Flame Health Dictionary

Agaricus tea is the beverage resulting from brewing the dried Agaricus mushrooms. Cultivated for culinary purposes, this tea has healing properties which enable it to be an important ingredient in the pharmaceutical industries. About Agaricus Tea Agaricus is a species of mushroom, growing locally in Asia, Europe and South America. It is also known as the “mushroom of life” or “God’s mushroom” and is appreciated for its health properties. The Agaricus mushroom is bulbous at the base, its flesh has a nut-like taste while its scent is akin to almonds. It is regularly added to salads, stir fries, pastas, sauces, soups, pies and breakfasts. Agaricus Tea is obtained by brewing the above mentioned mushroom. Brewing Agaricus Tea When brewing Agaricus Tea, it is recommended to use a non aluminum pot or teapot. 750ml is enough for 3 cups taken throughout the day: 1 cup in the morning, 1 cup in the afternoon and 1 cup in the evening.

• place about 5 grams of mushrooms in 1 liter of cold water
•  let the mushrooms soak in 1 liter of water until they are re-hydrated
• when the mushrooms are dry and you start to boil the water, they will just float on top and will not extract as quickly
• bring the mixture to a boil
• once it starts to boil, reduce the flame and let it simmer at low flame for about 20 to 30 minutes until the mixture has been reduced about 1/4 or when you have about 750ml of liquid left
• let the mixture cool

Agaricus Tea could be served cold or hot. Agaricus Tea benefits Agaricus Tea is a great source of nutrition, providing a full range of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and proteins, important for human health. It has been acknowledged that Agaricus tea may reduce the risk of tumors and cancer due to the antioxidant action which enhance the immune system. Agaricus tea is part of the anti-cancer treatment regimen in both Brazil and Japan. This tea is successfully used as a helping tool in:

• lowering the diabetes risk
• lowering the risk of cardiovascular ailments
• mitigating stomach ulcers and ulcerative colitis
• fighting against osteoporosis
• reducing digestive ailments
• fighting against diseases affecting the bloodstream

Agaricus tea is believed to help in reducing radiation damage. Agaricus Tea side effects Agaricus tea is considered safe, non-toxic and well tolerated by the majority of the population. Further studies should be conducted in order to establish if Agaricus tea can actually cause liver damage when taken in clinical doses. Agaricus tea is an important immune enhancer and energy booster. It provides the needed help in weight management and could be successfully included in diets through tasty salads or sauces.... agaricus tea: a mushroom tea

(Lam.) Taub.

Synonym: B. frondosa Koenig ex Roxb.

Family: Papilionaceae; Fabaceae.

Habitat: Throughout India, up to 1,200 m except in very arid regions.

English: Flame of the Forest, Butea Gum, Bengal Kino.

Ayurvedic: Paalasha, Kimshuka, Raktapushpaka, Kshaarshreshtha, Brahmavriksha, Samidvar.

Unani: Dhaak, Samagh Dhaak, Kamarkas.

Siddha/Tamil: Palasam, Purasus.

Folk: Tesu.

Action: Bark—astringent, styptic (prescribed in bleeding piles, ulcers, haemorrhages, menstrual disorders), anthelmintic. Flowers— astringent, diuretic, emmenagogue (also given for leucorrhoea). A decoction of flowers is given in diarrhoea and haematuria, also to puerperal women. Seeds—clinical use of seeds as an anthelmintic drug is not considered safe in humans.

Leaves—antibacterial. Stem bark— antifungal.

An aqueous extract of flowers has shown hepatoprotective activity against CCl4-induced liver injury in albino rats.

Extracts of flowers have exhibited significant anti-oestrogenic activity in mice. The seed suspension, on oral administration to albino rats (175 and 350 mg/kg body weight), showed 38.46 and 68.75% cases, respectively, where pregnancy was not interrupted but foetus was malformed.

Alcoholic extract of the whole plant produced persistent vasodepression in cats.

The plant contains flavonoids and glucosides—butin, butrin, isobutrin and palastrin. Flowers contain butrin, coreopsin, monospermoside and their derivatives and sulphurein; also chal- cones.

Dosage: Stem bark—5-10 g powder (API Vol. II); flower—3-6 g powder; seed—3 g powder; gum—0.5-1.5 g (API Vol. IV.)... butea monosperma

It is the waste product of creatine, an enzyme found in large amounts throughout the tissues, and mainly excreted in the urine. The parent compound creatine enables the body to use the “blue flame” of anaerobic combustion (as opposed to the yellow flame of oxidation). Elevated creatinine in the blood may be an early symptom of kidney disease.... creatinine

(Latin) A pious woman Flaminah, Flamyna, Flamynah, Flamiena, Flamienah, Flameina, Flameinah, Flameena, Flameenah, Flameana, Flameanah... flamina

(Hebrew) A fiery woman; the little flame

Lehavah, Lehavia, Lehavea, Lehavit, Lehaviya... lehava

(Indian) Flame burning brightly Shikhah, Shikkha, Shekha, Shykha... shikha

Willd.

