Available online 18 September 2014
Food or medicine? The food–medicine interface in households in Sylhet
- Open Access funded by Economic and Social Research Council
- Under a Creative Commons license
Open Access
Abstract
Ethnopharmacological relevance
Bangladesh
has a rich traditional plant-medicine use, drawing on Ayurveda and
Unami medicine. How these practices translate into people׳s homes and
lives vary. Furthermore, the overlap between food and medicine is
blurred and context-specific. This paper explores the food–medicine
interface as experienced by Bengali women in their homes, in the context
of transnational and generational changes.
Aim and objectives
The
aim is to explore the overlap of food and medicines in homes of Bengali
women in Sylhet. The objectives are to explore the influences on
medicinal plant practice and to scrutinise how catagories of food and
medicine are decided.
Material and methods
The
paper draws on in-depth ethnographic research conducted in Sylhet,
North-east Bangladesh as part of a wider project looking at food and
medicine use among Bengali women in both the UK and Bangladesh. Methods
included participant observation, unstructured interviews and
semi-structured interviews with a total of thirty women.
Results
The
study indicates that the use of plants as food and medicine is common
among Bengali women in Sylhet. What is consumed as a food and/or a
medicine varies between individuals, generations and families. The use
and perceptions of food–medicines is also dependent on multiple factors
such as age, education and availability of both plants and biomedicine.
Where a plant may fall on the food–medicine spectrum depends on a range
of factors including its purpose, consistency and taste.
Conclusions
Previous
academic research has concentrated on the nutritional and
pharmacological properties of culturally constructed food–medicines (Etkin and Ross, 1982, Owen and Johns, 2002 and Pieroni and Quave, 2006).
However, our findings indicate a contextualisation of the food-plant
spectrum based on both local beliefs and wider structural factors, and
thus not necessarily characteristics intrinsic to the products׳
pharmacological or nutritional properties. The implications of this
research are of both academic relevance and practical importance to
informing health services.
Graphical abstract
Keywords
- Food–medicine;
- Bangladesh;
- Ethnography;
- Health beliefs;
- Health practices
1. Introduction
1.1. Food and medicines
In the context of wider debates as to what constitutes food (materia dietetica, substances) and what constitutes medicine (materia medica,
medicinal substances) this paper investigates how the food–medicine
interface translates into people׳s homes through lay food–medicine
practices. The paper highlights the localised nature of the
food–medicine continuum, which is subject to multiple familial, societal
and transnational influences.
Specifically,
the research presented in the paper explores the food–medicine
practices among women in Sylhet, Northeastern Bangladesh. It draws on
in-depth qualitative research in the region conducted as part of the
first author׳s Ph.D. research. The aim of the paper is to explore the
overlap of food and medicine in the homes of Bengali women in Sylhet.
The findings indicate a practical but highly contextualised nature to
food–medicine categories. Before discussing the methods and findings of
the research it is important to look at the context of the research,
both in terms of the medicinal practices in Sylhet and research
examining the overlap of food and medicine.
1.2. Medicinal traditions on Sylhet
Bangladesh
is rich in medicinal plant-medicine practices that remain widespread,
with estimates of up to 75% of the population using alternative and
complementary medicines to manage their health care needs (Ghani and Pasha, 2004).
However medical pluralism, which is the simultaneous engagement with
multiple medical practices, is widespread and dynamic in Bangladesh (Ahmed et al., 2013). Ayurvedic, unani, allopathic, faith healing, homoeopathy and kobiraji
(traditional healers) are popular and often overlapping in Bangladesh
and specifically in Sylhet. The employment of different medical systems
is affected by many factors including migration status, class and
religion, with many considering ‘folk’ practices as backward ( Gardner, 1995 and Wilce, 2004).
However, it does appear that folk healers are widespread, and
pluralistic beliefs and practices remain prevalent. Turning to Sylhet
specifically, Gardner (1995)
found during her fieldwork in Sylhet that healers would often employ
many systems of health including Ayurveda, homoeopathy and Muslim
prayer, with the boundaries of herbal medicine, magic and Islamic
healing blurred. In Sylhet, the impact of migration – and particularly
migration to the UK – is palpable. Research conducted by the first
author indicates that the exchange of both ideas and medicine has an
impact on the food–medicine-scape in the homes in Sylhet ( Jennings, 2014).
Furthermore the findings indicate that pluralistic medical practices
are reflected in caring practices among Sylheti women in the home ( Jennings, 2014). The use of food–medicines, which this paper explores, is particularly prevalent.
