If you’ve never heard of jute leaves, this article may convince you to try this very popular leafy green that is grown in Southeast Asia, West Africa, and the Middle East.
Depending on the region, jute leaves are also known as Edewu, Ayoyo and Rau Day, among many others (1).
Jute leaves tend to have a bitter taste, although their taste can vary based on age. Those that are harvested young tend to be more tender and flavorful, while older leaves may be more earthy and fibrous.
Because jute leaves have a slippery texture, they are often used as a thickener in soups, stews, and curries. They are very versatile and can be found frozen, fresh, or dried.
This article covers the nutritional value of jute leaves, potential health benefits and disadvantages, and offers you delicious recipes to try jute leaves at home.
Here’s the nutritional breakdown of 1 cup (28 grams) of raw jute leaves versus 1 cup (87 grams) of cooked jute leaves (2,3).
Jute leaves are low in calories and contain numerous important vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A and C, riboflavin, folic acid and iron.
Cooked jute appears to offer higher concentrations of these vitamins and minerals. However, that’s because there are about three times as many leaves in a cooked cup of jute leaves.
In addition to culinary uses, jute leaves have been used for medicinal purposes in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries.
Here are some potential health benefits of cooked jute leaves.
Can help protect against inflammation
Omega-3 fats are important for brain development and can help reduce inflammation in the body. What foods come to mind when you think of omega-3 fats? Oily fish, nuts, and vegetable oils appear in many people (4).
Omega-3 fats are also found in vegetables, for example jute leaves. In fact, one study found that jute leaves had the highest concentration of omega-3 fats of any reported vegetable (5).
Remember, jute leaves only provide alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is converted into eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – the active forms your body needs (6).
However, the conversion rate is low at 5–8%. So, view jute leaves as modest contributors to total omega-3 intake, rather than a powerful source (6).
Jute leaves also contain lycopene, an antioxidant that protects your cells from oxidative damage, which increases your risk of disease. Their lycopene content can vary depending on the preparation method. For example, cooked jute leaves and older jute leaves have a higher content (7).
Finally, jute leaves can have anti-inflammatory effects on the liver. One study looked at rats that ate jute leaves daily for 30 days. At the end of the study, the rats had an improved antioxidant status in the liver (8).
Keep in mind that the results of rat studies may not necessarily translate to human health, so more human research is needed. However, these early results are encouraging.
May help improve bone health
Jute leaves are rich in calcium and magnesium, two minerals that are essential for the body’s daily functions. The combination of both minerals is especially important for maintaining bone health as they work together to form and maintain strong bones and teeth (9).
One cup (87 grams) of cooked leaves contains 184 mg of calcium and 54 mg of magnesium, making up 14% and 13% of the DV for adults, respectively (3).
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in your body and most of it is stored in your bones and teeth. Without magnesium, your bones cannot absorb calcium efficiently.
Over a long period of time with high calcium intake and poor magnesium intake, calcium can eventually build up in your blood vessels and kidneys, causing kidney stones, and increasing your risk of heart disease (10).
In addition, a poor calcium-magnesium ratio can also increase the risk of developing osteoporosis, as the bones cannot absorb this essential calcium (10, 11).
Balancing your calcium and magnesium intake ratios is a careful dance, and distorted ratios can be dangerous. The optimal ratio seems to be a calcium to magnesium ratio of 2 to 1 (12).
Remember that vitamin D and vitamin K are two other important nutrients for bone health, both of which are not found in jute leaves (13).
Support the immune system
Your immune system defends your body against disease and needs several nutrients to function optimally. Eating jute leaves can aid your immune system’s ability to fight infection by providing some of these nutrients.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects your cells from oxidative damage from stress, environmental pollutants, medications, lifestyle choices, and more. Oxidative damage contributes to the development of the disease (14).
One cup (87 grams) of cooked jute contains 28.7 mg of vitamin C, or 32% of the adult DV. If you get enough of this vitamin, you can build pathogen-destroying immune cells and reduce your risk of disease. Additionally, vitamin C helps reduce inflammation, heal wounds, and maintain healthy skin (3, 15).
Vitamin A is another powerful antioxidant that is abundant in jute leaves, with 259 mcg of vitamin A per cooked cup (87 grams). That’s 25% of the DV for adults (3).
Vitamin A is critical to improving immune function. In fact, it helps in the production and regulation of immune cells and has shown therapeutic effects in treating infections (16).
However, the processing methods can affect the nutrient density of the jute leaves. One study found that processing jute leaves reduced their provitamin A carotenoid levels, while cooking jute leaves caused even greater losses (17).
summary
Jute leaves are full of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A and C, that can help reduce inflammation, promote bone health, and strengthen the immune system. Cooked jute leaves can offer more benefits than raw ones.
Food allergies can be life-threatening and cause dangerous reactions if those who have them come in contact with certain foods. In these cases, the body’s immune system reacts and can lead to hives, swelling of the mouth or lips, and difficulty breathing (18).
While jute leaves are not a major food allergen, it is recommended to avoid them if you experience side effects after consuming them. If swallowed and symptoms occur, you should go to the nearest emergency room as soon as possible (18).
summary
Those who are allergic to jute leaves should avoid them entirely. If you experience an allergic reaction, go to the nearest emergency room.
The great thing about jute leaves is that they can be enjoyed in a variety of ways.
Because jute leaves have a gelatinous texture, they are a popular thickener in soups and stews. In Nigeria, ewedu is a popular soup made from jute leaves, amala (ground yam), and dried fish (1).
Try it at home with this recipe from Chef Lola’s Kitchen.
In Egypt, chopped jute leaves are drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil in a classic dish called mulukhiyah (1).
Here is a simple and easy recipe for you to try.
Alternatively, you can enjoy dried jute leaf tea, which is a common drink in Japan (1).
Finally, like other leafy vegetables, jute leaves can be washed, cut loosely into a salad, and enjoyed raw.
You can find jute leaves in the frozen vegetables department of your supermarket or – depending on the geographical region – in the fresh produce department. They can also be found at farmers markets.
summary
Jute leaves can be enjoyed boiled, sautéed or dried to make tea leaves. You can buy them fresh or frozen from a grocery store or farmers markets, depending on their location.
Jute leaves are a very popular and versatile vegetable. They’re high in immune and bone support nutrients like calcium and vitamins A and C, to name a few.
You can enjoy jute leaves by adding them to stews and stir-fries. Alternatively, you can enjoy them raw, which is just as healthy and delicious by adding them to smoothies and salads.
