Drumsticks are scientifically known as Maringà Oleifera. It is a drought-resistant, fast-growing plant that belongs to the Maringàceae family. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and has common names like drumstick tree, bean oil tree, maringà, benzole tree and horseradish tree.
Almost every part of the drumstick tree is edible. People use them in traditional herbal medicines, especially pods and leaves. The supplement comes in the form of a capsule or powder. Although, consuming drumsticks in their original form is always better. The leaves are generally high in various vitamins and minerals. Nevertheless, pods are a great vitamin C source. One hundred grams of fresh pods meet 157% of our daily vitamin C requirement.
Consequently, they can be an excellent addition to your diet, especially if you are a vegetarian trying to gain muscle. It is a nutritious plant with rich bioactive plant compounds. In addition, drumsticks also contain antioxidants. Therefore, you can use them to prepare various healthy recipes. In addition, you can use the readily available ingredients to make delicious recipes. Their use exists in all parts of the country.
Nutritional Value of Drumsticks
One hundred grams of drumsticks contain:
- Energy: 64kCal
- Protein: 9.4g
- Carbohydrates: 8.2g
- Vitamin B3 (niacin): 2.2mg
- Vitamin C: 51.7mg
- Fats: 1.4g
- Dietary Fiber: 2.0g
- Iron: 4mg
- Sodium: 9mg
- Potassium: 337mg
Health Benefits of Drumsticks
Drumsticks are well known for their health benefits. They contain vitamin A, C and B complex vitamins. Furthermore, drumsticks are good sources of calcium, phosphorus and iron. Therefore, including them in your daily diet helps prevent anaemia. For a plant source, drumsticks have a rich protein profile.
Antioxidant Effect
Research suggests that moringa leaves increase antioxidant levels in your body. Antioxidant compounds safeguard against free radicals, which cause oxidative stress, which can potentially cause chronic disorders.
Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are two of them. The leaves contain various antioxidant compounds and prevent such chronic diseases. The antioxidants present in drumsticks are:
Beta-carotene
It gives vegetables their bright color. Our body converts beta carotene into vitamin A, an essential vitamin for vision and cell growth. In addition, it helps maintain the health of organs like lungs, kidneys and heart.
Vitamin C
Studies suggest that vitamin C can lower blood pressure. Therefore, it helps reduce the risk of heart diseases. In addition, vitamin C improves iron absorption. Consequently, it also prevents anaemia and boosts immunity.
- Quercetin – It is an antioxidant that helps lower blood pressure.
- Chlorogenic acid – It is another potent antioxidant in drumsticks, which help maintain moderate glucose levels after meals.
Controls Blood Sugar
High blood glucose levels often result in diabetes. It is the crucial characteristic of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Over time, high blood glucose levels can increase the risk of heart disease.
Therefore, it is essential to maintain normal blood glucose levels. Several studies reveal that the drumstick plant can help lower blood glucose levels. It is possibly due to plant compounds like isothiocyanates.
Drumsticks Reduces Inflammation
Inflammation is our body’s response to infections and injuries. Sustained inflammation is associated with several conditions like cancer and heart diseases. However, drumsticks provide a reasonable amount of antioxidants. Furthermore, moringa leaf powder can reduce inflammation, preventing inflammatory conditions.
Studies reveal that isothiocyanates in drumsticks are anti-inflammatory compounds. However, the degree of their effect might depend on the amount and type of combinations they have.
Reduces Cholesterol
Drumstick contains reasonable amounts of fibre. Fibre helps lower bad cholesterol by carrying excess cholesterol out of the body. Studies show that drumsticks lower cholesterol levels. Therefore they can prove beneficial in preventing heart diseases like atherosclerosis and stroke.
Improves Vision
Drumsticks are a rich source of vitamin A. As a result, they aid in promoting eye health. You can use vitamin A in conditions like cataracts and dry eyes.
Several studies reveal that these nutrients prevent several diseases, particularly age-related macular degeneration and vision loss. They also reduce the thickening of capillary membranes. Furthermore, they can help avoid eye dysfunction.
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