Waterleaf is one of the vegetable plants that grows abundantly, especially during the rainy season. It can be seen around bushy parts as weeds, but some people plant or cultivate it for personal consumption or for commercial purposes. The leaves can be boiled and the water taken as a drink to obtain the essential nutrients it offers, or it can be cooked with assorted healthy fish or meats and eaten as a soup. However, not everyone who consumes the leaves of the plant is aware of its health benefits when cooked and eaten regularly as a soup.

According to WebMD, the benefits of eating water leaf soup on a regular basis are given below.

1. One of the benefits you get when you consume waterleaf on a daily basis is the nutrients packed in abundance in the leaves. Waterleaf has a high proportion of mineral substances like iron, which is used by the body to manufacture red blood cells, phosphorus, and calcium for building strong bones and healthy teeth; the leaves also supply the body with important vitamins like the A and C vitamins; they are also packed with lots of fibre, which helps food to digest quickly and also enhances the body’s health.

2. The calcium content in waterleaf is available in large quantities and, when consumed, the body can tap the mineral element to build strong bones in people who are suffering from osteoporosis or loss of bone.

3. Waterleaf is no exception among vegetable plants that contain a decent amount of vitamin A, and when consumed regularly, the A vitamin in the cooked leaves can help improve the capability of the eyes to see more clearly and better. It also contains antioxidants in moderate quantities that help to boost the immune system and also reduce the chance of having eye diseases.

4. The iron content in waterleaf cannot be overemphasized or ignored because the leaves contain the metal element needed by the body for the production of red blood cells, and so when the leaves are taken on a daily basis as a soup, the body taps the iron in them and this prevents the risk of having a loss of blood known as anemia.

5. It will amaze you to know that waterleaf contains a high proportion of vitamin C, which helps the body to overcome memory loss, and it is good for old people to eat more water leaf in order to improve their memory.

Health is wealth