Originating from China, but cultivated in Europe for centuries, white mulberry is a plant with many valuable health properties. It contains powerful antioxidants, promotes good digestion and bowel function, and can aid in weight loss. Chinese women also use mulberry cream for skin care as it has a whitening effect which helps even out skin tone. Learn more about white mulberry!
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What does the white mulberry contain?
This deciduous tree can now be found on many continents. It is not only found in Asia, but also in Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Pacific Islands. The tree grows up to 15 meters high and its fruits, edible and very sweet, resemble blackberries. The mulberry tree comes in several varieties, we have black, red, purple and pink mulberry, but the most common species is the white mulberry.
Mulberry fruits contain a large amount of simple sugars – fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose. In addition, they contain a number of vitamins and other nutrients beneficial to health. Among others, we can find vitamins A, B and C, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and copper, amino acids, alkaloids and anthocyanins.
Apart from the edible and tasty fruit, mulberry leaves are also used, especially those rich in important compounds for the body, such as thiamine, niacin, riboflavin and pyridoxine. Long used in folk medicine, mulberry leaves strengthen the body, have an anti-inflammatory effect and protect the kidneys and liver. Thiamine helps fight digestive disorders and circulatory insufficiency, riboflavin has a beneficial effect on eyesight, and niacin on the nervous system and thought processes.
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Properties of white mulberries
One of the most important characteristics of mulberries is their hypoglycemic effect, which limits the absorption of sugar and lowers its content in the blood. For this reason, it is particularly recommended for diabetics, as well as people wishing to lose weight.
Moreover, thanks to its anthocyanin content, mulberries reduce the concentration of cholesterol and triglycerides, thus minimizing the risk of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. It is also helpful in the treatment of hypertension, normalizes the work of the heart, aids circulation, promotes the regeneration of the entire body, and thanks to quercetin also has a protective effect on cells, cell membranes, and DNA. In turn, due to the presence of niacin, it positively influences the functioning of the brain and the nervous system, and may even contribute to the prevention of Alzheimera disease.
White mulberry also proves to be useful in combating acute conditions such as swelling and wounds, for example, or diseases caused by bacteria. Mulberry leaf extract has anti-inflammatory properties, so it is no wonder that in traditional Chinese medicine it is used to combat high fever. Finally, the valuable flavonoids contained in the plant are responsible for removing free radicals from the body, while other important compounds improve the functioning of the digestive system, cleanse the body of toxins, regulate bowel function and the processes of defecation, protect the liver and kidneys.
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White mulberry and weight loss
Mulberry can be an important aid in the process of losing weight. This is because, to some extent, it prevents the conversion of ingested carbohydrates into glucose, as a result of which they remain undigested and are excreted from the body. As a result, the plant can have an effect on reducing the formation of body fat while stabilizing blood glucose levels.
White mulberry fruits are a rich source of vitamins and minerals important to health, and are low in calories, so we do not have to worry about excessive weight gain. What is more, pectin and tannins improve intestinal peristalsis and facilitate bowel movement, which is important in the case of many people suffering from overweight; they also contribute to suppressing appetite.
Mulberries contain a lot of important and valuable ingredients, they are also refreshing and very tasty, but there is no doubt that the leaves of this plant have the most health-promoting properties. They mainly inhibit the process of decomposition of carbohydrates and their conversion into glucose, which leads to a reduction in the absorption of sugars, and thus the production of fat tissue, the food of which is glucose. White mulberry leaves reduce the concentration of not only sugar, but also cholesterol, protect liver cells from damage, act as an anti-inflammatory, diuretic and cleansing agent.
White mulberry – how to eat it?
When it comes to fruits, they can be eaten raw, of course, or in the form of fresh juice, or eaten dried. Raw fruits can be used to make jellies and jams, wines and liqueurs and are also suitable for baking and desserts. Dried fruits can be an excellent addition to yogurt, cereals, salads, cocktails, cookies or be a snack on their own.
Recently, white mulberry tea, white mulberry extracts with cinnamon in sachets, as well as white mulberry tablets and capsules have become very popular. All such products can be easily purchased from online pharmacies and health food stores.
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