Tag: Metabolic Health

Garcinia cambogia, now more properly identified as Garcinia gummi-gutta, is a small tropical fruit whose dried rind has long been used in South Indian...

Camu camu (Myrciaria dubia) is a small, intensely sour Amazonian fruit that has become popular well beyond its native riverbanks for one simple reason:...

Caralluma (Caralluma fimbriata) is a succulent plant traditionally eaten in parts of India, often described as a “famine food” used during long travel or...

Chlorella is a bright-green, single-celled freshwater microalga best known as a nutrient-dense “greens” supplement. Unlike leafy plants, it packs protein, chlorophyll, carotenoids, minerals, and...

Cissus quadrangularis (Cissus quadrangularis) is a vine-like plant long used in traditional systems for bone and connective tissue support—earning the well-known nickname “bone setter.”...

Dulse (Palmaria palmata) is a red sea vegetable traditionally harvested from cold North Atlantic waters and valued for its naturally salty, savory taste. Unlike...

Banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa) is a tropical tree whose leaves have long been brewed as a tea and used in extracts for metabolic wellness—especially for...

African mango (Irvingia gabonensis) is a West and Central African tree whose fruit, seed, and seed kernel have long been used as both food...

Aronia (Aronia melanocarpa), often called black chokeberry, is a dark purple berry known for its intensely astringent taste and unusually high polyphenol content. While...

Kura Kura, or Durio testudinarius, is not a classic medicinal herb in the usual sense. It is a rare wild durian species native to...

Kudzu, best known scientifically as Pueraria montana var. lobata, is a fast-growing vine with a long history in East Asian food and herbal medicine....

Kudum puli, better known in many kitchens as Malabar tamarind, is the dried sour rind of Garcinia gummi-gutta, a tropical fruit long used in...

Knutweed, better known as Japanese knotweed or hu zhang, is a fast-growing perennial plant whose underground rhizome has a long history in traditional East...

Keranji, also known as Dialium indum, is a tropical tree fruit from Southeast Asia that sits in an interesting space between food and traditional...

Kenikir, the Indonesian name for Cosmos caudatus, is a leafy edible herb that sits at an interesting intersection between food and medicine. In Indonesia...

Kenaf is a fast-growing flowering plant in the mallow family that has long lived two parallel lives. In one, it is a valuable fiber...

Kale is one of the most studied leafy greens in the modern diet, yet it still feels surprisingly down to earth. It is inexpensive,...

Jujube, also called Chinese date or red date, sits at an interesting intersection of food and herbal medicine. The fruit is sweet, chewy, and...

Job’s tears, botanically known as Coix lacryma-jobi, is an unusual plant that sits at the border of food and herbal medicine. In one context,...

Jicama is a crisp, mildly sweet root vegetable from the legume family, prized for its refreshing texture and its unusual nutritional profile. While it...

Jiaogulan, the climbing herb Gynostemma pentaphyllum, is often called the “immortality herb,” but its real appeal is less mystical and more practical. Traditionally used...

Javanese cinnamon, also called Indonesian cinnamon or Korintje cinnamon, comes from the bark of Cinnamomum burmannii. It is one of the most common cinnamons...

Java plum, also called jamun, jambolan, black plum, or Indian blackberry, is a deep purple tropical fruit from the myrtle family that has long...

Java pepper, more widely known as Javanese long pepper, is the dried fruit of Piper retrofractum, a climbing plant used across Indonesia, Thailand, and...