Recently, we have seen a new plant not known to the general public, but whose virtues are constantly being praised. Since the dawn of time, the human race has been fascinated by the idea of not aging. It is therefore only natural that a plant with anti-aging virtues should be widely acclaimed.
What is the Ashitaba plant?
The Angelica keiskei koidzumi of its scientific name, commonly known as Ashitaba is a species of the Apiaceae in the carrot family. It is native to Japan. It can be found on the Pacific coast of the country. It is endemic to the region of the Boso Peninsula, Miura Peninsula and Izu Peninsula. Ashitaba means "the leaf of tomorrow" in Japanese. Indeed, the plant is known for its health and longevity benefits. The plant is fifty to one hundred centimetres tall and has beautiful white flowers. It has been known to the Japanese for more than two millennia and is one of the medicinal plants that are the pillars of their traditional medicine.
Usefulness of Ashitaba?
In some countries, Ashitaba is used in cooking. In Japan, it is used as an ingredient in various dishes. In the United States, it is considered a "superfood", i.e. an edible plant with incredible virtues from which consumers are taking away. In cooking, Ashitaba is very popular because it tastes like celery and is a favourite ingredient in soups because of its specific aroma. In addition, the plant can be made into dry or powdered form for making tea. For the more daring, Ashitaba ice creams are even available.
The virtues of Ashitaba?
Since it has been cultivated in Japan for more than 2000 years, Ashitaba has been considered a medicinal plant. Its different parts: the roots, leaves and stem are used in various concoctions to treat the sick. Ashitaba is famous for its anti-ageing virtues. Scientifically speaking, Ashitaba acts on the cells of our skin to slow down their aging. Its sap is rich in vitamin B12 and chalcones. Its sap, yellow in colour, is called wart grass. Chalcones are nutrients that have antibacterial properties on the skin. The combination of vitamin B12 and chalcones has an effect on blood circulation by increasing blood pressure. The main effect is to firm up our skin.
Ashitaba also contains a powerful flavonoid. Flavonoids are yeasts that act on the autophagy process. Autophagy is a process that prevents waste products from accumulating in our cells. The waste products help the cells to age. Therefore, the consumption of flavonoids allows us to promote the autophagy process.