1.3. Food–medicine interface
The
blurring of food and medicine is not new; it is a common theme across
multiple contexts and cultures. It was Hippocrates who famously stated
“let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food”
(1480-377 BC proclamation, cited in Leonti, 2012: p. 1295). Similarly, Ayurveda has taught the centrality of food to both health and healing (Caldecott, 2011).
While the impact of diet and food continues to be recognised in
research, food and medicine have largely been studied academically as
two separate entities (Prendergast et al., 1998, Frei et al., 1998 and Pieroni and Price, 2006).
However, several academics from the disciplines of ethnopharmacology,
ethnobotany, anthropology and pharmacy have begun to address this
dichotomy as they explore the food–medicine interface from various
perspectives. Notably Etkin and Ross (1982),
looking at medicinal plant use among the Hausa in Nigeria, found that
63 plants out of 235 were used as food as well as medicine; they stress
the importance of both local contexts and the pharmacological properties
of plants, and highlight the importance of bio-cultural adaptation in
relation to what is consumed therapeutically (as food and medicine).
Several other studies have explored both the pharmacological aspects of
food–medicines as well as differing populations׳ bio-cultural
adaptations in a range of contexts (Owen and Johns, 2002, Grivetti, 2006, Leonti et al., 2006, Owen, 2006 and Pieroni and Quave, 2006).
When
looking at food–medicine in the context of Bangladesh, there are few
relevant studies. Among South Asians in Britain there have been a few
urban ethnobotanical studies, all of which reveal a significant
food–medicine overlap with ‘traditional’ food (spices, vegetables) often
being utilised therapeutically (Sandhu and Heinrich, 2005, Pieroni et al., 2007 and Pieroni et al., 2010). Vegetables were reported to be frequently used in cooking, and were also viewed as medicinal (Sandhu and Heinrich, 2005, Pieroni and Torry, 2007 and Pieroni et al., 2010).
Taste was found to be an important factor in determining the medicinal
nature of food, for example ‘bitter’ vegetables were believed to
counteract sweetness and therefore could be used for diabetes (Pieroni et al., 2007 and Pieroni and Torry, 2007). The study among Bengalis in the north of England (Pieroni et al., 2010)
did not delve into much detail regarding the food–medicine interface;
however, Asian vegetables in particular were found to be used
medicinally. In Bangladesh, one study was identified, conducted by Rahmatullah et al. (2010) examining ‘functional foods’. Looking at different plants used by kobiraji
(healers) in three different villages, plants advised to be consumed
for preventative reasons (as opposed to curative purposes) were labelled
‘functional foods’ by the researchers. These ‘functional foods’ were
consumed for general nutrition, promotion of the health of different
parts of the body (hair, eyes, memory, etc.), as blood purifiers, as
well as for the prevention of respiratory, hepatic and stomach
disorders. The research however did not delve into much depth as to why
or how the practitioner viewed plants as food or medicine.
The
research above brings to light the various approaches that have been
taken to researching the food–medicine interface, as well as the range
of contexts and influences on classifications as food and/or medicine.
The highly contextual nature of food–medicine, which has been
under-researched to date, is explored in some depth in this paper
through looking at the context of Bengali women in Sylhet.
2. Aims and objectives
The
overall aim of this research was ‘to explore the overlap of food and
medicine in the homes of Bengali women in Sylhet’. The aim was achieved
through two key objectives. The objectives were (1) explore the
influences on medicinal plant practices of Sylheti women, and (2)
scrutinise how the categories of food–medicine are decided. The first
objective provided a background as to medicinal-plant use in Sylheti
homes, illustrating perceptions regarding health and medicinal plants,
the dynamic exchange of knowledge between generations, differing sources
of knowledge, the practical nature of medicinal plant use and the
transnational nature of knowledge. The second objective was achieved
through looking specifically at the classifications and constituents of
food and medicine, highlighting the importance of the purpose of
food–medicines, taste and constitution in food–medicine classifications.
3. Methods
The
paper is drawn from ethnographic fieldwork conducted by the first
author of the paper as part of her doctoral research examining the
therapeutic uses of food-plants and the transmission of knowledge among
women of Bengali origin in London, Cardiff and Sylhet. This paper
reports on the findings from the research conducted in Sylhet. Research
in Bangladesh took place over two six month periods (January–June 2011
and January–June 2012). The research focused exclusively on women due to
practical reasons and the nature of the project.1
However, over the course of the research it was found that women were
primarily responsible for the cooking and preparation of food in the
house, further justifying the exclusive focus on women in this study.
A
qualitative ethnographic approach was adopted due to the nature of the
research, which aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of the complex
dynamics of medicinal and health plant-food knowledge. Such an approach
enables one to explore in a flexible manner complex, and indeed fluid,
interrelationships as lived meaningful experiences (Denscombe, 2010).
