Turkey berry is a type of spiny, flowering shrub that produces large clusters of yellow-green, pea-sized berries that can be used for a variety of culinary, horticultural, and medicinal purposes.

Scientifically known as Solanum torvum, it goes by many names and belongs to the nightshade family of plants (1Trusted Source).

 

Turkey berry scientifically known as Solanum torvum is also known as Plate Brush, Devils Fig, Pea Eggplant, Bhankatiya, Pea Aubergine, Wild Eggplant, Gully Bean, Tekokak, Susumber, and many other names are native to Central and South America and currently found in India, Africa, China, Thailand, The Caribbean, South America, Indonesia, Florida, Alabama, Brazil, Mexico, Ghana, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, Puerto Rico (In the high mountains of Puerto Rico they grow thousands of pounds of Turkey Berries), and other places in the US and the world. It grows in a wide range of habitats throughout the tropics and subtropics. It grows best in warm moist fertile conditions, but once established it can withstand drought by shedding its leaves. This plant is seen on vacant lands, roadsides, pastures, riverbanks, and other such areas.

TURKEY BERRY FACTS

Plant

Turkey berry is an erect, branched, slender perennial shrub, 2–3 m tall and 2 cm in diameter and is sparingly armed, densely pubescent overall with many- greyish stellate hairs. It is normally found growing in locations with full sunlight and does well in light shade or shade for part of the day, but cannot survive under a closed forest canopy and is quite a drought tolerant, and is adaptable on a wide range of soils. The root system consists of a deep and strong, woody taproot with numerous woody laterals. Flowering and fruiting start after the plant reaches a height of 1.5 m. Turkey’s berry reaches a height of 1.5 m during the year and dies after 2 years. The plant reproduces solely by seed.

Stem

One to several soft-wooded stems is branched above and is densely covered with fine stellate hairs and is distributed with broad-based, hooked prickles, 3 to 7 mm long. The stems are initially green becoming brown as they mature.

Leaves

Leaves occur singly along the stems and are broadly ovate and 5-20 cm long, usually with seven broad, blunt lobes. Both surfaces are covered with very fine stellate hairs and have dispersed prickles along the main veins. The upper surface of the leaf is darker than the lower. They have finely hairy petioles, 1 to 5 cm long, and vary significantly in shape and size depending on genetic origin and plant vigor.

Flower

The inflorescence is a dense, compact, branched head consisting of 50-100 flowers at the ends of branches. These occur laterally (between two leaves) as the stems elongate. Each flower has five slender finely hairy sepals 2 to 3 mm long, five white to cream star-shaped petals each about 1 cm long, five elongate yellow stamens, and a central stigma.

Fruit

Fruits are actually small, smooth, globular berries 1-1.5 cm across and borne on 1–2 cm, pedicel thickened upwards. Fruit is normally green and scurfy while young that turns into yellowish-green when mature and contain few to numerous flat, round, discoid, woody, often reddish seeds, 1.5 to 2 mm in diameter. Turkey berries normally have a spicy flavor and are slightly bitter in taste. Because of its unique taste, it is found used in several food items since ancient times till now.

History

The plant is said to have originated from Central and South America, where it is found from Mexico to Brazil and Peru and is widespread in the Caribbean. Although it originated in America, it has been spread as a useful plant and thus as a weed throughout the tropics and subtropics. It is now a common pantropical weed but cultivated as a small-scale vegetable in southern and eastern Asia, and is particularly popular in Thailand and Indonesia.

Health benefits of Turkey berry

Traditionally, we use turkey berries in household meals, giving it a somewhat bitter taste. Apart from that, the turkey berries have some amazing healing benefits that are highlighted below

1. Protection from Cancer

Dr. Paul Haider says; turkey Berries are antibacterial, anti-fungal, and help to stop excessive cell growth making it significant for cancer. Research shows that the extract of Turkey Berry can help to protect against lung cancer. So include turkey berry in your regular diet to remain safe from all life-threatening diseases.

2. Treatment of Diabetes

Diabetes is one of the lifelong conditions that cause a person’s blood sugar level to become too high. Including dried powdered leaves of the Turkey Berry plant to cooked berries help to control diabetes. They are used to lower blood sugar. Therefore regular use of the turkey berry certainly helps to lower the diabetes level.

3. Treatment of Indigestion and diarrhea

Regular consumption of turkey Berry is considered good for digestion and helps to treat indigestion, stomachaches, diarrhea as well as other digestion-related problems. These berries are capable of neutralizing acid in the stomach making them significant for healing gastric ulcers.

4. Prevention of cardiovascular diseases and strokes

Turkey berries consist of saponins, flavonoids, torvosides, alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, cholorogenome, etc. which are actually powerful antioxidants that help to prevent cardiovascular disease, strokes, and cancer. The dried berries made into a powder helps to lower blood pressure and prevent heart attacks. So including fresh or dried turkey berry is extremely beneficial for dealing with cardiovascular diseases and strokes problems.

