas too. Malabar spinach also needs constant moisture to prevent it from blossoming because this process turns its leaves bitter.
Shop From Our Range Of Vitamins And Minerals To Enhance Your Overall Health
What Makes This Spinach Variety Unique?
This versatile leafy green vegetable is adored for its wholesome phytonutrient profile. Like every leafy vegetable, Malabar spinach is an excellent source of iron besides calcium, Vitamin A, magnesium, and protein. It also has ample amounts of phosphorus and potassium besides B-complex vitamins such as folate, Vitamin B6, and riboflavin. Its fresh leaves have amazing antioxidants such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene.
Health Benefits of Malabar Spinach
Here is what Malabar spinach brings to your table when it comes to its health benefits:
Promotes Heart Health
Folate intake has been known to reduce the chances of cardiovascular disease. Folate helps to decrease the homocysteine level present in the blood. Homocysteine is responsible to increase the chances of strokes and heart attacks. Folate also helps in converting homocysteine into methionine which in turn normalizes homocysteine levels in the body.
Alleviates Symptoms Of Depression
This super green leafy veggie is rich in several compounds that help to treat depression naturally. It has folate, magnesium, and potassium. A high intake of these nutrients helps to lower depression significantly in depressed patients.
Prevents Dementia
The low number of vitamins and minerals in the body leads to poor mental activities. Malabar spinach helps to decrease high levels of homocysteine increasing the chances of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Decreases Cancer Risk
Lack of minerals, Vitamin C, and other components can increase the chances of colon, breast, lung, cervical, and brain cancer. The evidence has shown that a diet rich in leafy greens protects from cancer development. Adding Malabar spinach to your diet will avert the risk of cancer.
Cures Anaemia
Anaemia is the result of iron deficiency. Less iron results in low hemoglobin, due to which an adequate amount of oxygen cannot be transported to the body’s cells. A body deficient in iron leads to poor mental function. Consuming iron-rich foods such as leafy greens can help to support red blood cell production. Malabar spinach is one of the best sources of iron.
Culinary Uses Of Malabar Spinach
Using Malabar spinach is just like using your regular favorite spinach but yes, Malabar spinach is a little juicier with some add-on flavors. Moreover, Malabar spinach is not as slimy as some other greens. In Indian kitchens, it is cooked with chopped onion, sauteed with green chilies and fried in mustard oil. It is also a frequent addition to soups, stir-fries, and thick gravy-based curries. One of the best traits of Malabar spinach is that it does not wilt easily and holds up better than our regular palak. It is also mixed in with an array of other greens in tossed salads.
For those of us who love our greens, Malabar spinach is a knight in shining armor. Here is what you can do with this delicious leafy green without much effort and time.
Malabar Spinach In Curd
2 bunches of Chopped Malabar Spinach -
400 ml curd
2 tsp vegetable oil -
2 chopped green chilies
8 to 10 Curry leaves
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Salt to taste
A small bunch of chopped coriander leaves
Method
Heat the vegetable oil in a pan
Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and fenugreek seeds, and allow them to crackle
Add the curry leaves
Add the chopped Malabar spinach
Add green chilies and salt
Cover it with a lid and cook over low flame for five minutes
Turn off the flame
Let it cool down a bit
Add the curds slowly to the cooked greens
Mix well and let it blend well
Turn on the heat and cook it for one minute
Garnish this with coriander leaves
Nutrition
This easy leafy green recipe has a blend of taste and nutrition. Malabar spinach is loaded with all essential vitamins to fortify heart and bone health. It has more Vitamin C than English spinach which can help to fight free radicals and decrease the risk of several types of cancers. Vitamin A promotes vision health and reduces the risk of eye-related disorders.