Within the qualitative approach several methods of data collection were
employed. They included semi-structured interviews, unstructured
interviews and participant observation.
As
the research was in-depth and qualitative, it was concerned with
researching specific networks as opposed to a large representative
sample. Thus women whose families in the UK could also be interviewed
were selected for research when possible, as well as mother and daughter
or daughter in-law pairs; therefore it was possible to examine family
dynamics as well as generational and transnational exchanges. The
selection criteria for the interviewees were that they were over 16
years of age, had family in London and were female. ‘Older participants’
were over 45 and the mothers (or mother in-laws) of ‘younger
participants’ who were in their 20s and 30s. Participants were recruited
by snowballing, as this is an effective means of selecting cases within
a network (Neuman, 2006).
Purposive sampling was used to identify women with high levels of
medicinal plant knowledge. The semi-structured interviews were conducted
with six mother and daughter or daughter in-law pairs (twelve
interviews in total). The interviews were of an hour׳s duration and the
questions asked related to food and medicine practice, health beliefs,
links to the UK and generational change. The questions were derived from
a literature reviews and preliminary research, and had been piloted.
Informal interviews specifically regarding medicinal plants were made
with three ‘knowledgeable’ women identified during fieldwork. As part of
participant-observation, regular visits were made to five
inter-generational Londoni (people with family in the UK) homes. In
addition, visits were made and talks conducted with people at various
nurseries, seed shops and herbal medicine shops in the area. Informed
verbal consent was given by participants and ethical approval was gained
from the relevant ethic committee. The interviews were audio recorded
and transcribed verbatim. During more informal interactions, detailed
field-notes were taken. The findings were analysed using a thematic
approach and with the assistance of the computer software Hyper
RESEARCH.
Research that is
valid means that the instruments of research, the data generated and the
subsequent findings are both accurate and trustworthy (Bernard, 2006).
In order to ensure the data was valid a number of measures were taken.
They included the researcher reflecting on her role as a researcher
throughout the research process (Bernard, 2006 and Denscombe, 2010).
When conducting the research she strove to build relationships in order
to make the participants feel comfortable and gain accurate information
(Smith, 2005). Detailed field notes were maintained and multiple research methods employed enabling the cross-verification of data (Denscombe, 2010). Finally, when recording the information, direct quotes and raw data were used as much as possible (James (2001)).
4. Results and discussion
4.1. Medicinal beliefs and practice in Sylheti homes
The
health practices of the Londoni participants were to an extent
pluralistic, varying according to a complex interaction of beliefs,
perceptions, familial and social influences. Furthermore, the influence
of different health systems (for example biomedicine, Ayurveda, Islamic)
was apparent. During interviews the participants were asked about
beliefs as well as where they would seek health care for both minor and
more serious illnesses.
The
participants viewed eating well and a balanced diet as important to
optimising health. While views varied as to what constitutes ‘good
food’, there was a general agreement on the need for ‘balance’ and
plenty of vegetables. Furthermore, the constitution of food (soft versus
hard), and the medicinal properties of certain foods were highlighted;
this will be discussed in greater detail later in the paper. According
to some of the participants, maintaining a balance in one׳s diet should
extend to regularity in one׳s daily activities in order to maintain a
healthy body; for example in one׳s daily activities such as sleeping and
eating, where one should sleep ‘enough’ (and not too much). The concept
of balance is related to Ayurvedic concepts. Having a clean environment
with fresh air was stressed by several participants; related to this,
it was expressed that one should keep oneself clean and that not doing
so may create ill health. Along with these physical aspects of
maintaining health, participants reported that worries and ‘tension’ too
could cause physical ill health; there was no clear mind-body dichotomy
in this regard. Several participants dismissed spiritual causes of poor
health as superstition, and even dangerous. However, spiritual causes
were mentioned by others. Three of the participants particularly
discussed how jinn, bhut (spirit, ghost), nazoor (evil eye) and other people putting jadu
(magic) on one could cause poor health. Interestingly, these three
participants (BM5, BM6, BD6) all had spent significant time in the
village, where perhaps beliefs in the supernatural are more widespread
and/or more acceptable. Previous research finds that belief in the
spiritual realm is complex and widespread in Bengali Islam ( Karim, 1988 and Thomas, 2006).
Turning
to health-seeking behaviours among Londonis, prior to seeking help from
outside of the home (be that from a doctor, pharmacist or a kobiraj/healer),
most participants reported first treating themselves or being treated
by family members within the home. Examples of managing sickness include
taking pills (such as paracetamol), taking a homoeopathic remedy or a
medicinal plant, or practices such as cooling down someone with a fever
through applying cool water to their head. If an illness was deemed more
serious, outside help would normally be sought. Outside of the home
there is an array of treatment centres and practitioners available in
Sylhet: biomedical, Ayurveda, Unani and homoeopathic pharmacies, private
doctors, individual kobiraj, NGO clinics, government hospitals, private hospitals and a homoeopathic hospital.
