Malva nut is both familiar and unfamiliar that is favored on hot days. This article will introduce you to the uses of Malva nut as well as how to use them to cool down and improve your health.

WHAT IS MALVA NUT?

Malva nut is the fruit of the Malva nut tree which grows in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanma, and the Malaysian archipelago.

The fruits of the Malva nut tree are harvested and dried from April to June.

Malva nuts are light brown. When the skin is opened and soaked in water, the flesh will expand from 6-8 times the dried nut size. The flesh of Malva nuts is a very popular ingredient in dishes and drinks with many health benefits.

Malva nut is both familiar and unfamiliar that is favored on hot days. (Photo: Internet)

The nutritional ingredient of Malva nut consists mainly of:

  • Soluble fiber
  • Calcium, iron
  • Vitamins B1, B2
  • Iodine
  • A little sugar, fat, starch, and insoluble fiber
  • Quercetin: a pigment with anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties
  • Gallic acid: a natural antioxidant found in tea leaves, some fruits, and roots. Gallic acid is also an anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial therapy that strengthens the intestinal bacterial system and regulates immune responses in the intestine.

USES OF MALVA NUT

Malva nut has good effects in improving health problems related to excess energy in the body. (Photo: Internet)

With a simple, low-calorie, fiber-rich nutritional composition, especially soluble fiber, Malva nut is preferred as a laxative material. Some vitamins and minerals in the nut have a fostering effect on the body.

The biologically active substances quercetin and gallic acid give these nuts the ability of anti-inflammatory and enhance the body’s resistance.

Thanks to the above characteristics, the Malva nut promotes good effects in improving health problems related to excess energy in the body, as noted in the traditional medical literature of Vietnam and the East.

The two main healing effects of Malva nut from a traditional medical view include:

  • Relax stomach and bowel: regulate bowel movements, moisten the bowel lining, and improve constipation.
  • Cool the respiratory system: support for the treatment of sore throat, dry cough, speech loss, speech scarcity, etc.

Besides, the use of Malva nut also helps to reduce the symptoms of hives, pimples, menstrual disorders, headaches, and difficulty sleeping.

The cooling, anti-inflammatory properties of this nut support the treatment of diseases:

  • Urticaria, eczema, psoriasis
  • Combating urinary infection, purifying the secretion system
  • Clean the bowel, improve gastric lesions
  • Improve rheumatism
  • Reduce heartburn 
  • Support cancer prevention

Malva nut is low-calorie and fiber-rich which can support weight loss, skin improvement, and signs of aging. 

HOW TO USE MALVA NUT?

Malva nut has a cooling and refreshing effect, as well as reducing swelling and inflammation, which is popular in the summer. (Photo: Internet)

To support the treatment of sore throat and tonsillitis, you can use 3 to 5 nuts soaked in hot water. For a dry cough, loss of voice, dry voice, 5 nuts soaked in hot water with 3g of licorice root will improve the discomfort significantly.

There are many ways to combine Malva nut to create delicious dishes and drinks:

  • Used in green tea, chamomile tea, jasmine tea, rose tea
  • Used with white sugar, brown sugar, or honey
  • Can try Malva nut with coconut water, lemon juice, or apple juice
  • This type of nut is very popular with Chinese people in sweet desserts
  • Combined with basil seeds, gum karaya, or grass jelly

How to make Malva nut to cool down for summer

  • Use 5 nuts for 800 ml of the finished product
  • Wash the Malva nut through water, and gently peel the shell at the top of the nut to create an opening so that water quickly gets in
  • Soak the nuts with 800 ml of warm water for 15 – 30 minutes (it should not be cooked because it will reduce the effect of the nuts)
  • When the nuts have expanded, you separate the hard core inside. Usually, you should also remove the outer thin skin to avoid affecting the taste. But if you’re treating sore throat or constipation, you should keep this skin.
  • Use a spoon to chop the flesh into small pieces
  • Put the whole water and flesh in the bottle. Add enough basil seeds. You only need to add very little sugar (which has been dissolved with water) to give the drink a very mild sweetness. More sugar will not be good for health and weight.

Some notes to use:

When taking a large amount for treatment purposes, you should not use more than 2 days to avoid side effects.

Malva nut is cool so it is not suitable for people who lack heat or have diarrhea.

With the above benefits for health, Malva nut will be a perfect drink for you to cool down on summer and hot days.