Mulberry Leaf Powder – Organic

Mulberry Leaf Powder is made from carefully dried and finely ground leaves of the mulberry tree, long valued in Chinese tradition. With its mild, slightly herbal flavor, it can be brewed into teas or blended into smoothies, soups, and other recipes.

Convenient and shelf-stable, this versatile powder is a simple way to bring the unique taste of mulberry leaves into everyday cooking. Its light, earthy character makes it easy to incorporate into both sweet and savory dishes.

Fun and interesting facts about the Mulberry tree and leaves:

1. Mulberry leaves are the official diet of the silkworm.
2. The expensive mulberry silk threads are smoother, stronger, and finer than any other variety of silk. It requires no airing out and remains odorless.
3. Mulberry silk has a lower density than cotton and wool but is stronger than steel.
4. Incorporating mulberry leaves into the feed of dairy animals improves the protein and fat quality of milk and the quantity of egg production in poultry.
5. Native Americans used the sap of the mulberry tree to treat ringworm.
6. The mulberry tree provides a highly nourishing food source from both the fruit and leaves.
7. Mulberry trees have been classified as invasive due to their ability to adapt and spread in various environments; this can lead to domination and disruption in local ecosystems.
8. Mulberry is referenced in the Torah, the bible, and the Quran.
9. Mulberry leaves and fruit are a significant part of Traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic Medicine.
10. Mulberry trees can reach up to 80 feet in height.
11. Mulberry trees begin to produce fruit around ten years after planting.
12. There are three main species of mulberry, ranging in color from white to pink and red, with the majority being black.
13. White mulberries are native to north, east, and central Asia and are one of the primary species used to feed silkworms. The fruit is generally very sweet and lacks the traditional tartness found in mulberries.
14. Black mulberries can live and produce fruit for hundreds of years and are native to SW Asia. They are large, juicy, and have a more traditional mulberry flavor profile of sweet and tart.
15. Red mulberry trees are native to eastern North America and can survive up to 75 years.
16. The color of the fruit does not identify the species, as white mulberry trees can produce white, lavender, and black fruit.

Mulberry Leaf and Fruit: A (TCM) Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective 

Traditional Chinese Medicine looks at foods and herbs differently than Western medicine. According to TCM, they are not defined as healthy or unhealthy but, instead, if it is the right food or herb for an individual at a specific time.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), all foods and herbs have energy. TCM teaches us that foods and herbs have Yin/ Yang energy, five temperatures, five flavors, and four directions.

In these principles, Yin and Yang’s action is the general property, and temperature is the extremeness of the properties. In simple terms, Yin is cooling, builds blood, and has downward moving energy. Yang is warming, energizing, and has upward-moving energy. The primary system used in TCM is tonic herbalism, which other forms of medicine would call tonics with adaptogen-like qualities.

Tonic herbalism is a complex system that looks at six vital factors: 

1. Oneness and the unity of everything: Humans and nature, organs, and the mind and body are all one and function as one.
2. Yin and Yang: Opposing forces within the whole.
3. The three treasures: Jing(The essence of life), Shen(The core of emotions stored in the heart), and Qi(The circulating life force)
4. The four seasons: Adapting to seasonal changes synchronizing with nature’s yin/yang.
5. The five elements theory: The world is made up of the fundamental elements metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, all of which create cyclical changes.
6. The Chinese Organ System: In TCM, organ systems go beyond the boundaries of anatomy. All organs are integrated units based on circulation, utilization of Qi, and how it manifests.   

White mulberry is a most valuable plant in TCM. The berry, also known as Sang Shen, enters the lungs, spleen, kidney, and liver channels, has a bitter and sour taste, is cold in energy, and has an affinity for the heart, kidney, and liver. According to TCM, the mulberry fruit

1. Tonifies the blood
2. Nourishes Yin
3. Lubricates the intestines
4. Engenders (promotes the production of) body fluids
5. Clears heat

Sang Shen is considered a top tonic herb for Yin deficiencies. Yin tonics have a heavy and moist constitution and nourish the kidneys and liver while moistening the lungs and stomach.

