Dopamine Beans!

Dopamine Beans!

Mucuna  pruriens (aka Velvet Bean, Cowhage) is a vigorously growing tropical  legume native to Africa and Asia, and now naturalized and cultivated in  many other areas.

It can climb to over 50 feet and produces young furry leaves that become smooth as the plant matures.

The  beans are borne in very fuzzy seed pods, which cause a severe itch if  they come in contact with the skin. This is due to a protein produced  and present on the hairs called mucunain—causing them to be used in some  brands of ‘itching powder’.

The flowers are borne in panicles reaching up to a foot long and are typical pea flowers, white or purple in color.

The  Mucuna pruriens is an important cover crop in many areas of the world,  as it is capable of fixing nitrogen and fertilizing the soil.

The  beans (called ‘Benguk’) are also consumed in some parts of the world,  such as Indonesia, where they are eaten and also fermented into a form  of tempe known as Benguk tempe.  The beans are known for their high  protein content (20-29%), as well as containing a good amount of  carbohydrates and minerals.

Mucuna  pruriens has been long used in both Unani and Ayurvedic traditional  medicine systems and known mostly for its use in rejuvenation of tissues  throughout the body, male infertility, nervous disorders, and also as  an aphrodisiac. It is known to be especially helpful for vata and pita  doshas with sweet and warming characteristics that contribute to its  nourishing and restorative properties.

As  the Mucuna pruriens has a high content of L-dopa (between 3-7%), it is  also used as a dietary supplement for supporting the nervous system,  men’s health, dopamine production, mood support, occasional stress, and  supporting motor skills, coordination, cognition and focus.

Nutrigenomic  testing identifies genetic variations in people (SNPs), such as the  rs1800497, associated with lower dopamine receptor activity translating  to an increase in reward-seeking behaviors for these people. The market  is seeing an increase in practitioners who have been recommending  nutritional products with Mucuna for supporting L-dopa for this reason.

*This  post is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose,  cure or treat any disease. Always seek medical advice directly through  consultation with a health professional.
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To learn more about these Indian Botanicals Deep-Dives, visit K. Patel Phyto Extractions Pvt. Ltd.

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