Aframomum Melegueta

Aframomum Melegueta is the Scientific name for Alligator Pepper or Grains of Paradise. This particular herb creates seeds that have long been used in ancient traditions mostly as a spice to season a variety of foods. This family of herb resides in the same classification as Ginger but has many bioactives. which have been medically speaking used traditionally to alleviate digestive issues, as well as intestinal track issues.

This amazing plant bears fruits which have hundreds of reddish brown seeds. There are a few case studies and in these case studies we have found that this herb may assist with:

• Enhanced T e s t o s t e r o n e Levels – When this oil is extracted from the plant it contains s t e r o i d s, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, which all have shown to be effective when increasing the levels of t e s t o s t e r o n e in male albino rats. (Article)
• Aids with Weight loss – When this herb activates the brown adipose tissue, this causes fat to burn, thus leading to weight loss in rats. (Article)
• Anti- Fungal – This herb is considered highly effective because of an antimicrobial agent. (Article)
• Breast milk – This herb can assist with increasing the production of breast milk. (Article)
• Anti-Parasitic – This herb has been used for cleansing and dispersing the digestive system of all types of worm infestions. (Article)
• Purer Blood – The properties of this herb because it is a spice is said to make the blood purer. (Article)
• Treatment for Measles and Leprosy – In many African countries these herbs have been used to treat the diseases of Measles and Leprosy. (Article)
• Heart Burn – Do you have a nasty heart burn after a good meal? This herb in small doses can assist with relieving the heart burn symptoms. (Article)
• A p h r o d i s i a c – This herb is considered one of the more powerful a p h r o d i s i a c s. But in comparison to other herbs that use the same dosage it is less powerful. (Article)

One of the important things to take note of here is that while certain grains of paradise does seem to give great results, there does seem to be that these results have only been practiced on rats and not humans.

There actually has been a minimal amount of studies that have been conducted on humans to be able to conclude if these same types of findings are able to be applied to our human bodies. But as we know with previous tests on rats, they generally carry over.

There was one case study that did involve humans to test if the anti-obesity properties. It was tested on subjects who had brown fat and cold exposure. (Article)

This case study shows us that the herb does indeed have anti-obesity properties to it. However it would only be applicable to certain people that fit the criteria and exposed to the conditions met in the case study.

Which is why it is difficult to arrive a collective conclusion on weather or not this can do what they claim it can do. But for now, we do know one thing and that is that they are great for adding spice to food.

Side Effects There are some side effects to take into consideration for this herb. But let it be known this herb is considered safe for most adults.

• Irritation of the Stomach
• Irritation of the Intestine
• Irritation of the Urinary System Keep in mind that there is no safety warnings for women who are pregnant and also breast feeding since there does not seem to be any case studies done on this group to date.

Such women should stay away from using any types of herbs that have not yet been prescribed by a qualified physician. It is always a good idea to keep this herb away from children. Since there are no safety warnings for children.

If you are one of the few who are allergic to ginger or cardamom since this herb is part of the ginger family. It is highly recommended that you do not take this product as it can have the same effects as those herbs.

Dosage Instructions The dose will always depend on the user’s health, age, weight, gender and other deciding factors. Due to the lack of human based studies done while using this herb, there has not been a recommended dosage yet. The only human study that used this type of herb was given a dose of 40mg and nothing more. (Article)

This herb has been listed in the FDA approved list of drugs that are usually safer to consume, however, there is a lack of human case studies. Not every natural product are safe, and even though this herb is 100% natural you could never be too cautious