Traditional herb is often be the choice of someone who does not want to rely on drugs. China is known as a country that has a traditional herb for various diseases. Similarly in Indonesia, a country which is rich because of spices, it has some traditional herbs to treat and prevent illness. One of the traditional herb is wedang uwuh from Yogyakarta, especially Imogiri area. Name of wedang uwuh is taken from the Java language, wedang means beverages while uwuh means trash. What could cause garbage beverages can be used as a traditional herb? Listen to continue until the end of this article and you will understand the answer.
Uwuh or garbage here is unusual trash. It is given the name of garbage because this drink consists of the leaves and stem dry from herbal plants. The main function of this drink is to keep warm in winter. In composition of wedang uwuh are ginger, wooden cup, cloves (flowers, stems and leaves), cinnamon, nutmeg, lemongrass (roots and leaves), cardamom and rock sugar.
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wudang uwuh
image source: https://nakamnakam.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/uwuh.jpg?w=300&h=221 |
Ginger
Ginger included in rhizomes plant, shaped like fingers and bulging in the middle section. Scientific name of Ginger is Zingiber officinale. Ginger is what made beverage of wedang uwuh be somewhat little spicy and mint because of ketones compounds are named zingeron. Ginger also makes the body will feel warmer. Oleoresin compounds in ginger can cure cough, reduce fever, and analgesics. The others benefits of ginger which is taken from one of sources said that ginger can lower cholesterol levels by reducing the absorption of cholesterol in the blood and liver.
Kayu Secang/Wooden cup
Wedang uwuh has a clear red color, this is due to the wooden cup. Wooden cup made water turned be red color. Pharmacy faculty of Gadjah Mada University revealed that the wooden cup has antioxidant and anticancer, that has function to facilitate the circulation of the blood and respiratory relief. The binomial name of the wooden cup is Caesalpinia sappan.
Cloves
Cloves are contain substances such as calcium, phosphorus, vitamin B1, and eugenol. Chemical properties which is owned by cloves are aromatic, warm, antiseptic, carminative, and a local anesthetic. Clove oil can also be made from clove plant, typically used for pain relief when a toothache.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon has antioxidant which makes wedang uwuh tasted better. A mixture of cinnamon and ginger can increase endurance because the high antioxidants.
Nutmeg
The content of the chemical compounds found in nutmeg is flavonoids, saponins, and polyphenols. Chemical content in this plant is believed to relieving insomnia, facilitate digestion, increase appetite, carminative, and antiemetic.
Lemon Grass
Lemon grass is a member of the tribe plant of grass commonly used as spices for cooking, making the scent better. Lemon grass contains essential oils and sitronela. Essential oil which made from a distillation of lemon grass plant called citronella oil. The function of citronella oil can be used for mosquito repellent.
Cardamon
Cardamom is a spice, its binomial name is Amomun compactum. The fruit of this plant is often used as a condiment to certain dishes. Chemical content contained in cardamom is sineol, terpineol, borneol, silicates, betakamfer, sabinena, mirkena, myrtenal, karvona, terpinil acetate, and kersik. Chemical content contained in cardamom make this plant has a role as a cough remedy and prevent bone loss.
Rock Sugar
Sugar rock made wedang uwuh is sweet. Rock sugar made from crystallized sugar. Rock sugar is healthier than white sugar because pancreas able to convert more energy from rock sugar into energy than the white sugari, within the same time frame.
All the above ingredients is brewed together in a glass using hot water. Overview taste of this uwuh wedang is mixture of mint and sweet. Actually, this drink comes from Imogiri, Bantul regency, Yogyakarta province, Indonesia. Wedang uwuh in the form of packaging has been sold in the town, also available in online shop.
