17 Health Benefits of Black Grass Jelly (No.1 Is Terrific)

Black grass jelly is a traditional beverage which is very popular among Asian. Most people who have no idea what black grass jelly is and finding out the other name of this jelly is cincau which is derived from Chinese language will think whether it is part of Chinese food or what? Well, black grass jelly has texture like jelly but made from certain plant and it is not part of Chinese food though it is very popular among Chinese as well as other Asian people. During Ramadan, black grass jelly is very popular beverage to break fasting among Muslims though black grass jelly is actually available in the year around not only during Ramadan. It is because one of the health benefits of black grass jelly is to soothe the sore throat, such common condition usually happens during fasting time. So, it is very common to find beverages or drinks made from black grass jelly during Ramadan. The popularity of black grass jelly is progressively increasing so there are a lot of processed foods out there with the mixed of black grass jelly though of course for the benefits, it is better to consume fresh black grass jelly only.

What is Black Grass Jelly?

Black grass jelly is well known as dessert or beverage that usually served in chilled and mixed with other toppings. It has jelly texture and has dark color from dark green up to black. The color is depending on from which plant the grass jelly is made. For black grass jelly is very popular in Indonesia and this jelly is made from a certain plant which well known by the locals as Janggelan. It is actually one of the plants from genus Mesona, that’s make janggelan as part of mint family. Janggelan has scientific name Platostoma palustre. The Indonesians call black grass jelly as cincau which is derived from Chinese language xiancou which has meaning green grass. The taste of black grass jelly is a bit bitter but don’t question the health benefits of black grass jelly because the list could be endless.

Nutritional Value of Black Grass Jelly

Black grass jelly is an excellent source of carbohydrate and dietary fiber. Those combinations make this jelly a great source of energy booster. However, it is also packed with certain vitamins and minerals as well as some powerful antioxidants that are not only able to soothe your thirst but also fight cancer. It is true that the main benefit of black grass jelly is a delicious way to overcome your thirst; that’s why beverages made from black grass jelly are very popular during Ramadan or fasting month. Not only that, the health benefits of black grass jelly below will tell you why consuming this jelly is highly recommended even in daily basis.

Great for Digestive System

All foods that contains high amount of dietary fiber are always great for digestive system. During Ramadan consuming black grass jelly could help neutralizing the digestive system after more than 12 hours in fasting mode.

Treats Sore Throat

There are some compounds found in black grass jelly that is effective to treat sore throat. During fasting, sore throat is like common condition that usually happens and to help dealing with the condition a glass of beverage made from black grass jelly could help soothing the sore throat. It is also one of the home remedy recommended for children who are suffering for sore throat.

Helps Controlling High Blood Pressure

One more amazing health benefits of black grass jelly is this desert contains some compounds that are great to help controlling blood pressure level. Furthermore, the dietary fiber found in black grass jelly could prevent cholesterol as well.

Also read: Symptoms of High Blood Pressure

Fights Cancer and Tumor

Free radicals are one of the main causes of cancer and tumor. To fight free radicals your body needs excellent amount of powerful antioxidants. Luckily, black grass jelly is the excellent source of antioxidants.

Solution to Weight Loss

The reason why black grass jelly is great for weight loss is because it contains relatively low calories. Furthermore, it contains simple sugar that could be used as the source of energy but will not cause weight gain.

Cautions of Black Grass Jelly

Black grass jelly is great for those who are currently looking for a solution to healthy living. However, there are some cautions you should aware behind consuming black grass jelly and those cautions may reduce all the health benefits of black grass jelly.

For all the health benefits of black grass jelly, you should consume fresh black grass jelly only not only grass jelly which is already canned or turned into instant powder.
Canned black grass jelly surely have been added with refined sugar and preservative compounds that may harmful for your health, though the black grass jelly itself is very healthy.
Since the flavor of black grass jelly is a bit bitter, most people are serving it with sugary syrups, condensed milk or coconut milk. So be careful with the additions of black grass jelly. It is better to serve black grass jelly along with fresh fruits only.
Though black grass jelly is quite low in calories but the carbohydrate intake is quite high. It is great for energy booster but for those who are currently in carbohydrate diet should aware of this fact and consume it in moderate amount only.

One important to note is no matter how long the list of health benefits of black grass jelly is if you serve it wrongly, instead of health benefits you will get all the harmful effects for your health. Black grass jelly is a very refreshing drink or beverage but just consume it is not enough, adding some sugary properties will enhance the pleasure of consuming it. The problem is, sometimes people forget about that fact and they just think of taking all the benefits of black grass jelly but the way they get it is not quite right. So, be careful with what you eat or the way you serve it.