Pandan is a tropical plant mostly known for its blade-like and long leaves, also known as screwpine, screw tree, and umbrella tree. South Asian, Thai, Sri Lankan dishes use pandan leaves as a popular ingredient. The variety of pandan leaves measures about 12 to 20 inches, either fresh or frozen.
Depending on the subtype, there are over 600 species of pandan leaves, though not all leaves are edible. The botanical name of the pandan plant is Pandanus odoratissimus,
Pandan Leaves Uses:
There is a broad range of culinary uses for pandan fruit and leaves. For example, the fruit can be eaten raw or made into marmalade, while the leaves can wrap and flavor meats, boiled, or juiced. Pandan fruit paste is a staple food in a few parts of the world because it is edible and highly nutritious.
You can produce an emerald-green extract by pulverizing the pandan leaves. The deep flavor of the mixture depends upon the darker hue and maturity of the pandan leaves.
Furthermore, several sweet and savory dishes use pandan leaf powder as a flavoring. Pandan leaves have been used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat constipation, boils, and flu-like symptoms (1).
Pandan Leaves Health Benefits:
There has been a wide usage of pandan leaves in non-western traditional medicine. However, there isn’t much scientific research on the health benefits (2).
1. Help Reduce Arthritis and Joint Pain:
Joint pain and arthritis are common problems millions of people face worldwide (3). In ayurvedic medicine, Coconut oil infused with pandan leaves helps relieve arthritic aches when applied topically. The anti-inflammatory effects from the pandan leaves are the key to reducing joint pain and arthritis (4). However, more human studies are needed because research is limited to rats.
2. Effective for Headaches and Earaches:
One of the significant pandan tea benefits is that it helps relieve headaches effectively by giving your body a calming effect. In addition, the high amounts of phytochemicals present in pandan extract are said to ease earaches and headaches significantly. Therefore, Pandan leaves or paste can be an excellent alternative to chemical drugs to relieve earaches or headaches.
3. Prevent Heart Disease:
Pandan leaves are an excellent source of carotenoids- a class of antioxidants that play an essential role in the healthy maintenance of your heart. In addition, the pandan leaves benefits include reducing the risk of Atherosclerosis (Atherosclerosis is a condition that results in the narrowing of the heart’s arteries due to the buildup of plaque).
4. Beneficial for the Skin:
Another significant health benefit of pandan leaves is their effectiveness in skin health. Crushed pandan leaves are often used to treat minor burns, sunburn, and other skin problems as a topical treatment in Southeast Asia. Preliminary research shows that Pandan leaves contain tannic acids that help provide a cooling effect for minor burns. However, more research is needed (5).
5. Helps Maintain Blood Sugar Levels:
There might be better control of blood sugar after eating with the consumption of pandan. According to a study, 30 healthy adults who drank a hot drink made from Pandanus amaryllifolius recovered better from blood sugar tests than those who drank just hot water (6). However, there is a necessity for more scientific research.
6. Improves Oral Health:
Pandan leaves have a pleasant aroma that helps freshen your breath when you chew on them. These leaves are also used to stop bleeding gums in some non-western medicinal practices. However, there is a need for formal studies to prove this effect because all these oral health benefits are mainly anecdotal.
7. Helps to Boost Immunity:
The immune system plays a vital role in maintaining the health of our body significantly. Pandan leaves have essential vitamins and antioxidants such as beta-carotene and Vitamin C, preventing chronic health conditions by boosting your immune system (7).
8. Helps Reduce Your Risk of Cancer:
Pandan leaves, or screwpine leaves, have potent antioxidants that help prevent the onset of cancer by fighting off harmful toxins. In addition, the apoptotic, cytotoxic, antimitotic, and antiproliferative effects of pandan leaves and root extracts can significantly reduce cancer risk (8).
Pandan Side Effects:
Although there are minimal side effects for the consumption of pandan leaves, this is because its interaction with medications needs more research. Some of those side effects are:
- If consumed in large quantities, they might cause diarrhea because of their mildly laxative effect (9).
- Limit your intake of pandan-flavored products because pandan fruit paste has sugar in high amounts.
Pandan Tea Recipe:
Ingredients:
- Eight cups of water.
- 20 pandan leaves.
- Ice.
- ½ cup of brown crystalline sugar.
Preparation:
- Boil the water in a bowl.
- Place the small sections of pandan leaves in the boiling water.
- Let it steep for five minutes.
- Now strain the water into a glass.
- Add sugar to the water and combine them.
- Refrigerate the water to let it cool.
- You can add ice before serving.
Pandan leaves have varied medicinal and culinary applications across Southeast Asia and are known for their versatility. Though more research is needed, there is much anecdotal evidence for pandan leaves benefits. In addition, the vanilla-like floral notes and distinctive color make it a perfect ingredient in many popular dishes. If you cannot find fresh leaves in your area, you can look for powder, extract, or frozen pandan leaves.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is based on pure research and not a replacement for medical advice. It is best to seek advice from a medical professional regarding your health.