Senna coffee is a plant with the scientific name Senna occidentalis is a plant belonging to the Fabaceae/Leguminosae (Pea family). We will discuss the health benefits of coffee senna, so read on until the end of this article.
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Coffee Senna Facts and Health Benefits
The senna coffee plant is native to the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Barbados, Mexico and several other countries on the North American continent. South America is also the place where this plant grows, including Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, and others. Subsequently, senna coffee developed and spread to Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Senna coffee has many names, besides being known as senna coffee, it is also known by names such as septicweed, coffeeweed, negro-coffee, Mogdad coffee, Stephanie coffee, ant bush, styptic weed, sickle pod, arsenic bush, Nigerian senna, stinking pea, stinking weed, Bana chakunda, stinkweed, Rubbish cassia, Fedegoso, Bari kasondi, Foetid cassia, Kasondi, Kasunda, Kasivda, Ran-takda, Kasoda, Rankasvinda, Kasundri, Nattam takarai, Payaverai, Nattam takarai, Mattankash, Thanage Kol, Kalchetakara , Kasonji, Kasundri, Reng-an, and Hant-thenga.
Why is it called senna coffee? It turns out that the reason is because the seeds of this plant can be roasted like coffee beans and can be used as a coffee substitute. Senna beans do not contain caffeine like real coffee. So, it is suitable as a coffee substitute for those who experience dizziness, palpitations, and other things after drinking coffee. Because it can replace coffee, it is called coffee senna. Scientifically called Senna occidentalis, it comes from Arabic and Latin roots. Senna means “this plant” and occidentalis means “west”.
Plant Description
Coffee senna is a short-lived annual plant with rare branching conditions. Senna grows to a height of about 0.8 to 1.5 m. Usually, coffee senna grows in meadows, roadsides, coconut plantations, sugarcane fields, meadows, wilderness trails, river banks, trash cans, beach edges, lake shores and others.
Coffee senna grows with strong primary roots, and few lateral roots. The color of the stems is reddish purple, when easily four-pointed, erect, and the shape of the stems is rounded with age.
This plant also has fruit that can then be roasted instead of coffee. The flowers are thriving, then followed by cracked pods, the fruit is 8-12 cm long and 7-10 mm wide. Initially, the flowers are green and then when ripe they turn brown and the seeds dark brown. The seeds of the senna coffee plant can be roasted and made into a beverage powder such as coffee grounds. Coffee senna is caffeine-free coffee and is a good substitute for coffee for those who experience caffeine-related dizziness or experience other caffeine-related disorders.
Health Benefits of Coffee Senna
Below we look at some of the health benefits of coffee senna that are popular in the community.
Also see: 10 Health Benefits of Black Tea
1. Relieves Acid Reflux
If you have acid reflux, it is certainly not recommended to consume coffee because it can make your situation worse. However, you can try a glass of coffee senna as a substitute for your coffee.
Senna coffee is even good for those of you suffering from acid reflux because it can neutralize stomach acid.
2. Overcoming anemia
Consuming coffee senna is good for iron deficiency because it is high in iron content. So, this plant that is considered a weed is good as an increase in red blood cells and prevents anemia naturally.
More: Amazing Strawberry Tea Health Benefits
3. Coffee senna to control inflammation
In dealing with health problems, the world of traditional medicine also relies on coffee senna as its herbal ingredient in treating various inflammatory diseases. Among the diseases caused by inflammation are heart disease and cancer. Also, senna coffee is useful for dealing with joint pain and swelling.
4. Improve the digestive system
The health benefits of senna coffee are also good in improving digestion. You can drink a cup of senna coffee after a meal to launch your digestive system.
So, this coffee is also a natural remedy for those who often experience constipation. If your digestion is often disturbed, a cup of senna coffee can be a cure for you.
More: Health Benefits of Figs (Ficus Carica)
5. Kills parasites
The next benefit of senna coffee is to kill parasites. So the benefits are not only for acid reflux or constipation. If you believe you are having problems with worms or parasites in your stomach, try to benefit from a cup of senna coffee. It is also good at controlling stomach cramps.
6. Treat skin problems
Apparently, the health benefits of coffee are not limited to internal problems but can also overcome skin problems. Among the skin problems that can be overcome by drinking senna coffee are skin rashes, psoriasis, acne, and eczema.
Traditional uses and benefits of Coffee Senna
- Senna coffee is a traditional medicine to treat malaria, snake bites, insects, heartburn and dog bites.
- The Senna coffee is also often used in treating rheumatism, diabetes, venereal disease, fever, convulsions and hematuria.
- Senna coffee is the source of the medicinal kasamarda as in Ayurvedic medicine.
- This plant as a whole is a diuretic, as a tonic and as a febrifuge.
- The health benefits of senna coffee are also believed to be a cure for high blood pressure, eczema, ringworm and biliousness.
- Throat medicine, this is by boiling the senna plant and the water is used for gargling.
- The roots of the plant are cholagogue, emetic and purgative.
- Senna tea from dried roots and flowers is used as a medicine to treat pilke, and stomach ache.
- Senna coffee leaves are useful for kidney stone medicine
- The leaves can be used as herbal teas to relieve complaints after childbirth, colds, headaches, fever, cough, canker sores and bleeding.
- Senna coffee leaves can also be made into pastes and ointments, this is useful for treating ringworm and other skin diseases.
- The flowers are useful as a stomach acid drug in children.
- Leaves and seeds show antibiotic activity
- Brew the seeds and make a tea to treat hemorrhoids and diabetes and gout.
- Senna coffee also has other health benefits such as treating whooping cough, heart disease, asthma, snake bites, fever, and flu.
- Ointment from senna coffee leaves can be stored and you can use it as a medicine for skin diseases.
Bottom line
- Some things you should pay attention to when you want to drink senna coffee. Among others are:
- Senna coffee beans or S. occidentalis consist of substances that can damage the liver, heart, blood vessel system and the lungs of domestic livestock.
- Consuming senna coffee under certain conditions can cause unwanted symptoms such as poisoning, including: muscle tremors, myopathy, tachycardia, uncoordinated gait, diarrhea, dyspnea and pulmonary emphysema. This disease can cause the death of cattle, pigs, horses and rabbits. If you grow this plant and it is eaten by cows, it can cause potential death.
- Avoid this herb during breastfeeding, for safety you should consult a doctor.
- Pregnant women are also not allowed to consume senna coffee, it is said that senna coffee can interfere with the fetus and cause miscarriage. So, avoid potions or senna coffee for pregnant women.
- This herb is also not good for those of you who have appendicitis, colitis, and other chronic diseases.