Hummingbird Tree - rich leafy food

Agathi Keerai Leaves

Agathi Keerai in Tamil is known as the Hummingbird Tree. The botanical name is Sesbania grandiflora. The tender leaves, green fruit, and flowers are eaten alone as a vegetable or mixed into curries or salads.
Agathi keerai which is also known as “Aathu keerai” and it has cooling properties. 

Eating Agathi keerai has a lot of benefits -

It is a tonic

It is cooling

It helps in digestion

It will cure ulcers in the stomach

It is a laxative

It balances pitta and kapha

It is an antidote for poisons

It is good for fever

It cures insanity

It is a very satvic food

Crushed leaves are applied to sprains and bruises of all kinds.

A tea made from the leaves is believed to have antibiotic, anti-thelmintic(a medication capable of causing the evacuation of parasitic intestinal worms), antitumour.

The principal medicinal effects are due to the trees’ astringency, hence it is used against inflammation, venom and other poisons, bacterial infections and tumors.

The bark is considered as a tonic and an antipyretic, a remedy for gastric troubles, colic with diarrhoea and dysentery.

A bark decoction is taken orally to treat fever and diabetes.

Juice of flowers put in the eyes is said to relieve dimness of vision.

The leaves also have medicinal value and are reported to cure night blindness in cattle.

Although its bitter in taste, don’t you think we need to eat this occasionally considering the health benefits associated with it.