Some Indonesian people may not know about lempuyang plants. In fact, the benefits of lempuyang for health are not small. This plant, which is often used as traditional medicine, has been used for a long time to naturally reduce fever and treat pain.
Lempuyang (Zingiber zerumbet) is often cultivated as an ornamental plant because of its bright red flowers. Besides being beautiful to look at, lempuyang is also widely used by some Indonesian people as herbal medicines and cooking spices.
Several studies have shown that lempuyang contains zerumbone which has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antibacterial, and anticancer effects. In addition, lempuyang is also rich in the following substances and nutrients:
- Antioxidant polyphenols and flavonoids
- Carbohydrate
- Protein
- Fiber
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Calcium
- Vitamin C
Benefits of Lempuyang for Health
Lempuyang can be processed and consumed as herbs and tea or herbal supplements. The following are some of the benefits that can be obtained by consuming lempuyang:
1. Relieve inflammation
Lempuyang contains anti-inflammatory compounds that can overcome inflammation, both due to viral or bacterial infections or in the process of wound recovery. Therefore, this herbal plant can be used to treat symptoms that arise due to inflammation, such as fever, pain, and swelling in the body.
2. Prevent and overcome microbial growth
Various studies show that lempuyang has benefits as a natural antibacterial. The study also stated that lempuyang extract can eradicate and inhibit the growth of bacteria, such as -type bacteria Streptococcus.
Besides having antibacterial properties, lempuyang also has antifungal and antiviral effects.
3. Relieves fever
Lempuyang has long been used as an herbal plant to treat fever naturally. This benefit is due to the content of zerumbone substances which have anti-inflammatory and natural fever-reducing effects. Not only that, lempuyang also has an antibacterial effect that can overcome fever due to bacterial infection.
4. Relieve joint pain
Several studies have shown that lempuyang has natural anti-inflammatory properties as well as anti-pain effects so that it can relieve pain, including joint pain.
Joint pain generally occurs due to inflammation of the joints or osteoarthritis. This condition can generally subside on its own through self-care at home, such as adequate rest and cold compresses on painful and swollen joints.
5. Inhibit the growth of cancer cells
Not only relieve fever, zerumbone content is also known to have anticancer properties. Various studies in the laboratory have also shown that lempuyang extract can inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
This makes lempuyang potential as a drug to prevent and treat cancer.
6. Control blood sugar
One of the benefits of lempuyang that is equally important is controlling blood sugar. A study showed that lempuyang extract can reduce blood sugar levels and keep it stable.
These benefits make lempuyang as one of the herbal medicines that have the potential to prevent insulin resistance and diabetes.
In addition to the various benefits above, there are other benefits of lempuyang which are also good for health, including:
- Overcoming digestive problems, such as diarrhea, nausea, and flatulence
- Increase appetite
- Maintain nerve and brain health
- Lowering and controlling blood pressure
Unfortunately, until now, there has been no research that states that lempuyang is proven to be effective and can be used as medicines to treat various diseases. Therefore, the claims about the various benefits of lempuyang above still need to be investigated further.
How to Use Lempuyang for Drinks
Lempuyang can be consumed as a natural herbal supplement, for example in capsules containing lempuyang extract powder. In addition, lempuyang can also be consumed as herbs or herbal teas. You can turn lempuyang into a healthy drink by trying the following recipe:
Ingredients
- 25 grams of grated lempuyang
- 500 ml water
- Brown sugar to taste
How to cook
- Boil the lempuyang and brown sugar in 500 ml of water for about 15 minutes until it boils.
- After letting it sit for a few minutes until it is not too hot, strain the boiled water from the lempuyang and pour it into a glass, then drink.
- You can consume lempuyang boiled water 1-2 times a day.
The benefits of lempuyang as herbal medicine are indeed considered to have various health benefits. However, you may not want to take lempuyang if you suffer from certain diseases or are taking certain medications because it has the potential to trigger drug interactions.
Lempuyang has also not been proven safe for consumption by pregnant and lactating women and children. Therefore, if you want to get the benefits of lempuyang or want to use lempuyang as a treatment for certain diseases, you should consult a doctor first.