Latin name: Amaranthus tricolor
Other
name(s): Amaranthus gangeticus, Chinese
spinach, bayam, bayam merah, bayam siti
Bayam
is native to tropical America and is at present found in tropical and sub
tropical areas all over the world. In Indonesia bayam is an all season herb and
can be found during the whole year up to the level of 5,000 meters above sea
level, in warm as well as in cool climates, but preferably in open lower
grounds with a relatively higher temperature.
This
annual herb grows erect, a little bit inclined, with branches, up to a height
of 0.4 to 1 meter tall. The weak and succulent stalk holds egg-shaped and
flexible leaves of 5 – 8 centimeters long, with blunt tips of either, green,
red or white greenish in color. The cone shaped flowers rise from the leaf
joint, blooming at the tip of the stalk
Bayam
is commonly sold in the market place and is consumed as vegetables. The three
variants under Amaranthus tricolor are the green, red (Blitum rubrum) and
white-greenish (Blitum album). These three variants are indicated by the
respective color of leaves and stalk. In fact, there are plenty bayam variants,
most of them grow wild anywhere. The commonly consumed and cultivated ones are
the Amaranthus tricolor and Amaranthus hybridus variant.
One
of the wild growing variant of bayam, Amaranthus spinosus will be discussed separately,
since it is known to be one of the healing herb with more specific therapeutic
effects.
Bayam
contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, potassium, ferrum, amaranthine, rutine,
purine and vitamin A, B, C
MEDICINAL
PART: Leaves and roots
THERAPEUTIC
EFFECTS: Improve renal function, cholagogue, dysentery (root). Since bayam
contains real fiber, it is used to ease defecation, and is recommended to be
consumed for patients with large intestine cancer, diabetes, high blood cholesterol
and to lose weight.
INDICATION:
Leaves: blood cleanser after giving birth; hair root strengthener; low blood
pressure; anemia; renal failure. Root: dysentery
DOSAGE
AND USAGE: General: boil or steam 25 – 30 of fresh bayam leaves, and consume
with peanut sauce (bumbu kacang) or liquid palm sugar to add taste.
Another
way is to make bayam juice using the fresh bayam leaves and stalks. Or you may
as well prepare the common ‘sayur bening’ (meaning clear vegetable soup) with
the following ingredients:
Bayam
2 bunches
Corn
1 stalk, cut to 6 pieces
Lesser
galangal 1 little finger cut
Kunci
2 little finger cut
Sugar
1 teaspoon
Salt
as needed
Wash
and boil the vegetables in 1 liter water, add the sugar and salt, and serve for
meal
For
external use: grind adequate amount of fresh bayam to a fine mushy substance, and
apply to wound or insect or snakebites.
Usage and dosage
recommended for some specific conditions are as follows:
To improve renal
function, blood cleansing after birth:
use the above ‘sayur bening’ recipe
Anemia: wash 3 handfuls of bayam leaves,
grind to a fine mushy. Add 1 tablespoon jeruk nipis sap (Citrus mitis,
calamondin), stir well and strain. Then add 1 tablespoon honey and 1 yolk of
chicken egg, stir well and drink. Repeat this once a day for a week. Continue
twice a week until the condition gets better.
Dysentery: clean wash 10 pieces of red bayam
root, grind to a fine mushy substance. Add a little salt, stir well, strain and
drink at once.
Hair root strengthening: wash 1 bunch of bayam leaves and
grind to a fine mush. Add a little salt and stir well. Squeeze out the sap,
strain and drink at once. Do this 2 – 3 times a week
CONTRA-INDICATIONS: Bayam is contra-indicated for
patient with high blood levels of uric acid (hyperuricemia) and gout since
bayam contains purine which will be metabolized to uric acid in the body, thus
aggravating the condition.
REMARKS: As remedial, red bayam is more
effective than the green one.
IMPORTANT NOTE
The recipes and
techniques mentioned in this page are not meant to replace diagnosis and
treatment of a medical practioner. Before using any of these recipes, the
author recommends to consult a physician. All the recipes has been used without
any side effects and are considered safe. However, since some people have more
sensitive skin or digestive system than others, and since the user’s actual
recipe preparation is beyond the control of the author, the author accept no
liability with regard to the use of recipes or techniques contained in this
page