Cases of extreme Yin deficiency often translate into burnout. Due to its cold constitution, mulberry fruit is frequently used for those with too much heat. According to TCM, heat is used to describe a set of internal conditions that may manifest with symptoms like canker sores, nose bleeds, high blood pressure, and anxiety, just to name a few.

Empty heat may manifest as dry mouth, throat, stools, and dark urine. As stated above, Yang is the heating element, and Yin is the cooling element. Therefore, those with too much heat are said to have a Yang excess, causing a Yin deficiency. Mulberries’ bitter and sour taste may produce a heat-clearing and damp drying effect that may promote elimination.

Mulberry leaves, also known as Sang Ye, are considered cold and bitter, have an affinity for the liver and lungs, and release the exterior. “Release the exterior” refers to promoting sweating in order to expel pathogens from superficial levels of the body. Exterior in TCM refers to the location between the muscle and surface of the skin and where your defensive Qi resides. This is the first level of defense against external pathogens.

According to TCM, mulberry leaves

1. Clear heat, especially in the lungs with associated dryness
2. Clears and soothes the liver
3. Cools the blood
4. It dispels wind. Wind is considered the spearhead of all illnesses in TCM because it serves as a vehicle to carry undesirable influences into the body. Wind can invade from the outside (external wind), disturbing Lung Qi, or be generated internally, disturbing Liver Qi.

Mulberry Leaf and Fruit: A Western Perspective on a Potential Metabolic Syndrome Medicinal

Before we discuss the Western perspective on this topic, here is how TCM looks at Metabolic Syndrome. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) considers metabolic issues potentially caused by two general patterns of disharmony.

The first pattern is called Damp phlegm. This pattern type of phlegm is derived from prolonged exposure to a wet environment or overconsumption of cold, raw, or greasy foods.

A relationship also correlates between damp phlegm and large soft bellies. This pattern can be chronic or acute, often resulting from prolonged spleen Qi deficiency, whose primary function is transforming and transporting fluids.

Kidney Qi deficiency is another potential cause because, in TCM, the kidneys control water circulation and body fluid balance. In the end, Spleen and kidney dysfunction lead to phlegm formation.

The second pattern of dysfunction is Spleen Qi deficiency. This is one of the most common patterns of disharmony caused by an unhealthy diet and emotional stress, resulting in a wide range of digestive issues.

In TCM, the spleen is responsible for transforming and transporting body fluids, and chronic problems may cause fluid accumulation, resulting in the formation of phlegm.

Now, according to Western Medicine, Metabolic syndrome is a term used to describe a group of conditions (blood pressure, blood sugar, and lipids) that raise your risk for more severe conditions, which are directly connected to how efficiently your metabolism works.

Western medicine defines metabolism as enzymatic changes that take place in a cell or organism. These changes create energy, and the materials cells need to grow, reproduce and stay healthy. In simple terms, metabolism is the physical and enzymatic processes by which your body changes what you eat and drink into energy by mixing calories and oxygen to create said energy. Therefore, the more efficiently your metabolism runs and converts your calories into power, the greater your chance of living a healthy, vibrant life.

Even at rest, the body needs the energy to support a wide range of life-sustaining functions like breathing, sending blood through the body, and balancing hormones. This concept is known as basal metabolic rate (BMR). While muscle mass is the primary factor, BMR also depends on three other factors.

First is body composition and body mass because people with more muscle burn more calories. The next factor is gender; men usually have less body fat and more muscle, so they burn more fat. The final factor is age. As people age, they often lose more muscle, thereby burning less fat.

Human research is becoming quite strong regarding the unique metabolic effects of consuming Mulberry leaf. 

