Basic Science

Benefits of Agbalumo or Udara

len Alfred Ajibola - 06th February, 2019 @ 11:15 AM

Topics in Basic Science

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Academic Questions in Basic Science

Please click here to see all Questions and Answers

Vaccination involves a process of introducing pathogens or germs into a person in order to prevent such person from the diseases they cause.

  • A. True

  • B. False

With regards to the human health, foreign bodies are best regarded as _____.

  • A. International bodies

  • B. Antilators

  • C. Antibodies

  • D. Antigens

  • E. Antibiotics

  • F. Antidotes

Disease causing organisms are termed _____.

  • A. Pests

  • B. Pathogens

  • C. Vectors

  • D. Insects

  • E. Disease carriers

  • F. All the above options are correct

____ is formed from a reaction utilizing oxygen and glucose in the mitochondria of cells.

  • A. Galactose

  • B. Fructose

  • C. Sucrose

  • D. AMP

  • E. ADP

  • F. ATP

Which of the following statement is false concerning carbohydrates?

  • A. They are composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen only

  • B. Carbon has the highest ratio of the constituent elements of carbohydrates

  • C. All carbohydrates are sugars

  • D. Fructose is a carbohydrate

  • E. Natural milk contains lactose and it's a carbohydrate

  • F. Fatty foods contains high calories of energy when compared to the same quantity of carbohydrate foods

Which of the following is a class of food?

  • A. Water

  • B. Fibre

  • C. Roughages

  • D. Latex

  • E. Tanins

  • F. Wax

Brachiation is a specialized form of movement exhibited by _____.

  • A. Human beings

  • B. Babbons

  • C. Chameleons

  • D. Toads

  • E. Millipedes

  • F. Birds

_____ is a form of locomotion whereby an organism move by means of its two hind limbs.

  • A. Pedalism

  • B. Duo Pedalism

  • C. Double Pedalism

  • D. Dual Pedalism

  • E. Bipedalism

  • F. Copedalism

Agbalumo (Udara):

The African Star Apple which is fondly called African Cherry, Agbalumo or Udara (in Nigeria) is a seasonal fruit grown in West African countries like Nigeria and Ghana.

Apart from the fact that it is enjoyable when eaten, it also contains important vitamins and minerals needed by the body for it's normal functioning.

Please read on mineral salts, their sources, functions and deficiencies here.


Below is an image of agbalumo or udara:

African Star Apple or Agbalumo or Udara- Len Academy

 

Benefits of Agbalumo

Below are the benefits of agbalumo, udara or the African atar apple:


1. It contains a high amount of vitamin C

Vitamin C serves the following functions in the human body:

  1. Combats high blood pressure.

  2. Lowers the risk of heart disease.

  3. Prevents gout (arthritis).

  4. Enhance iron absorption in the small intestine.

  5. Boosts immunity, enabling the white blood cells to effectively fight germs.

  6. Prevent memory loss as one grow older.

 

2. It contains a high amount of calcium and potassium

Calcium serves the following functions in the human body:

  1. Makes the bones strong, developed and healthy.

  2. It is an essential part of the blood clotting process. This will prevent excess blood loss from a cut or an injury.

  3. It helps the muscle during contraction, including those of the heart.

  4. It help cells to take up glucose, thereby preventing diabetes.

  5. It is needed for the nerve cell to function properly.

  6. It increases sperm mobility. This will enhance the movement of sperm towards fertilizing the egg or ova.


Potassium serve the following functions in the human body:

  1. It reduces stress and anxiety.

  2. It regulates fluid and electrolyte balance in the body.

  3. Regulates blood pressure.

  4. Regulates blood sugar.

  5. It improves bone health.


Since the agbalumo contains a high amount of potassium and calcium, they therefore carry out all the above listed functions in the body.

 

3. It is a powerful antioxidant

Antioxidants help to prevent, stop and delay damages to our body cells. As an antioxidant, agbalumo removes oxidizing agents from our body, protecting it from highly reactive molecules called free radicals.

Free radicals, if not eliminated, can be damaging to our body cells. Through the process of free radicals elimination, the african star apple improves one's health.

