Prekese which is also known as Tetrapleura tetraplera or Aidan Fruit is a purplish-brown fruit that grows on the aidan tree that belongs to the fabaceae family. Prekese benefits range from cooking to healing certain diseases. It is commonly used as a cooking spice, adding a sweet yet astringent flavor. It is a native plant of West Tropical Africa, that grows to a height of 25 meters and has many medicinal benefits.

Prekese benefits human body in various ways due to the presence of anti-inflammatory properties along with rich contents of vitamins, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. The pods are 15-20 cm long and are dried for a year then crushed or chopped for adding to stew, soups, and herbal medicines.

Health Benefits of Prekese or Aidan Fruit

Prekese benefits our health in many ways. 10 health benefits of Prekese are listed below –

Reduces Hypertension

Around 1.56 billion people worldwide suffer from high blood pressure and hypertension. The fast-paced lifestyle and poor diet are two key causal factors. Prekese has to be found to be useful in treating hypertension. The stem and bark of the tree are used for curing hypertension. The tree has many antioxidants, vitamin, and minerals that reduce high blood pressure and keeps the oxidation levels of the patients under control.     

Treats Diabetes

Diabetes has become very common for a particular age group. Researchers investigated rats, where they used Prekese leaves extract for treating diabetes. Prekese can be used for curing type 2 diabetes. The Prekese fruit, extracted from the plant has properties that assist in reducing blood glucose levels while fasting as well as in non-fasting conditions. The leaves of the plant can also be consumed by boiling them for managing diabetes.     

Facilitates Weight loss

Prekese benefits weight loss by aiding body cleanse. It has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties along with a wide array of minerals and vitamins which facilitates weight loss. Such elements help in cleansing and reducing the extra fat that is stored in our bodies. Prekese is normally boiled or consumed as tea for weight loss.   10 Belly Fat Burning Juice Recipes You Should Drink Every Morning

Postpartum Care

It is important to give proper care to new mothers during postpartum as their bodies are healing. The pods are used in preparing a medicinal soup that helps in managing postpartum contractions. The pods also help in the restoration of blood and lactation in nursing mothers. Prekese benefits postpartum mothers as it has all the essential nutrients such as potassium, calcium, iron, zinc, etc. which are needed by them. Prekese is among the top medicinal plants used in postnatal recovery in Nigeria.      

Helps Treat Fever and Enema

Prekese is an effective ingredient when comes to curing someone suffering from fever or enema as it contains several therapeutic minerals and nutrients. When soaked in water, Prekese releases heat which helps in bringing down the body temperature. You can also get the health benefits of drinking boiled Prekese and making a tea by mixing some ginger in it. Thus, it can either be consumed by preparing it into tea or drinking plain Prekese infused water. This prekese tea can also be used for other complaints such as enema, constipation, and emetics.

Treats Gastrointestinal Diseases

Prekese is a great remedy when comes to treating gastrointestinal diseases as it contains phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are chemicals that are often found in various plants that have anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. A liquid is extracted from the Prekese pod which is consumed for healing various gastrointestinal diseases like vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain. Prekese also has anti-inflammatory properties that cleanse the intestine and protects the intestine lining.

Convulsion Management

In traditional medicine, Prekese is used for preparing concoctions that help in dealing with convulsions. The stem, leaves, and fruit of Prekese are essentially used for treating convulsions. In a survey conducted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal, it was found that the liquid extracted from Prekese fruit has anti-convulsive properties which help in managing epilepsy by targeting the central nervous system. It slows down the nervous system which gives time for other medical interventions.

Treatment of Leprosy

Leprosy is a medical condition that affects the nervous system, skin, and mucous membranes which results in lumps and blemishes on various parts of the body. In more severe cases of leprosy anomalies and mutilation can also occur. In many studies, it has been found the aidan tree has properties that can be beneficial for treating leprosy. The liquid extracted from the fruit and leaves is mainly consumed.

Dermatological Care

Prekese has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory agents which can be used for dermatological care. Many researchers can vouch for the presence of these properties in Prekese. The fruit of Prekese fruit is dried in sunlight and is then grounded into a fine powder. This Prekese powder is mixed with skin care products like soaps which serve as a great dermatological care product. The powder can also be applied to the scalp as a scrub. The fruit powder is also combined with other ingredients like shea butter, palm kernel oil, aloe Vera gel, and other essential oils for external use.

Strengthens Immune system

Prekese has a rich store of minerals and vitamins like zinc, potassium, calcium, sodium, lipids, phosphorus, magnesium, etc. along with anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory agents. All these elements assist in strengthening the Immune system, which in turn helps in fighting various diseases. The rich iron content helps in blood regeneration, zinc assists in fighting against the virus that can cause infections in the respiratory tract, and calcium, phosphorus, and potassium on the other hand help in dealing with bone and muscle-related disorders.     Top 10 Health Benefits of Pumpkin Leaves: Recipes To Prepare It

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How To Make Prekese Tea (Aidan Fruit Tea)

Below is a simple way to prepare a Prekese drink and gain all the health benefits of drinking boiled Prekese via this method.

• Take 2 cups of water in the vessel and set it on gas for it to boil.
• Take some Prekese and wash them thoroughly.
• Now, chop them into small pieces.
• Once the water comes to a boil close the gas.
• Add the Prekese pieces and let it soak.
• Grate ½ inch of fresh ginger.
• Add it to the Prekese water.
• Now this mix of Prekese and ginger soak for at least an hour.
• Strain the mixture in your favorite mug
• Add a dash of lemon juice for added vitamin benefits.
• It’s ready to serve.

Therefore, Prekese is an important fruit that if consumed daily can enhance our overall health. The rural people consume Prekese by adding them to their food and drinks to avail the health benefits. Many people also consume it in the form of packaged drinks that are available in the market.

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