Regarding
perceptions of medicinal plants, they were generally viewed as ‘safe’
but slower-acting than allopathic medicine, though this varied according
to the participant and family. In contrast, the doctori oshud
(doctor׳s medication) was perceived as more powerful and ‘strong’ by
several participants. Consequently, they were likely to have side
effects. Despite being wary of side effects, most participants reported
using pills as well as medicinal plants at home, depending on the
problem. A ‘small’ problem such as a cough or a cold may be treated with
medicinal plants. However, if someone had a severe headache they would
prefer a ‘strong’ and ‘quick’ cure from a pill. There were of course
exceptions as to the extent of medicinal plant use among the
participants. This varied across families and generations and was very
much influenced by place (discussed in greater detail below). Looking at
food–medicines specifically, they were viewed as not strong, in line
with perceptions of medicinal plants and were frequently consumed as
part of the diet, and like other medicinal plants their use varied
across generations, life-course and place.
4.2. Generational and transnational exchange and change
When
looking at the medicinal plant-scape in Sylheti homes, particularly
among participants in this research, the role of generational and
transnational change and exchange is crucial. While both the ‘elders’
and the ‘past’ were held as the keepers of medicinal plant-use and there
was a general assumption (particularly by younger interviewees and
people encountered during fieldwork) that among younger generations and
urban areas medicinal plant use has declined, this research found that
this view is not strictly correct.
Looking
first at family and the transfer of knowledge between mothers and
daughters, the family was identified by all the participants as an
important source of knowledge. Knowledge was often attributed to elder
family members; mothers and fathers as well as grandparents and
sometimes extended family members. When looking specifically at
mother-daughter knowledge, unsurprisingly there was an association
between mother and daughter (or mother-in-law and daughter-in law)
knowledge. Participants in the same family often quoted the same plants
that they used and/or knew about. Despite knowledge frequently being
attributed to one׳s parents׳ or grandparents׳ generation, there was only
one example of a pair (out of those interviewed) where the mother used
more medicinal plants than her daughter, and there were two instances of
a daughter knowing more than her mother. In the instance where the
mother (BM5) knew more than her daughter (BD5), the daughter had moved
out of home and said she had never had an interest in medicinal plants
and instead trusted the doctor׳s medicine. This example illustrates how
individual beliefs as well as not living at home may be important in
medicinal plant use. The mother (BM5) also associated her medicinal
plant knowledge with her rural upbringing, and though both mother and
daughter now live in a semi-urban area, she felt it important to look
for ‘natural’ remedies when unwell. In the cases where the daughters had
more knowledge than their mother or mother in-law, this was when the
younger relative had taken over her mother׳s care-giving role, therefore
the mother did not have such an active knowledge of medicinal plants.
For example one participant (BD1) took over the role as principle
caregiver and spoke about learning what food–medicines were needed for
her in-laws׳ conditions (heart problems and diabetes). She did this
through actively seeking advice from the doctor and familial advice. Her
mother in-law (BM1) in contrast spoke about forgetting previous
knowledge as it was no longer practical; other older participants
reiterated this view. However, often care-giving activities were shared,
and there was a general trend that if mothers used medicinal plants,
their daughters (and daughter in-laws) would also use them and vice
versa. For example, one pair (BM4 and BD4) reported primarily using
biomedical medicines and never using food medicines, in contrast others
(such as BM6 and BD6) frequently relied on medicinal plants for
treatment and prevention of illnesses.
However,
while attitudes to medicinal plants and food–medicines were often
similar within families, among a couple of the younger participants
there was some evidence in generational changes in knowledge. The most
evident was that of rather than abandoning ‘traditional’ knowledge and
food–medicines, they would sometimes be updated through the consumption
of packaged herbal products supported by and increasing scientific
evidence base, as one younger participant (BD2) explained,
“We can buy products, basically we take extracts…now everything is changing, now people understand that herbal products are very reliable, more than chemical products. They, they that know they have some interest. They are going back like it was before”
These
examples illustrate how the transmission of knowledge is not nearly as
simple as a vertical transmission of knowledge from mother to daughter.
