Leaves and Fruit of Belimbing Wuluh to Treat Diabetes, Are They Effective?

Belimbing wuluh is a fruit that is known for its sour taste and is often used as a cooking spice to enhance the taste. In addition, there are also those who use the fruit and leaves for the treatment of diabetes. Is this method effective? Check out the explanation below.

Belimbing Wuluh Fruit and Leaves Become a Natural Medicine for Diabetes?

Belimbing wuluh or called vegetable starfruit is an oval-shaped fruit with a sour taste. This shiny green fruit contains many substances such as tannins, saponins, formic acid, oxalic acid, sulfur glucosides, peroxides, flavonoids, terpenoids, and vitamin C.

Carambola wuluh is usually used as a cooking spice, especially for soup dishes. Not only for cooking, this fruit is also believed to be able to control blood sugar for diabetics.

The content of flavonoids (about 35%) and rich dietary fiber in this fruit work to prevent sudden spikes in blood glucose levels after eating, this is what keeps diabetes symptoms under control.

Based on tests conducted on animals, flavonoids are known to reduce blood glucose levels by inhibiting glucose absorption in the intestine and stimulating insulin secretion by pancreatic beta cells through regulation of calcium metabolism.

One of the main causes of diabetes is insulin resistance which causes the body to be unable to produce enough insulin to metabolize blood sugar.

When the performance of the pancreas improves, it can keep blood sugar levels in diabetics normal.

Also Read: 6 Benefits of Belimbing Wuluh for Body Health

Apart from the fruit, belimbing wuluh leaves are also believed to be used for herbal medicine to treat diabetes.

The content in the leaves that plays the most important role as antioxidants and anti-diabetics are flavonoids, which are phenolic compounds that have several pharmacological activities.

The ethanolic extract of belimbing wuluh leaves is claimed to have hypoglycemic (lowering blood sugar) and hypolipidemic (lowering plasma lipoprotein) effects in rats with type-1 diabetes.

Meanwhile, another study revealed that the ethanol extract of belimbing wuluh leaves has the same antidiabetic activity as glibenclamide, a drug for controlling blood sugar levels.

Also Read: Frequent Urinating, Is It Really a Sign of Diabetes?

Side Effects of Carambola Wuluh

Fruit and leaves of starfruit are good for diabetes if consumed in the right amount. However, if this fruit is consumed in large quantities or too often, its acidic ingredients can cause digestive disorders. So, should consume in reasonable portions.

It should also be noted, the content of oxalic acid in star fruit if consumed too much can cause side effects such as diabetic nephropathy, poisoning, and kidney failure.

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