The following was stated in a randomized controlled study discussing how food-grade mulberry powder enriched with 1-deoxynojirimycin suppresses the elevation of postprandial blood glucose in humans. In this study, healthy volunteers received 0, 0.4, 0.8, and 1.2 g of DNJ-enriched powder, followed by 50 g of sucrose. Plasma glucose and insulin were determined before and 30-180 min after the DNJ/sucrose administration. The following results were obtained.

1. Young mulberry leaves taken from the top part of the branches in summer contained the highest amount of DNJ. After optimization of the harvesting and drying processes for young mulberry leaves, DNJ-enriched powder (1.5%) was produced.
2. A human study indicated that the single oral administration of 0.8 and 1.2 g of DNJ-enriched powder significantly suppressed the elevation of postprandial blood glucose and secretion of insulin, revealing the physiological impact of mulberry DNJ (effective dose and efficacy in humans).

Therefore, it was concluded that this study suggests that the newly developed DNJ-enriched powder can be used as a dietary supplement to prevent diabetes mellitus.

The following was stated in another clinical trial discussing the effect of mulberry (Morus indica L.) therapy on plasma and erythrocyte membrane lipids in patients with type 2 diabetes.

1.  Patients with mulberry therapy significantly improved their glycemic control vs. glibenclamide treatment. T
2. The results from pre- and post-treatment analysis of blood plasma and urine samples showed that the mulberry therapy significantly decreased the concentration of serum total cholesterol (12%, p<0.01), triglycerides (16%, p<0.01), plasma free fatty acids (12%, p<0.01), LDL-cholesterol (23%, p<0.01), VLDL-cholesterol (17%, p<0.01), plasma peroxides (25%, p<0.01), urinary peroxides (55%, p<0.01) while increasing HDL-cholesterol (18%, p<0.01).
3. Although the patients with glibenclamide treatment showed marginal improvement in glycemic control, the changes in the lipid profile were not statistically significant except for triglycerides (10%, p<0.05), plasma peroxides (15%, p<0.05), and urinary peroxides (19%, p<0.05).
4. Both treatments displayed no apparent effect on the glycosylated hemoglobin concentrations (Hb A(1)c) in diabetic patients.
5. However, the fasting blood glucose concentrations of diabetic patients were significantly reduced by the mulberry therapy.

Therefore, it was concluded that Mulberry therapy exhibits potential hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects in diabetic patients.

Mulberry Fruit: A Most Underrated Source of Resveratrol

While this product description is primarily about Mulberry leaf, we would be remiss if we did not discuss the fact that Mulberry fruit is one of the underrated sources of resveratrol.

Resveratrol is a polyphenol that belongs to the stilbenoid group. The chemical structure of resveratrol is identified in two isomeric forms. However, the trans form is dominant in terms of its prevalence. Differences in biological activities are attributed, namely in inducing cellular responses such as cell cycle arrest, differentiation, apoptosis, and enhancing cells’ anti-proliferation effects. While resveratrol is most well-known for being sourced from red grape skin, seeds, and Japanese knotweed, this powerful compound has been identified in 70 plant species. One of the most underrated and best sources is mulberry fruit.

The Journal of Food Science and Technology stated the following regarding the Resveratrol content and antioxidant properties of underutilized fruits. “Mulberry whole fruit extracts showed the highest concentration of resveratrol (50.61 μg g−1) followed by Jamun seed extracts and their pulp and skin extracts.” Grape skin and seed are under 10 milligrams per gram based on dry weight..

Summary of Important Information

Z Natural Foods hand-picks specific ingredients for our customers based on three concepts to provide the best quality product possible to support optimal well-being.