The younger participants were generally much better educated than their
mothers, and perhaps for this reason ‘scientific’ knowledge was viewed
as important. The importance of nutrition was reiterated by several
younger participants who stressed that this was taught in school and
advised by health practitioners. ‘Nutrition’ was also valued by older
participants, partly in response to the views and information shared by
their daughters and health practitioners. However this was perhaps a
newer concept for them for the older participants. Furthermore,
food–medicines or ‘healthy food’ were often perceived as being
‘nutritious’ and ‘full of vitamins,’ illustrating the updating and
combining of the more ‘traditional’ food–medicines and more up to date
‘scientific’ knowledge. What exactly constitutes a food–medicine or a
‘healthy food’ is explored further later in the paper. Furthermore, the
findings indicate several sources of medicinal plant knowledge in
addition to older relatives, including practitioners, peers and other
community members, the extended family and school.
Place is important in food-plant knowledge. In Sylhet the gram (village) was constantly referred to as a site of medicinal plant knowledge. However despite the gram
being highlighted as an important source of knowledge, the findings
indicate that medicinal plants continued to be used in the town, though
perhaps the availability was less. The place of ‘London’ 2
too was important for the participants in this research. When examining
families across countries there was clearly an active exchange of
ideas, which was reflected in similarities of attitudes to
medicinal-plant practice. An example of an exchange of medicines is that
of two participants (BD1 and UKD1), one based in the UK and one in
Bangladesh who actively exchanged different medicines. The participant
living in Bangladesh would send the food–medicines krishna kochu (Colocasia esculenta) and neem (Azadirachta indica)
for use by her relatives in the UK. Her sister in-law living in London
in return sends her multivitamins and creams for their mutual in-laws.
Their respective mother in-law and aunt (BM1 and UKM1), one based in the
UK and one in Bangladesh, in contrast felt that medicinal plants were
no longer relevant, only occasionally taking something given to them by
another member of their family. While the exchange of knowledge and
medicines between Sylhet and the UK was commonplace, the extent of
influence varied according to the nature of the relationship.
Furthermore, it should be noted that while ideas and knowledge were
often exchanged, it was ‘Bengali’ plants that were most likely to be
used as food–medicines both in Sylhet and the UK. Thus while
transnational connections are important to affecting the overall
medicine-scape of transnational homes, ‘Bengali’ plants remain
important.
When looking at
general medicinal-plant use the findings indicate that women appear
principally in charge of care-giving in the home, and daughters often
learn from their mothers through observation as well as practice. As the
daughters (and later daughters-in-law) take over responsibilities, they
add to their knowledge and may influence their older family members.
They also have many other influences, with knowledge not only being
vertical, horizontal and oblique but changing over their life course, as
a result of personal circumstances as well as wider public health and
transnational processes. However, through examining specific
food–medicines used it is possible to unpick reasons for the choices of
specific plants as well as the reasons for food being classified either
as a food or a medicine.
4.3. Medicinal plants used in Sylheti homes
Medicinal-plant use was reported to be common in people׳s homes in Sylhet. Table 1
illustrates the most commonly used medicinal plants among participants.
The most commonly used plants are for minor upper-respiratory ailments
(coughs, colds etc.). They were viewed as easily treatable ailments.
Many of the plants used to treat coughs and colds are commonly available
kitchen spices (long/Syzgium aromaticum, adda/Zingiber officinale, gul morich/Piper nigrum, elichi/Elattaria cardamom), several of which are consumed as teas either alone or combined (tej pata/Cinnamomum tamala, adda/Zingiber officinale, long/Syzgium aromaticum).
The reasons certain plants are taken to alleviate minor respiratory
ailments are straightforward; they are available, effective and these
are minor illnesses that are treatable at home. Furthermore, as
discussed earlier they were viewed as ‘safe’. Several of the other
plants are used for minor treatable conditions (such as cuts, stomach
upsets, diarrhoea, dehydration). “For this primary treatment we treat at home”
explained one participant. Like many of the items used for minor
respiratory ailments, many of the plants are also available and found in
the kitchen (hollud/Curcuma longa, kalo jeera/Nigella sativa, roshun/Allium sativum
etc.). While the use of plants for primary and ‘easily treatable’
conditions was widespread in the home, the use of plants for more
‘serious’ and long-term conditions was not as common. There were
examples of people taking regular doses of arjun (Terminalia arjuna) and/or roshun (Allium sativum)
for heart disease and high blood pressure. They were often taken for
long-term conditions and sometimes in combination with biomedicine.
Finally, there were reported to be a couple of plants that were only
used by women: rojat (Ocimum gratissimum) for postpartum recovery, and ulot (Abroma augusta) for menstrual regulation and vaginal discharge.
- Table 1. Commonly used medicinal plants.