Family: Portulaceceae.

Habitat: Native to tropical America; grown in Tamil Nadu.

English: Ceylon Spinach, Surinam Purslane, Flame Flower, Sweet Heart, Water Leaf, Ceylon Spinach.

Folk: Pasali, Cylon-keerai (Tamil Nadu)

Action: Leaves—used in polyuria. Diabetics and invalids use the leaves as a substitute for Amaranthus gangeticus Linn.... talinum triangulare

n. misperception of random stimuli as real things or people, as when faces are vividly seen in the flames of a fire.... pareidolia

Rafin.

Synonym: Poinciana regai Bojer ex Hook.

Family: Caesalpiniaceae.

Habitat: Native to Madagascar; grown in gardens and avenues for ornamental purposes and for shade.

English: Flamboyant Flame tree, Gold Mohur.

Ayurvedic: Gulmohar (var.) White Gold Mohur is equated with Delonix elata Gamble, synonym Poinciana elata Linn.

Siddha: Vadanarayana, Pe- rungondrai, Mayarum. White Gulmohar. (Tamil)

Action: Bark—antiperiodic, febrifuge. Plant—antirheumatic, spasmogenic. Flowers (aqueous and alcoholic extract)—active against roundworm.

White Gulmohar trunk-bark yielded asparagine and aspartic acid. Flowers gave iso-quercetin.

Delonix regia bark gave leucocyani- din; bark and leaves contain tannin, lu- peol and beta-sitosterol, and free OH- proline as major amino acid. Flower anthers are a rich source of zeaxanthin.... delonix regia

See also Raisins, Wine.

Nutritional Profile Energy value (calories per serving): Moderate Protein: Low Fat: Low Saturated fat: Low Cholesterol: None Carbohydrates: High Fiber: Low Sodium: Low Major vitamin contribution: Vitamin A, vitamin C Major mineral contribution: Phosphorus

About the Nutrients in This Food Grapes are high in natural sugars, but even with the skin on they have less than one gram dietary fiber per serving. The most important nutrient in grapes is vitamin C. A serving of 10 green or red Thompson seedless grapes has 5.3 mg vitamin C (7 percent of the R DA for a woman, 6 percent of the R DA for a man). The tart, almost sour flavor of unripened grapes comes from natu- rally occurring malic acid. As grapes ripen, their malic acid content declines while their sugar content rises. R ipe eating grapes are always sweet, but they have no stored starches to convert to sugars so they won’t get sweeter after they are picked.

The Most Nutritious Way to Serve This Food Fresh and ripe.

Buying This Food Look for: Plump, well-colored grapes that are firmly attached to green stems that bend easily and snap back when you let them go. Green grapes should have a slightly yellow tint or a pink blush; red grapes should be deep, dark red or purple. Avoid: Mushy grapes, grapes with wrinkled skin, and grapes that feel sticky. They are all past their prime. So are grapes whose stems are dry and brittle. Characteristics of Different Varieties of Grapes Red grapes Cardinal  Large, dark red, available March–August Emperor  Large red with seeds. September–March Flame  Seedless, medium to large, red. June–August R ibier  Large, blue-black, with seeds. July–February Tokay  Large, bright red, seeds. August–November Queen  Large, bright to dark red, seeds. June–August White grapes Almeria  Large, golden. August–October Calmeria Longish, light green. October–February Perlette  Green, seedless, compact clusters. May–July Thompson Seedless, green to light gold. June–November Source: The Fresh Approach to Grapes (United Fruit & Vegetable Associat ion, n.d.).

Storing This Food Wrap grapes in a plastic bag and store them in the refrigerator. Do not wash grapes until you are ready to use them.

Preparing This Food To serve fresh grapes, rinse them under running water to remove debris, then drain the grapes and pick off stems and leaves. To peel grapes (for salads), choose Catawba, Concord, Delaware, Niagara, or Scup- pernong, the American varieties known as “slipskin” because the skin comes off easily. The European varieties (emperor, flame, Tokay, Muscat, Thompson) are more of a challenge. To peel them, put the grapes into a colander and submerge it in boiling water for a few seconds, then rinse or plunge them into cold water. The hot water makes cells in the grape’s flesh swell, stretching the skin; the cold bath makes the cells shrink back from the skin which should now come off easily.

What Happens When You Cook This Food See above.

