Many individuals all around the globe utilize natural treatments to cure everything from diabetes to high blood pressure. Cerasee tea is a natural medicine that has been used for centuries in the Caribbean.
What is Cerasee tea?
Cerasee tea is a kind of bush tea, which is tea produced from native plants. It’s generally produced by boiling fresh leaves and stems of a wild species of Momordica charantia, also called as cerasee in Jamaica, or bitter melon plant. Premade cerasee tea bags are also available.
Aside from the stem and leaves, the bitter melon plant produces warty, bitter-tasting fruits that can be eaten cooked or uncooked. They’re a common component in Asian cuisine. The bitter melon plant’s fruit, leaves, and seeds have been found to have therapeutic qualities and are used as traditional medicine in many areas of the world. Cerasee tea, for example, is a common herbal remedy throughout the Caribbean, particularly in Jamaica.
In fact, a 2020 study of 345 Jamaicans revealed that cerasee was one of the most often utilized herbal remedies to manage high blood pressure and diabetes. The tea is used to cure a variety of illnesses in the Caribbean, ranging from high blood pressure to constipation. The tea is also said to have cleansing and purifying effects, which is why some individuals drink it to cleanse their bodies of impurities.
The concept of eliminating toxins from your body through a specific diet or beverages is not supported by science. While research has indicated that supplementing with M. charantia plant components, such as fruit extracts, may help certain populations, no studies have explicitly studied the effects of cerasee tea.
Does it provide health benefits?
Includes a Medicinal Compound
The therapeutic chemicals found in the bitter melon plant may be found in all parts of the plant. In fact, scientists have found over 200 chemicals in the plant’s fruit, seeds, leaves, roots, and vines, many of which may help your health.
For example, the stems, leaves, and fruits contain plant chemicals known as saponins, which are mainly triterpenoid saponins and are considered to have antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties.
A Potent Antioxidant
A 2008 test-tube study discovered that bitter melon plant leaf extract showed strong antioxidant activity, which may help protect against cellular damage. Another research verified the leaf extract’s antibacterial and antiviral capabilities, revealing its capacity to prevent the development of bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus, both of which may cause disease in people.
Diabetes Treatment
Cerasee tea is widely used to treat diabetes in the Caribbean. Although bitter melon fruit extract and pulp have been found to lower blood sugar levels, research on the plant’s leaves and stems, as well as cerasee tea, is scarce.
However, keep in mind that most studies on the bitter melon plant’s promise health effects have employed concentrated extracts, and the majority of the study has been performed in animals and test tubes. As a result, the results may not be applicable to consuming cerasee tea.
Cerasee Tea Negative Effects
If you decide to consume cerasee tea for whatever reason, consult your doctor first about the potential dangers of this plant. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache, dizziness, drowsiness, skin rash, itching, increased heart rate, chest tightness, shortness of breath, low potassium levels, loss of appetite, weight gain, swelling, blurred vision, irregular heartbeat, muscle weakness, confusion, hallucinations, fainting, seizures, coma, and death are some of the possible side effects. If you have any of these symptoms while using cerasee tea, discontinue use immediately and consult your healthcare professional.
How Do You Drink Cerasee Tea?
Brew or boil the washed leaves (approximately two, depending on how strong you want it) and stem of the cerasee plant (dried or green) for 3-4 minutes after the water (2 cups equates to 1 serving) has begun to boil, or place a cerasee tea bag into a pot of water for 3-4 minutes after the water (2 cups equates to 1 serving).
Strain/drain the liquid through a strainer, or pour it into a tea cup if no tea bag was used. To make it less palpable/bitter, add a couple tablespoons of sugar. Many people find it useful as a cerasee tea detox, so Bon Appetit!
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