Upper respiratory ailments ‘Other’ Consumed as food (and medicine) Cinnamomum tamala (Buch-Ham) T.Nees & Ebern., tej pata Averrhoa carambola L., kamranga Abroma augusta L.f., ulot Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa, bel Allium sativum L., roshun Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton., Elachi Curcuma longa L., hollud Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f., gritikumari Justicia adhatoda L., bashuk Tamarindus indica L., tetul Azadirachta indica A. Ocimum tenuiflorum L., tulsi Terminalia arjuna (Roxb. ex DC.) Wight & Arn., arjun Juss, neem Piper nigrum L., gul morich Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L., joba Centella asiatica (L.) Urb., tunimankuni Syzygium abbreviatum Merr., long Lawsonia inermis L., henna/mendhi Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott, kochu Zingiber officinale Roscoe, adda Nigella sativa L., kalo jeera Phyllanthus emblica L., amloki Trigonella foenum-graecum L., methi Oryza sativa L., bhat Ocimum gratissum L., rojat
When
looking at food–medicines specifically, they too are often easily
available (bought in markets, used in kitchens and grown in people׳s
garden), found in the kitchen and are frequently used for minor (such as
teas for coughs) as well as long-term conditions (such as diabetes and
for the heart). Whether an item is consumed as a food or a medicine
depends on both its preparation and intended purpose.
4.4. Food–medicines: uses and categorisations
Many
of the plants cited by participants can be consumed as food as well as
medicine. They are consumed for multiple purposes and tend to be
generally available in the market and occasionally grown in people׳s
gardens. Thus the boundary between food and medicine is indeed blurred.
Whether an item is consumed as a food or a medicine depends on both its
preparation and intended purpose. The overlap and categorisation of
plants as food and medicine in a range of contexts has been highlighted
in ethnopharmacological research (Etkin and Ross, 1982, Sandhu and Heinrich, 2005 and Pieroni and Price, 2006).
Table 2
outlines some of the most commonly consumed food–medicines among
participants in this research. The table also illustrates the range of
ways various food-plants are consumed. A few of the plants were reported
as normally being eaten as food: amloki (Phyllanthus emblica) for example is eaten as a fruit, and tunimankuni (centella asiatica) is usually eaten with rice. Both, however, have very specific medicinal purposes; amloki is eaten to increase one׳s appetite as well as for stomach upsets and coughs, while tunimankuni
is used to treat stomach pain and digestion difficulties. While both
these plants are normally consumed as food but exclusively for medicinal
purposes, for most of the other plants the distinction between food and
medicine is more complex as it is ingested and applied in many
different forms. Kochu (Colocasia esculenta) for example can be soaked in water and applied topically to stop itching. One participant (BD1) described how she cooks kochu
in food for her husband׳s elderly parents as it has plenty of vitamins;
it tastes particularly good with chicken, she says. She says the krishna kochu (the red form of Colocasia esculenta)
promotes blood circulation and so she has cooked it for her elderly
father-in-law, particularly since his heart attack. She also encourages
him to consume roshun (Allium sativum) in food as it
is good for his heart, she says, but it is better when two cloves are
taken daily on an empty stomach in the morning. These examples
demonstrate how a plant can be taken as a food with therapeutic
benefits, and also as a medicine. The two diagrams below ( Fig. 1 and Fig. 2) illustrate two specific examples of a plant׳s transition from food to medicine (and vice versa). The first example is neem (Azadirachta indica).
Neem is used for multiple medicinal purposes and comes in many forms;
it is bathed in for skin conditions, used as a cosmetic and packaged as
pills. As a food it is made into bhortas (crushed with mustard oil) and bajis (fried with onions) and eaten with rice. When eaten specifically for pain or diabetes but in the form of a bhorta, the boundaries between food and medicine begin to blur. The second example, methi (Trigonella foenum-graecum), when eaten as food is used as a spice (the seeds particularly) or as an extra ingredient (the leaves as a shak [leafy vegetable]). The general health benefits of methi
in food are often acknowledged. As a strict medicine it is normally
ingested by itself regularly (for example to mitigate diabetes) or as
needed (for example for a stomach ache). However, methi can also be cooked in kitchuri (rice cooked with lentils) and fed to people who are unwell. Additionally, as a medicinal food methi is sometimes added to jau (rice boiled to create a semi-liquid consistency), as explained by an older participant (BM3) “methi works on stomach ache. If methi is cooked only with rice and it׳s softened up like a mash called jau. Do you know jau? It helps to reduce stomachache.”
For this form of food–medicine, the consistency (soft) is as important
as the content. Moving onto food and what is cooked for the generally
unwell, consistency and taste are critical.
- Table 2. Examples of commonly consumed food-plants.
