Although the potent smell of stinky beans or petai may repulse some of us, there are an abundance of health benefits from consuming it. The Ministry of Health Malaysia recently released an infographic on petai, encouraging us to eat more stinky beans to stay healthy. Not only does it taste good in certain dishes, it can also strengthen your immune system and is rich in nutrients and antioxidants!
Petai Can Help Prevent Cancer And Boost Immunity
1. Helps Depression
These beans include trytophan, a kind of protein that will be converted into a happy chemical called serotonin. It will improve your mood and help you relax.
2. Strong Antioxidants
The strong antioxidants in petai can prevent damage to your body cells. Protecting the body cells can help decrease the chances of cancer, diabetes, hypertension and arthritis.
3. Lowers Blood Sugar & Cholestrol
Consuming it will lower the blood glucose levels in your body – it is frequently used as a natural diabetic treatment. On top of that, plant sterols present in the beans have been proven to lower LDL cholestrol levels, decreasing the chances of stroke and heart disease.
4. Aids Weight Loss
Petai contains a high amount of dietary fibre that will slow down glucose absorption from the intestines, which will prevent weight gain.
5. Lowers High Blood Pressure
The high potassium levels found in the beans can reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.
6. Prevents Fatigue
The abundance of iron in these beans helps with the production of hemoglobin within blood, which will make you feel more energetic!
7. Increases Brain Power
Its high potassium levels can also strengthen your learning abilities and make you more alert.
8. Prevents Liver Damage
The beans contain an anti-cancer agent, thioproline, which not only helps with preventing cancer, but also detoxifies the liver.
9. Supports Nicotine Withdrawal
Petai can help individuals that are trying to quit smoking. The vitamins, potassium, magnesium present aids with the negative effects of nicotine withdrawal.
10. Reduces Itch of Mosquito Bites
Rubbing the mosquito bites on your skin using the interior of petai skin, can decrease the swelling and discomfort of the bites.
11. Anti-Bacterial
The compound responsible for the stench of petai, cyclic polysulphides, have shown to provide antibacterial properties.
Ways To Remove The Odor
To combat the stench of petai, the Ministry of Health suggested drinking coffee, non-sugary tea, chewing white rice, and gargling salt water.
Source: The Borneo Post, Health Benefit Times, Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia
Read Also: Malaysians’ Favourite Ulam, Petai, Is Now An Ice-Cream Flavour & It Is Available In Klang Valley
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