5. Prevention of Pains, redness, and gout

The berries help to flush out uric acid therefore helping to prevent or reduce pain, redness, and symptoms of gout. Apart from that turkey Berry Leaf consists of powerful anti-inflammatory agents and natural steroids called coastline which is great for arthritis, lower back pain and swelling, and pain in general. Turkey’s Berries are very important for health since inflammation is the first step towards all diseases.

6. Prevention and healing of Colds and flu

Apart from its health-promoting benefits, turkey berries also help in preventing and healing colds and flu.  Use the berries to prepare soup and consume them frequently to overcome cold and flu symptoms.

7. Treatment of Phlegm and mucus

Including turkey berries in your regular diet help to get rid of phlegm and mucus. Dry the berries and make them into powder, this will dry up the mucus, help with asthma, coughing, lung inflammation, etc.

8. Prevention and treatment of Kidney disease

According to Dr. Haider, research shows that the berries can also help to prevent and treat kidney disease and even reverse tubular necrosis and glomerular congestion, thus making it important for treating kidney disease.

9. Regulate menstruation

Frequent consumption of turkey Berries helps to regulate menstruation and so helps with regular menstrual periods. So anyone with menstrual problems can include turkey berry in their regular diet to solve all the associated problems.

10. Treatment of Anaemia

Turkey berries contain lots of iron which is extremely beneficial for treating anemia. They encourage the production of red blood cells. Apart from that berries can also be used in soups and consumed on a regular basis to increase red blood cell production.

11. Prevents intestinal worms

Regular intakes of the berries help to prevent the development of worms within the intestine. Dried and powdered berries can also be added to gravies and eaten for better results.

Other health benefits you can derive from turkey berries are; it is very good for the following.

• Anemia
• Cough
• Chest congestion
• Cold
• Headache
• Stomach aches
• Piles
• Asthma
• Fever
• Malaria
• Night blindness

Health benefits of Turkey Berry Fruits

1. Treats Cold: The most uncomfortable illness is flu or cold. It affects your breathing system. The syrup that’s obtained from boiling the leaves and flowers is used as a treatment for the cold.

2. Treats Anaemia: Insufficient iron leads to loss of blood that’s anemia. This is caused by fatigue, weakness, depression, headache, and migraines. Turkey berries are rich in irons and stimulate the production of red blood cells when used to prepare food. It’s rich in copper and other components that help to increase the counts of red blood cells.

3. It helps improve brain function: Furthermore, Solanum torvum in your diet helps increase the blood flow in your brain. That’s it helps transport a higher amount of oxygen to your noggin, which enhances memory and analytic thought. Since it’s rich in a lot of nutrients it helps protect the brain against disease and toxins that may have caused damage to the brain. It also promotes blood flow.

4. It helps reduce weight: Weight loss is one of the most important things in human life in this era. People spend a lot of time at the gym trying to reduce weight. By eating Solanum torvum it helps facilitate weight loss. This is because it has low calories and is rich in fiber and other nutrients.

5. Regulate Menstruation: Menstrual irregularity among women is one of the disturbing situations in their life. Adding Solanum torvum to their food helps regulate their menstrual cycle. You can also blend and drink it regularly.

6. Treatment of erectile dysfunction: This is a disturbing moment among men when they are on age but can’t have an erection because there’s a disorder of connector neurons between the central nervous in the brain and the nerves in the penis. Adding turkey berry in our diet can help the blood to flow from the bloodstream to the penis. It helps fix neurological damage in the connector neuron.

7. Treatment of Diabetes: Consuming Turkey berry helps in treating diabetes. It helps lower blood sugar levels.

8. Improves Heart function: Turkey berry contains a lot of fiber, Vitamins, and other nutrients which help improve the functioning of the heart. It helps to lower heart disease, which leads to death.

9. It aids in digestion: Turkey berry contains a lot of dietary fibers to aid our digestive system. Consuming Solanum Torvum helps ease digestion because it contains very little fat. It enables the body to easily process foods and supports the absorption of nutrients.

10. It helps improve pregnancy: Expectant mothers always want to see their baby in their arms because it makes them feel relief after delivery. Due to complications, you might lose the baby. Consuming Solanum torvum helps protect infants from defection and diseases within the neural tube.

11. It helps improve bone function: Turkey berry is rich in Vitamins, copper, and other nutrients, it helps improve osteoporosis and bone degradation. It helps increase bone mineral density, strength.

12. Improves Immune System: Solanum torvum helps strengthen our immune system because it contains a lot of vital nutrients that the body needs to function properly. The antiviral and antimicrobial properties help protect the body from infection.

13. Treatment of Malaria: Traditionally, when one is suffering from malaria the roots of Solanum torvum are boiled, lime juice is added and the whole bottle is drunk as a treatment of malaria. This is a very effective relief in treating malaria.

