Throw more light on green foods

Recently, a friend of mine had to see a doctor for a certain skin condition and a full blood report was ordered. It was discovered that his platelet count was dangerously low.

He consulted an eminent physician with the said blood report. Having eliminated dengue, he was subjected to a series of tests, and was told that there was nothing wrong with him. All vital organs were behaving well. During the conversation with the doctor my friend had said that he consumed kathurumurunga about thrice a week. The doctor warned him to stop it forthwith, and added that murunga leaves were even worse.

Kathurumurunga is a popular cheap vegetable in Sri Lanka, which grows along hedges. By the way, it is no longer cheap, costing Rs. 80 for a small bundle. It is preferred over the other greens, because it is not contaminated with soil and flood waters etc. There have been many write-ups in literature praising the benefits of murunga leaves. Many people believe that the more greens you consume it is better for you nutritionally. Now to find it is not so.This reminds me of a story heard as a kid.

There had been a team of Rishis in ancient India listing out what to eat and what not to. Somebody suggests for example bandakka, and a protest erupts because it is bad for some thing or the other. Then comes brinjals; no way, it is bad for some other thing. All the veggies suffered the same fate till it came to plain water. A rishi said too much of it too was bad. So, water too was stricken off.

Perhaps, the lesson to learn is, yes but in moderation.Can somebody throw some light on this kathurumurunga fiasco?

GAMINI PEIRIS Panadura