Name of plant Purpose Other information Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa, bel Used for dysentery, it ‘cools’ the stomach The ripe fruit can be made into a juice. The young fruit is sundried, sliced, soaked overnight, and the water is drunk. Allium sativum L., roshun Heart, general health, coughs It is eaten alone or in food. It can also be crushed with ginger for coughs. Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f., gritikumari Diabetes, general health, occasionally coughs and colds The juice from the leaves is taken as a drink. The jelly, taken with concentrated milk and palm sugar, is made into a halwa.It can also be applied topically for skin conditions/general health of the skin. Azadirachta indica A. Juss, neem Diabetes, general health, relieves bedne (pain) The leaves are eaten as a bhorta with rice. It can be made into tablets (bhuri). It is also used for skin conditions (rashes, allergies, scabies etc) when bathed in. Centella asiatica (L.) Urb., tankuni/tunimankuni/khudimankuni Stomach problems – digestion, pain, upsets The leaves are commonly eaten in food as a bhorta or baji with rice. Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott, kochu/krishna kochu Blood circulation (particularly Krishna kochu), general health, has many vitamins. The leaves, stems and rhizome are all eaten in curries.The leaves – after being soaked in water, the water is then applied topically to stop itching. A distinction is made between shada kochu with dark red leaves and stems (Krishna kochu) and kochu with green leaves; krishna kochu is viewed as ‘stronger’ by some. Nigella sativa L., kalo jeera Diabetes, general health, stomach acid, ‘weak’ stomach, bloated stomach, lack of appetite, aches and pains Is eaten in curries in food; the seeds can be ground and consumed. The oil can be applied topically. “It can be used to cure anything except death” is a quote from the Koran that was often repeated. Phyllanthus emblica L., amloki General health, increases appetite, stomach upsets, coughs The fruit is eaten. Trigonella foenum-graecum L., methi Diabetes, stomach complaints The leaves are eaten in food, can be added to jau. The seeds are eaten as a spice, they can also be taken alone. Oryza sativa L., bhat Dehydration, general weakness Rice is boiled and made into a semi-liquid preparation to treat dehydration. Ocimum gratissimum L., Rojat pata Stomach health, fed after childbirth to help heal the mother Eaten as a shak in food. Sometimes mixed with other leaves when eaten after childbirth.
- Fig. 1.The transitional nature of neem (Azadirachta indica) as food and medicine.
- Fig. 2.The transitional nature of methi (Trigonella foenum-graecum) as food and medicine.
4.5. Medicinal food: consistency and taste
The
participants in Sylhet discussed the different types of food they
consumed or fed others. For the generally unwell, the very young and the
very old, ‘soft’ foods were recommended. This food is believed to be
easily digested by the body and therefore suitable for those who are
weak in constitution. As explained by a participant (BD1), “When you are ill and everything is not working very well so you take the light food so that you will digest very quickly”. Table 4
illustrates which foods may be considered ‘soft’. More importantly it
describes the characteristics of ‘soft’ foods; soft in texture, reduced
spice and ‘thin’. These foods are in contrast to ‘strong’ foods which
are suitable for well and strong people, and are rich in spice and oil.
Food, however, is a spectrum along which the majority of ‘everyday’ food
falls somewhere in the middle, with ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ on two opposing
ends of a spectrum. ‘Normal’, everyday foods can be transformed into
either ‘soft’ of ‘hard’ by adding or taking away spices, oil, various
ingredients and liquid, as well as cooking for different lengths of
time; rice as kitchuri or biryani (pilou rice cooked with ghee,
meat and spices) is a clear example of this. When looking at ‘hard’ and
‘soft’ foods we again see the food and medicine boundaries blurring, as
some ‘soft’ food can be characterised as medicine (jau and kitchuri depending on its purpose and preparation for example). Table 3 provides examples of different types of food on the food–medicine spectrum. Fig. 3 illustrates the spectrum and blurred boundaries between types of medicines and foods.
- Table 3. ‘Soft’ and ‘strong’ foods.
Soft/digestible/thin foods Kitchuri, rothi/bread (soft), fruit (banana particularly), suji (semolina cooked with milk), shemi (very thin noodle dish cooked with milk and sugar), juices, Horlicks drink Qualities of soft food Literally ‘soft’, reduced spice, sometimes ‘thin’ Strong foods Biryani, pilau rice, rich curries, beef, goat meat Qualities of strong food Contain spice, oils, may be tougher to eat (for example beef)
- Table 4. Types of food according to consistency.
- Fig. 3.The boundaries of food and medicine.
Consistency is important to food and medicinal food; taste matters too. Participants reported that ‘jaal’ (spicy) foods were to be avoided generally when people are unwell unless specifically required (gul morich
for example is occasionally used for colds). Bitter foods appear to
have some additional medicinal properties, particularly for diabetes. It
was explained during fieldwork by a participant (BM5), regarding neem
and diabetes, “I take neem because it is bitter, the bitterness is good if you have diabetes, it works against the diabetes”.
