Sumac (Rhus coriaria L.)
Not merely do the dried, and ground Sumac berries of the edible Rhus species add a fantastic lemony flavour to vegetable and meat dishes, studies suggest that they also have numerous medicinal properties. Apart from the berries’ very high antioxidant properties, the edible sumac species can help with improving wellness, for instance, by improving glycaemic control, reducing cholesterol levels and enhancing cardiovascular health.
Antioxidant protection - The two staghorn sumac and Sicilian sumac are analysed for their free radical scavenging properties.
A 2013 study published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Food Chemistry quantified the anti-oxidant capacity of staghorn sumac by using several different parameters, such as the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and the photochemoluminescence (PCL). This in vitro study confirmed results of previous studies which had found that staghorn sumac had a substantial anti-inflammatory effect, and that staghorn sumac has higher anti-oxidant properties than many common fruits and vegetables. The findings imply that sumac should have earned itself a spot on any superfood list. The strong anti-oxidant properties were mostly attributed to polyphenols, such as anthocyanins alongside additional flavonoids which is present in sumac.
Moreover, a study in the Journal of Food Biochemistry in 2014 analysed the anti-oxidant ability of water extracts of Sicilian sumac, along with extracts from a number of additional spices, such as barberry, cardamom, pepper, red pepper, fennel, laurel, turmeric, and nutmeg. Among the spices tested, sumac came out on top with regards to antioxidant capacity, followed by laurel and barberry. As you might already know, anti-oxidants are valuable molecules which neutralise free radicals, which are unstable molecules. These free radicals promote aging and the development of many diseases, such as cancer.
There also exist some evidence that the anti-oxidants in sumac might help with ontrol and lowering cholesterol levels and glycaemic control. A placebo-controlled, double-blind, study published in the Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research in autumn 2014 reported the following intriguing finding: Type 2 diabetic patients could be capable of reaping a wide range of health advantages by adding sumac to their diets. Towards the end of the three-month trial period, patients who had been taking 3 grams of sumac (Rhus coriaria L.) daily had significantly lower levels of blood glucose, Apolipoprotein B, and HbA1c.
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