17/03/2020
Plantain, musa paradaisica, is an household plant. Both adults and children alike know it. Even though people are familiar with the Plantain plant, and enjoy its fruit, they do not pay attention to its other uses. When Plantain is roasted, it is called boole in Yoruba. When fried it is called dodo. The plantain plant, which is rich in Inulin, alkaloids and noradrenaline, is a beauty to behold. The leaves are evergreen. The trunk is soft and contains a lot of fluid. Yorubas call it Ogede nla or Ogede agbagba, Binis call it Ogheda or Oghede, and Hausas call it Ayaba. In Igbo there are varieties of names for plantain: Ogadejioke, Ojioko, abereka.
The green leaf of plantain is very useful for treating diabetes. Simply boil the fresh leaves in water. Drink a glassful twice daily. However, pregnant women should not take this preparation, as it is capable of stimulating the uterus, thus promoting miscarriage. The whitish fluid that shows when plantain leaf is cut is very effective for treating wounds, especially fresh wounds. The juice stops the flow of blood very quickly.
Perhaps the most medicinal part of plantain is the sap. The sap is present in every part of the plant. By piercing any part of the plant, especially the trunk, one can collect the sap.
How to Collect Plantain Sap
Cut the trunk of a plantain into pieces. Pound the pieces in a mortar. Then squeeze out the juice. What you have is a potent herbal juice that can be used for varieties of illnesses. Mix one bottle of the juice with half bottle of honey. Henceforth, this preparation will be referred to as Plantain solution (PS). This knowledge is one of the hidden treasures, which many of our knowledgeable fathers and mothers keep close to their chests. The simplest things in nature are often the most important. How often do you see a banana tree and pass by without even taking a second look? So often, we are so busy pursuing one material thing or the other forgetting that happiness consists in opening oursef