This is consistent with other participants׳ reports, and numerous
plants are known for their ‘bitter’ tastes which counteract the
sweetness of diabetes. The concept of bitterness has been reported in
other research among people of South Asian origin ( Pieroni and Torry, 2007 and Pieroni et al., 2007).
In this research it was clear that the perception was widespread and
influenced not only the medicinal plants consumed, but the food that is
eaten and prepared. As diabetes becomes an increasing concern in
Bangladesh, the consumption of ‘bitter’ plants, both as food and
medicine, is a conceivable means of prevention and control. Shephard׳s
concept of sensory ecology theorised that taste is a bio-cultural
phenomenon rooted in both physiology and culture ( Shepard, 2004 and Pieroni and Torry, 2007).
Indeed taste, and particularly bitter taste, is important in the
Sylheti medicinal food-plant context, particularly when applied to
diabetes.
Other properties that were mentioned included plants being gorom
(hot), that would work for cold illnesses such as pneumonia; plants
with cooling properties were mentioned, which were used to cool down
fevers and colds (see Table 5).
The humoural dimension to medicine is widespread in Ayurvedic, Unani
and ‘folk’ medicine. It is therefore surprising that these concepts were
not discussed more during fieldwork. This is possibly because none of
the participants interviewed were ‘experts’ but rather used plants for
practical purposes and, essentially, for what ‘worked’ in practice; the
how and why was not always important. A final point that should also be
noted is that many participants stressed that what is fed to the rogue
(patient) is adapted to the individual, and depends on how much s/he
can handle, their constitution as well as personal preferences. The
highly tailored, holistic and individual treatment of a patient is very
much in line with Ayurvedic theory. Indeed many factors must be
considered in such treatment, be it through food or medicine.
- Table 5. Additional properties to consider with food and medicine.
‘Bitter’ plants: used particularly for diabetes Aloe vera/gritikumari, Azadirachta indica/neem, Centella asiatica/tunimankuni, Momordica charantia/kerala, Nigella sativa/kalo jeera, Trigonella foenum-graecum/methi, ‘Hot’ plants Jolphoy/Elaeocarpus floribundus, Pneumonia gach (unidentified plant), Piper nigrum/gul morich Plants with ‘cooling’ properties Ocimum tenuiflorum/tulsi, Zingiber officinale/adda
5. Conclusion
The
findings of this paper highlight the context-specific nature of
medicinal food-plant practice in Sylheti homes. The findings of the
research indicate that uses of medicinal plants are generally part of a
wider, pluralistic medicine-scape. Beliefs and perceptions regarding
medicinal plants influence their use. When examining family interchanges
there is a two-way exchange of knowledge across generations, with
stages in the life-course and caregiving roles being of critical
importance to food–medicine use. Sources of knowledge outside of the
family include the community, practitioners and schooling and are
re-interpreted across generations; place and transnational connections
are also important. When looking at what plants are used, it is often
plants that are used for minor or long-term conditions as well as those
that are easily available (on the market, in the kitchen or grown at
home).
Moving on to
food–medicines specifically, the classifications of plants as food
and/or medicine is indeed blurred and complex, dependent on multiple
factors including the purpose of the plant/food, its consistency and
taste as well as the constitution of the person taking the
food–medicine. Thus while previous academic research has concentrated on
the nutritional and pharmacological properties of culturally
constructed food–medicines (Etkin and Ross, 1982, Prendergast et al., 1998, Owen and Johns, 2002 and Pieroni and Quave, 2006),
our findings indicate a contextualisation of the food-plant spectrum
based on both local beliefs and wider structural factors.
The
implications of this research may be of interest to
ethnopharmacologists looking at the food–medicine overlap. It is also of
relevance to health researchers and practitioners when seeking to care
for the health-care needs of different groups, as it highlights the
importance of examining the local context in terms of ‘healthy’ foods
and nutritional practices.
Acknowledgements
We
are grateful for the support of our MINA colleagues, and wish to thank
all MINA participants for their invaluable contribution to this study.
This work was supported by Grant no. RES-354-25-0002 of the Economic & Social Research Council, New Dynamics of Ageing Programme, UK.
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- Corresponding author. Tel.:
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- 1
- The Ph.D. is part of a larger project, (Migration, Nutrition and Aging (MINA) Across the Lifecourse in Bangladeshi Families: A Transnational Perspective, www.projectmina.org), focusing on Bengali women in the UK and Bangladesh.
- 2
- ‘London’ refers to London in the UK. ‘London’ is also frequently used when referring to the UK in general.
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