14. Treatment of Toothache: Toothache is pain or inflammation in or around the tooth, often caused by tooth infection that leads to decay or infection. When you pound the root of the solanum torvum and insert it into the cavity of the decayed tooth, it helps relieve the pain.

15. Treatment of abnormal pain: It’s pain from inside of the abdomen or the outer muscle wall, ranging from mild and temporary to serve and requiring emergency care. Consuming Turkey berries helps in treating stomachaches. It helps in neutralizing the acid in the stomach. This is important for healing gastric ulcers.

16. Reduce cancer: The extract of Solanum torvum helps protect against lung cancer. This is because it contains an antibacterial and anti-fungal component that help stops excessive cell growth.

17. Treatment of eye problem: Solanum torvum contains Vitamin that is very good for eye development. This helps improve eyesight.

18. Treatment of weakness: The juice or the syrups obtained from boiling the root is used to treat vomiting caused by weakness.

19. Treatment of wounds: This is the best medicine for treating the wounds and other skin infection or diseases. Blend the leaves and apply to the wounds.

20. Treatment of asthma: Turkey berry has been proven to be effective in treating asthma. Juice or syrup obtain from boiling the leaves. It’s used as water by the patient.

How to Eat

• Young immature pale green fruit is used as a vegetable.
• It can be consumed fresh or dip in Namprik (a spicy chili paste with pounded shrimps or dried fish and is equivalent to the Indian sambar or Malay Sambal) in Thailand.
• Namprik is served as a condiment with rice, meats, vegetables, poultry, and fish but can also be served as a dip.
• Young fruits are also cooked in red or green curry, and the popular Thai dish Kaeng kai.
• Young fruits are used in soups and sauces as are chopped together with eggplant fruits or tomatoes in Ivory Coast.
• Young fruits are used as lalab, raw or cooked, or eaten in say or lodeh, a Javanese dish called Trantjam, or the Sundanese Karedok in Indonesia.
• Young fruit is consumed directly or cooked in dishes like Sundaikkai Sambar, Sundaikkai Poriyal, Sundaikkai Aviyal, and Sundaikkai natural in India, Tamil Nadu.
• Sundaikkai Aviyali is also esteemed in Kerala cuisine and is a mixture of vegetables including turkey berry (Sundaikkai), curd, coconut and seasoned with coconut oil and Murraya curry leaves.

Other Traditional uses and benefits of Turkey berry

• Various parts of the plant are utilized in traditional folkloric medicine and have been considered to be analgesic, antipyretic, anti-rheumatic, anti-infectious, diuretic, anti-contusion, anti-inflammation, and antiphlogistic.
• The plant was used by the Mayans in ancient Mexico to treat rheumatism, infections, vaginal bleeding occurring outside the menstrual cycle, and as an analgesic.
• Dried roots in decoction, or processed into syrup or alcoholic suspension have been used as a treatment for stomach ache, indigestion, gastric pain, amenorrhea, and rheumatism in the Philippines.
• Dried pounded roots are used for a poultice of cracking soles in Malaysia.
• Seeds are smoked for curing toothache in Malaysia.
• The plant is used as an antitussive to disperse extravasated blood and to relieve pain in China.
• The plant is used as an antidote to snakebite and insect stings, the fruit to relieve stomach pain, and leaves are dried and ground to powder, which is used as medicine for diabetic patients in India.
• As an Ayurvedic herb, it is used in numerous Ayurvedic treatments along with its sedative, diuretic, and digestive properties.
• It is used in the treatment of coughs and colds and is a tonic for the liver.
• Young fruits are used therapeutically for improving eyesight; the leaves are used for treating skin diseases – sores, pimples.
• The plant is used in Cameroonian folk medicine for the treatment of wounds, fever, and tooth decay and for the management of pain and inflammation.
• Decoction of the fruit is given to children as a cough medicine, and in Senegal, the plant is taken to treat sore throat and stomachache in Sierra Leone.
• Fruits are crushed or cooked with dry fish (dhol) and taken with warm rice to cure rheumatic pain in Tripura and West Bengal.
• The fruit has been used ethno medicinally as a tonic and hematopoietic, anti-microbial agent, and for the treatment of pain.
• Decoction of fruits is given for cough ailments and is considered useful in liver and spleen enlargement.
• The fruit has sedative, diuretic, and digestive in action.
• Antimicrobial properties of the leaves have been known for some time in Central America and India, and also in Gabon people apply the leaves to cuts and wounds.
• Sundaikkai leaf juice is taken orally to reduce body heat in Tamil Nadu.
• Solanum torvum is used as an herbal remedy for the treatment of malaria in the Dangme West District of Ghana.
• Leaves are boiled and administered orally.

Other Facts

• Solanum torvum is used as a disease-resistant rootstock against Meloidogyne nematodes for Solanum quitoense in Colombia and Ecuador, and for Solanum melongena in Southeast Asia and Cuba and against bacterial wilt in tomatoes

References

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