- Many plants serve dual roles as food and medicine, as explained in the modern concept of Nutraceuticals.
- Plants such as turmeric (Curcuma longa), lemon (Citrus limon), ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Bhringraj (Eclipta prostrata), and giloy (Tinospora cordifolia) serve both dietary and medicinal purposes.
- A study identified 1,788 species, out of 7,564 medicinal plants, that are used both as food and medicine, emphasizing their wide application in nutraceuticals.
- Turmeric: Known for its anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric is safe in culinary doses, but therapeutic doses for medicinal use are much higher and may pose toxicity risks if overused.
- Ashwagandha: Primarily used for its root’s adaptogenic effects, ashwagandha is recognized in both traditional and modern medicinal applications for stress management and immune support.
- Bhringraj: Traditionally used for promoting hair health, bhringraj is also consumed as a leafy vegetable; however, nutrient data for it is missing from official records like the Indian Food Composition Table (IFCT) 2017.
- Giloy: Known for immune support, giloy uses primarily the stem in Ayurvedic medicine, though traditional sources mention the medicinal use of leaves, fruits, and roots as well.
| Indian Food Composition Table 2017 IFCT 2017, the official nutrient database in India, includes limited data on food-medicine plants, covering only 5% of those identified in recent studies. This table serves as an official nutrient reference but lacks detailed differentiation for varieties such as lemon hybrids. There’s a significant overlap (90%) between the IFCT and Ayurvedic pharmacopoeias. Scientific naming evolves as researchers collect DNA and chemical evidence, leading to over 10,000 changes annually, creating complexities for consistent regulation. |
Dig Deeper: Read about other traditional medicinal Plants.
