Importance of Tiger Nuts

A lot of people eat the tiger-nut without knowing the health benefits. Chufa is a grass-like plant of the Trans-Saharan Island. It has cylindrical tubers of several species of black, brown and gold of 20 inches in height, lance-shaped leaves small spikes of green flowers. It is a native of the Mediterranean region and widely used in Spain where it is call “HORCHATA” and mostly used as juice to enhance the intestines.


Today, chufa is widely used all over Africa, the tuber called ‘nut’ is unearthed in winter and summer; distributed and commercialized all over the world. Chufa is rich in fibre, has 20-30 per cent tiger-nut oil which is nourishing to the epidermis, nullifies hard-knots in the stomach and acts as a coolant to hot flushes associated with premature menopause. The high fibre content of the chufa makes it a wonderful colon evacuator and cleanser.


Medicinal Benefits of the Tiger Nuts

1. It prevent constipation.

2. It has necessary essential minerals; calcium, magnesium and iron necessary for bones, tissues repairs, muscles and the blood stream.

3. It contains enough protein and carbohydrates

4. Chufa contains a good quantity of vitamin B1 which assists in balancing the central nervous system and helps to encourage the body to adapt to stress.

5. It supplies the body with enough quantity of Vitamin E, very essential for fertility in both men and women.

6. It is excellent for colitis and assists proper digestion. In China, chufa juice is used as a liver tonic, heart stimulant, drank to heal serious stomach pain, to promote normal menstruation, to heal mouth and gum ulcers, use in Ayurvedic medicines and is a powerful aphrodisiac (sexual stimulant).

7. The black specie of the tiger nut is an excellent medicine for breast lumps and cancer (any type of internal canceration and inflammations). It can be used as eye compress and to bandage wounds.

8. Tiger nuts give a heating and drying action to the digestive system in general and this gives it the potency to alleviate flatulence.

9. Chufa promotes the production of urine, this is why it is a preventive measure for cyst, prostrate, hernia, rectum deformation and prolapsed (anal feature-small painful flesh and the tip of the anus) and to prevent endometriosis or fibrosis as well as blockage of the tip of the fallopian tube.


How to make Tiger-Nut Juice

Procedure

Fetch 180g of dried tiger nut, 1 liter of water and one lemon rind; sort out all rotten nuts and other unwanted objects.
Wash chufa and soak for 24 hours, change the water 2-3 times to avoid smelling, drain well and blend in your blender.

Blend it with a rind of lemon, add half of the water and allow to stand for 20 minutes - sieve with a neat cloth twice, bottle and serve cold you can add molasses and a cinnamon stick.

Chufa is cholesterol free but contains 2.9 grams of sodium, so, it should be eaten in moderation by the blood group ‘O’s. nursing mothers should eat a lot of tiger nuts for enough production of their breast milk to satisfy their babies.