How Other Kinds of Processing Affect This Food Juice. Red grapes are colored with anthocyanin pigments that turn deeper red in acids and blue, purple, or yellowish in basic (alkaline) solutions. As a result, red grape juice will turn brighter red if you mix it with lemon or orange juice. Since metals (which are basic) would also change the color of the juice, the inside of grape juice cans is coated with plastic or enamel to keep the juice from touching the metal. Since 2000, following several deaths attributed to unpasteurized apple juice contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the FDA has required that all juices sold in the United States be pasteurized to inactivate harmful organ- isms such as bacteria and mold. Wine-making. Grapes are an ideal fruit for wine-making. They have enough sugar to pro- duce a product that is 10 percent alcohol and are acidic enough to keep unwanted micro- organisms from growing during fermentation. Some wines retain some of the nutrients originally present in the grapes from which they are made. (See wine.) Drying. See r aisins.

Medical Uses and/or Benefits Lower risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some forms of cancer. Grape skin, pulp, and seed contain resveratrol, one of a group of plant chemicals credited with lowering cholesterol and thus reducing the risk of heart attack by preventing molecular fragments called free radicals from linking together to form compounds that damage body cells, leading to blocked arteries (heart disease), glucose-damaged blood vessels (diabetes), and unregulated cell growth (cancer). The juice from purple grapes has more resveratrol than the juice from red grapes, which has more resveratrol than the juice from white grapes. More specifically, in 1998, a team of food scientists from the USDA Agricultural Research Service identified a native American grape, the muscadine, commonly used to make grape juice in the United States, as an unusually potent source of resveratrol.... grapes

Kurz.

Synonym: W. floribunda Salisb.

Family: Lythraceae.

Habitat: Throughout North India, rather scarce in South India.

English: Fire-flame Bush, Shiran- jitea.

Ayurvedic: Dhaataki, Dhaatri, Kun- jaraa, Taamrapushpi, Bahupushpi, Vahnijwaalaa.

Siddha/Tamil: Velakkai.

Action: Dried flower—purifies blood, heals ulcers, astringent, prescribed in haemetemesis, erysipelas, dysentery, diarrhoea, menorrhagia, leucorrhoea. Flowers are used in alcohol-based tonics for fermentation (a yeast strain, saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been isolated). Bark—uterine sedative.

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia ofIn- dia recommends the flower in acute diarrhoea, haemorrhages, ulcerations and erysipelas.

The dried flowers are powdered and sprinkled over ulcers and wounds. The flowers also enter into an ointment used on pustules of smallpox.

In small doses the plant stimulates, while in large doses depresses the central nervous system.

The flowers and leaves gave polyphe- nols—ellagic acid, polystachoside and myricetin-3-galactoside. Flowers also gave anthocyanins—pelargonidin- 3,5-diglucoside and cyanidin-3,5-di- glucoside; octacosanol, chrysopha- nol-8-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside and beta-sitosterol. Hecogenin, mesoinos- itol and flavone glycosides—quercetin- 3-rhamnoside, naringenin-7-glucoside and kaempferol, have been reported from flowers.

The bark contains C-glucoside, ber- genin.

The flowers, leaves and bark contain tannins—24.1, 12-20 and 20-27% respectively. Dimeric hydrolyzable tannins—woodfordins A, B and C, and trimeric tannins woodfordin D and oenothein A and B have been isoalt- ed from dried flowers. A new tannin monomer, isoschimawalin A and five oligomers—woodfordin E, F, G, H and I, have also been isoalted.

Oenothein A and B exhibited remarkable host-mediated antitumour activity. Woodfordin C and D also showed antitumour activity. Woodfordin C showed inhibitory activity toward DNA topoisomerase II.

Dosage: Flower—3-6 g powder. (API, Vol. I.)

English: Pala Indigo Plant.

Ayurvedic: Shveta Kutaja. (white- flowered), Punkutaja, Indrayava (seeds).

Unani: Inderjao Shireen.

Siddha/Tamil: Irum-paalai, Nila- paalai.

Action: Bark—antidysenteric. Also used in piles and skin diseases. Seeds—antidysenteric, astringent, febrifuge, anthelmintic. Bark and seeds—prescribed in flatulence and bilious affections.

Pods, without seeds, contain the cycloartanes, cycloartenone and cy- cloeucalenol along with alpha- and beta-amyrin, beta-sitosterol, ursolic acid, oleanolic acid and the terpene, wrightial. The leaves contain beta- amyrin. Stem bark gave beta-amyrin, beta-sitosterol and lupeol.

The seeds, leaves and roots have been shown to contain an indigo- yielding glucoside.

The flowers gave 3-O-rhamnogluco- side which exhibited significant anti- inflammatory activity in carrageenan- induced hind paw oedema.

The bark is commonly used as an adulterant of Kurchi Bark (obtained from Holarrhena antidysenterica).... woodfordia fruticosa