Yes it’s thanks to the early Indian immigrants; South Africa has been much enriched by the varieties of vegetables obtainable today.

Now many of these early immigrants brought with them, or later imported precious seeds and roots, carefully tied up in homespun white calico handkerchiefs and entrusted them to foreign soil.

Yes, some strains did not take, others grew vigorously and so with love and tender nursing, there evolved South African types.

As a result, the stalls at the Indian market and at the food markets today are a riot of colours and shapes, with fruits and vegetables not indigenous to South Africa.

BITTER GOURD/KARELA.

Diabetes.

The bitter gourd/karela is specifically used as a folk medicine for diabetes. Recent researchers by a team of doctors have established that it contains a hypoglycemic or insulin – like principle, designated as plant insulin, which has been found highly beneficial in lowering the blood and urine sugar levels.

The diabetic should take the juice of about 4 or 5 karelas every morning on an empty stomach. The seeds of bitter gourd can be added to food in the powdered form.

Piles.

Juice of fresh leaves of bitter gourd is valuable in piles.

3 tsps of leaf juice mixed with a glassful of buttermilk should be taken every morning for about a month in this condition. A paste of the roots of bitter gourd plant can also be applied over the piles with beneficial results.

• In autumn and spring seasons, boiled bitter gourd/karela should be eaten as a preventative against chicken pox and measles.

• For disorders of the spleen and liver, bitter gourd/karela extract is considered beneficial.

• The leaves of bitter gourd/karela are said to increase the milk production of breastfeeding mums.

• Dried and powdered bitter gourd/karela leaves are applied locally on burns, boils and other skin eruptions.

                               
EGG PLANT/BRINJAL.

•The roots of this plant are known to be anti-asthmatic.

•Both the leaves and the fruit of brinjal are reported to produce a marked drop in the blood cholesterol levels.

•Brinjal juice is found to be an effective remedy for toothache.

•All brinjals are rich in minerals, especially magnesium and potassium and good for muscle tone and strength.

FENUGREEK/METHI BHAJI.

•Skin irritations, sores, tumors and wounds: leaves cooked with milk, to be taken once a day for 2-3 days.

•Biliousness, stomach problems: boiled methi leaves to be eaten twice daily.

•Headache and insomnia: 2-tsp fresh juice of methi leaves along with 1-tsp honey to be taken daily.

•Constipation and ulcers: boiled leaves with honey twice daily.

•Falling hair, dullness and coarseness of hair: fresh leave paste applied over the scalp before a bath.

•Mouth ulcers, sore throat: an infusion of leaves gargled 5-6 daily for a couple of days.

•Blackheads, wrinkles and pimples: fresh leave paste applied on face every night before going to bed and washed off with warm water next morning.

• Boils, swellings: lukewarm leaf paste to be applied on the affected parts of the body.

DRUMSTICK.

Tonic for children.

The leaves serve as a tonic for infants and growing children. For better results, juices should be extracted from leaves, filtered and mixed with milk. This mixture becomes an excellent tonic for healthy and strong bones and for purifying the bloodstream.

 
•A fine paste of the drumstick bark applied daily on the bald patches, promote hair growth.

•Equal quantities of limejuice and the juice of the fresh leaves of the drumstick plant applied on the blackheads and pimples regularly, help in getting rid of them

•Soup of equal quantities of drumstick and carrots boiled together, is good for lowering blood pressure.

•Regular intake of drumsticks helps in the prevention of joint pains and chronic fatigue.

BHINDA/OKRA
 
•Diabetics should eat bhinda regularly as it helps in lowering the blood sugar.

•The water of raw bhinda soaked overnight taken regularly for a month shows a remarkable fall in the blood cholesterol and sugar levels.

•Applying raw bhinda paste helps to heal burns and any kind of skin rashes.

SPINACH.

Constipation.
Spinach juice cleans the digestive tract by removing the accumulated waste therefrom. It nourishes the intestines and tones up their movements. It is, therefore, and excellent food remedy for constipation.

 
Anemia.
This vegetable is a valuable source of high-grade iron. After its absorption in the system, the formation of hemoglobin and red blood cells take place. It is thus highly beneficial in building up the blood and in the prevention and treatment of anemia.

 
Night blindness.
The spinach is also a rich source of calcium and other alkaline elements, which are essential for keeping the tissues clean and for preserving the alkalinity of the blood. It therefore, helps prevent chronic diseases, which thrive on the formation of too much acid in the system.

 
Urinary disorders.
Fresh spinach juice taken with tender coconut water once or twice a day acts as a very effective but safe diuretic due to the combined action of both nitrates and potassium. It can be safely given in cystitis and scanty urination due to dehydration.