 

4. It brings about weight reduction

The african star apple is an excellent fruit for one with obesity or related weight issues. It contains a very low amount of fat and a high amount of dietary fibre.

Dietary fibre prevents and relieves both constipation and pile, while improving satiety.

 

5. It contains high amounts of iron

The african star apple is an excellent source of iron. Iron is important for the following reasons:

  1. It is a major constituent required in the formation of haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is the oxygen carrying pigment in the blood.
    Please read more on red blood cells and hemoglobin here.

  2. It prevents anaemia.

  3. Low levels of iron in blood will make us weak and tired.

  4. It is needed to maintain healthy skin, nails and hair.

Meanwhile, understand that iron is a micro-nutrient. It is required by humans in small amounts.
Please read on micro-nutrients, their sources, functions and defficiencies.

 

6. It is medicinal

  1. The leaves, fruit and seeds of agbalumo are highly medicinal.

  2. Drinking the liquid of the boiled leaf can prove useful in treating dysentery.

  3. Ointments made from the seeds can be used to treat skin infections.

  4. Agbalumo also works great for the heart. It lowers blood cholesterol and returns the level of blood glucose to normal.

 

7. It aids digestion and prevents vomiting

It is particularly good for pregnant women. This is true since it enhances digestion and absorption of food. In this regard, the embryo and foetus can therefore get enough nutrients to grow well.

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Amazing facts in Basic Science

Of all animals, mosquitoes hold the record of killing most humans annually. They are responsible for the deaths of 725,000 - 1,000,000 persons yearly

Antibiotics fights and kills bacteria. However, they do nothing to a virus

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Deodorants contains alcohol and are antibacterial. They work by killing the bacteria that makes sweat smell

Chewing aspirin during a heart attack may be a life saver. This is true because the drug inhibits platelets from forming a clot that can block an artery of the heart, thus stopping a heart attack

The kneecaps of newly born babies are not made of bone. Rather, they are little bits of cartilage which ossifies (turns from cartilages to bone) from age 2 to 6

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NOTABLE POINTS IN Basic Science

Matter is composed of particles which can be:

  1. Tightly packed together (as seen in solids).

  2. Loosely packed together (as seen in liquids).

  3. Completely separated (as seen in gases).

The movement of the particles of matter is a function of the overall kinetic energy present in them. You can think of kinetic energy as energy in motion.

An increase in the particles' vibrational, rotational or translational motion will imply an increase in temperature while a decrease in the particles motion (vibrational, rotational and translational) will mean a decrease in temperature. Based on this knowledge, we can therefore define temperature as the measure of the average kinetic energy possessed by the particles of matter.

You can read on the concept of matter here

Intelligence Quotient (IQ) is a score derived from a set of standardized tests developed to measure a person's cognitive abilities in relation to their age group.

IQ may also be defined as the ratio of mental age (MA) to chronological age (CA) multiplied by 100.

Below are some formulas pertaining Intelligence Quotient:

  • IQ = MA x 100 ÷ CA

  • MA = Mental age

  • CA = Chronological age

  • IQ above 100 = Brilliance

  • IQ that equals 100 = Average

  • IQ below 100 = Below Average

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Among all organisms in the universe, the human brain is the most developed. This highly developed brain present in humans is the biggest factor that makes them unique from every other organism on earth.

According to research, the more folds a brain has, the more intelligent the organism possessing it will become. To this end, humans have brains with the greatest number of folds (or bumps) called gyri and grooves (or indentations) called sulci.

Please read on the uniqueness of man here.

Waste Management can be defined as the process of collecting, processing, recycling and controlling any material considered as waste.

Improperly disposed waste litters on road sides, in land fills, gutters and ditches. They are generally bad for the following reasons:

Wastes can be classified into various types. These are:

  • Biodegradable waste

  • Non-Biodegradable waste

  • Refuse

  • Sewage

  • Recyclable waste

  • Electronic waste

  • Green waste

  • Biomedical waste

  • Metabolic waste

  • Radioactive waste

  • Chemical waste

  • Animal product waste

Please read the explanations on the classification of wastes here