Mulberry – Benefits and Uses

Mulberry is a super food that contains vitamins minerals and micronutrients.

All the parts of Mulberry tree -leaves, fruit, bark all are useful.

*BERRIES*

• The delicious and flavourable berries come in black ,red and white colour.
• Berries are used for making wine, fruit juices , jams and canned foods. Are also eaten raw or in dried form like raisins. Mulberries contain 88% of water.
• They are very rich in
  • 1. Vitamin C -which is good for skin health
    2. Iron -which helps in transporting oxygen throughout the body.
    3. Vitamin K – which helps in blood clotting and bone health.
    4. Potassium – which lowers the blood pressure.
    5. Rich in Vitamin E.
    6. Also used for flavouring and for natural colouring.

*LEAVES*

• Leaves have medicinal, culinary and industrial applications
• Rich in antioxidants, vitamins, zinc, calcium, potassium, protein, magnesium…..
• Feed for dairy animals- As grasslands are reducing and mulberry trees are hardy , perennial , fast growing and rich source of protein.
• Food source of silkworm(Bombyx Mori)-caterpillar feeds on mulberry leaves (Sericulture) Mori Silk
  • Contribution – 90% of the total global raw silk production
• Leaves are palatable -used to make tinctures and herbal teas.
• Medical Benefits
  1. Combat Diabetes
  2. Reduce Cancer Risk
  3. Promote Heart Health as they reduce cholesterol
  4. Reduce inflammation

Bark*

Used for manufacturing Paper and Sports good items.

*TREES*

• Control atmospheric pollution.
• Increase water retention in soil in mulberry gardens.
• Network of roots dense ,so prevent soil erosion
• Adapts well in desert areas.
• Leaves have a high absorption capacity to assimilate air pollutants like chlorine, hydrogen, fluoride…..
• Rural people – economic activities (sericulture, composting with sericulture waste, rearing livestock feeding on mulberry leaves).