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5 FACTS ABOUT ASHITABA (ANGELICA KEISKEI KOIDZUMI) PLANTS THAT WILL IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS

Wow. I’m just overwhelmed by how so many people now have tried taking ashitaba and mentioned that their health has become better. In this article, let us share with you some facts about the POWER OF ASHITABA as cited from the Japan Bio Science Laboratory (JBSL) website, Takara Bio Inc., and the US National Library of Medicine (National Institution of Health).

But first, in case you don’t know yet, here’s a short intro about ashitaba:
 Ashitaba is a plant native to the lush Izu Islands on the Pacific coast of Japan, where its leaves have been consumed as a food and medicine for centuries.
 Full botanical species name is Angelica keiskei (Miquel) Koidzumi (Apiaceae/Umbelliferae).


The ashitaba leaves look like the leaves of celery, with the stems attache.


When you break the ashitaba stalks, you will find the rich golden sap called chalcone (pronounced as kal′kōn), which contains a potent cache of 20 unique flavonoids. The chalcone supplies many of ashitaba’s great benefits!

1. Manage Weight and Fight Obesity by Improving Fat Metabolism
According to PubMed, clinical investigations have discerned that two out of the 20 flavonoids (4-hydroxyderricin and xanthoangelol) in ashitaba chalcone have the most aggressive action in reducing amounts of visceral fat and subcutaneous fat. If you want to lose weight the healthy way, take Ashitaba Chalcone Plus.

Quote from JBSL: “Medical science has shown clearly that fat—in particular the belly (visceral) fat that accumulates around the organs—secretes hormones that interrupt the healthy function of the metabolic, reproductive, circulatory and immune systems. We are confident that supplements containing Ashitaba Chalcone Powder gives the public a safe option in the toolkit to dramatically reduce visceral and subcutaneous fat and weight.”

2. Improve GI Condition
NCBI indicates that “the large intake of Ashitaba products may supply dietary fiber and thus improve gastrointestinal condition through the increased excretion of feces containing high level of bile acids.”
Read more: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17616000

3. Prevent and Treat Osteoporosis
Takara Bio Inc. (President & CEO: Ikunoshin Kato, Ph.D.) has announced that Biotechnology Laboratories is the first lab in the world to discover that components of Angelica keiskei (the ashitaba plant) significantly increase the production of BMP-2 in osteoblast. A bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) is expected to play a major role in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.
Read more: http://www.evaluategroup.com/Universal/View.aspx?type=Story&id=133079&sectionID=&isEPVantage=no

4. Prevent Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic Syndrome is a cluster of biochemical and physiological abnormalities associated with the development of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The best way to prevent is by eating healthy choices of meals and having regular exercise. Many people are diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.
To reduce blood pressure significantly, taking ashitaba chalcones will be a great help to increase the expression of the adiponectin gene and the production of adiponectin in 3T3-L1 adipocytes thereby preventing metabolic syndrome.
Read more: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22738967

5. Fight Diabetes
Ashitaba chalcone is considered as a health food that maintains the blood sugar level and induce skeletal muscle-associated glucose uptake. Ashitaba contains chlorophyll which promotes wound healing especially for diabetes sufferers.
Read more: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20938990

Wrap Up
To sustain good health, you can continue eating some food that are hard to ignore (unhealthy stuff) but mind the portion. Try to eat them in lesser servings and in lesser occurrences. Adapt to healthier recipes and enjoy eating food while taking ashitaba.

Article Source: http://www.ashitabaplant.com/2014/06/5-facts-about-ashitaba-plants-that-will-impress-your-friends.html
Image Source: http://www.ashitabaplant.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/chalcone.jpg

VOCABULARY WORDS:
cache
[kash]
noun
-a hiding place, especially one in the ground, for ammunition, food, treasures, etc.:
She hid her jewelry in a little cache in the cellar.
-anything so hidden:
The enemy never found our cache of food.

discern
[dih-SURN]
verb (used with object)
-to perceive by the sight or some other sense or by the intellect see, recognize, or apprehend:
They discerned a sail on the horizon.
-to distinguish mentally recognize as distinct or different discriminate:
He is incapable of discerning right from wrong.
verb (used without object)
-to distinguish or discriminate.

visceral
[VIS-er-uh l]
adjective
-of or relating to the viscera.
-affecting the viscera.
-of the nature of or resembling viscera.
-characterized by or proceeding from instinct rather than intellect:
a visceral reaction.
-characterized by or dealing with coarse or base emotions earthy crude:
a visceral literary style.

subcutaneous
[suhb-kyoo-TEY-nee-uh s]
adjective
-situated or lying under the skin, as tissue.

physiological or physiologic
[fiz-ee-uh-LOJ-i-kuh l]
adjective
-of or relating to physiology.
-consistent with the normal functioning of an organism.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. Do you take herbal medicines/ supplements? What? Why?
2. Do you recommend taking herbal medicines/supplements to other people?
3. Do you think it is really beneficial to take herbal medicine/ supplement?