1. Versatility
2. History of safe and effective usage
3. Strong evidence of positive research outcomes in humans
4. White mulberry is a most valuable plant in TCM. The berry, also known as Sang Shen, enters the lungs, spleen, kidney, and liver channels, has a bitter and sour taste, is cold in energy, and has an affinity for the heart, kidney, and liver. According to TCM, the mulberry fruit Tonifies the blood, Nourishes Yin, Lubricates the intestines, Engenders (promotes the production of) body fluids, and clears heat.
5. Mulberry leaves, also known as Sang Ye, are considered cold and bitter, have an affinity for the liver and lungs, and release the exterior. “Release the exterior” refers to promoting sweating in order to expel pathogens from superficial levels of the body. Exterior in TCM refers to the location between the muscle and surface of the skin and where your defensive Qi resides. This is the first level of defense against external pathogens. According to TCM, mulberry leaves

Clear heat, especially in the lungs with associated dryness, clears and soothes the liver, cools the blood, and dispels wind. Wind is considered the spearhead of all illnesses in TCM because it serves as a vehicle to carry undesirable influences into the body. Wind can invade from the outside (external wind), disturbing Lung Qi, or be generated internally, disturbing Liver Qi.

Mulberry Leaf and Fruit: A Western Perspective on a Potential Metabolic Syndrome Medicinal 

1. According to Western Medicine, Metabolic syndrome is a term used to describe a group of conditions(blood pressure, blood sugar, and lipids)that raise your risk for more severe conditions, which are directly connected to how efficiently your metabolism works.
2. Western medicine defines metabolism as enzymatic changes that take place in a cell or organism.
3. These changes create energy, and the materials cells need to grow, reproduce and stay healthy.
4. In simple terms, metabolism is the physical and enzymatic processes by which your body changes what you eat and drink into energy by mixing calories and oxygen to create said energy.
5. Therefore, the more efficiently your metabolism runs and converts your calories into power, the greater your chance of living a healthy, vibrant life.
6. Even at rest, the body needs the energy to support a wide range of life-sustaining functions like breathing, sending blood through the body, and balancing hormones.
7. This concept is known as basal metabolic rate(BMR). While muscle mass is the primary factor, BMR also depends on three other factors.
8. First is body composition and body mass because people with more muscle burn more calories. The next factor is gender; men usually have less body fat and more muscle, so they burn more fat. The final factor is age.
9. As people age, they often lose more muscle, thereby burning less fat.

Some research suggests that  Mulberry Leaf may contain the following constituents:

• 1. 1. Rutin, quercetin, Isoquercetin, Quercetin-3-Triglucoside, beta-sitosterol, campestero1H, beta-d-glucoside, lupeol, inokosterone, hemolysin, chlorogenic acid, oxalic acid, fumaric acid, tartaric acid, palmitic acid, moranoline (1-deoxynojirimycin).

  For additional constituent information, visit:  https://phytochem.nal.usda.gov/phytochem/search/list

Suggested Use: Mix one tablespoon in your favorite juice or smoothie.
Other Preparations:
Infusion: Use the ratio of 1 tea bag of product for every 8 ounces of distilled water. Bring water to a boil and then take off. Put tea in a mug with water and cover for 15 minutes. (This method is specific for whole-leaf herbs and teas).
Tincture: This method can take 15 to 30 days. You will need three items (a mason jar with a cover, the herb/herbs of your choice, and liquid for extracting). The extracting liquid can be alcohol, alcohol/water combo, vinegar, or vegetable glycerin. Take the product and fill the jar ¾ full, add the liquid of your choice, and close the jar. Then shake the jar, so everything is well mixed. Give the jar a good shake several times a day. After 15 to 30 days, strain and bottle in glass tincture jars.
Mixing Suggestions: To increase flavor and nutritional profile, combined with our mulberry fruit powder and resveratrol powder.
Botanical Name: Morus Alba.
Other Names: Chinese White Mulberry, Common Mulberry, Egyptian Mulberry, Mon Tea, Mora, Moral Blanco, Morera Blanca, Morin, Morus alba, Morus, Morus, Mûrier Blanc, Mûrier Blanc de Chine, Mûrier Commun, Mûrier du Ver à Soie, Russian Mulberry, Silkworm Mulberry.
Ingredients: Mulberry Leaf.
Origin: Grown and dried in India and packaged with care in Florida, USA.
Certifications: Certified USDA Organic.