Palm Toddy (Neera) Benefits and Side Effects

Palm Toddy is an alcoholic beverage made from the sap of different types of palm trees, including date palms, coconut palms, and others. In South India, it is also known as Palm Wine, and in Northern India, it is known as Neera. The Palm Toddy drink is widely popular in India, particularly in South Indian states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh.

The early morning hours are when people collect palm toddy. When it goes through the fermentation process, it becomes an alcoholic beverage. It is also known as palm wine. The palm toddy ferments and becomes sour. Yeast, zinc, potassium, magnesium, iron, sugar, protein, amino acids, vitamin C, and vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6 are all included in palm toddy.

Health Benefits of Palm Toddy (Neera):

There are several health benefits of palm toddy. Here are some of them:

Helps Maintain Healthy Nail, Hair, and Skin

Iron and Vitamin B complex, which are present in palm toddy, is essential for maintaining healthy skin, hair, and nails. It is also very important for various bodily cells to function properly. By mending some bodily tissues, palm toddy helps to promote wound healing. Additionally, some healthy cell proliferation is promoted by palm toddy. Women also occasionally drink palm toddy to lighten their skin and complexion.

Improves Eyesight                          

Neera, a type of palm toddy, helps in maintaining good eye health. The antioxidant vitamin C, often known as ascorbic acid, is present in palm toddy. Thiamine, often known as vitamin B1, is a component of palm toddy and aids in visual improvement. For better vision, many people drink fresh palm toddy. In West and Central Africa, it is a commonly practiced habit.

Improves Cardiovascular Health

Several studies show that drinking palm toddy in moderation will be useful for lowering the risk of heart disease. Neera, a palm toddy, lowers the risk of heart failure and other cardiovascular disorders. Neera contains potassium, which helps to enhance heart health and can lower blood pressure. However, consuming too much palm toddy might be harmful to your health. Additionally, it may have some negative consequences, such as liver destruction.

Promotes Lactation

Many parts of Africa use palm toddy as a natural remedy. Additionally, it boosts nursing women’s ability to produce more breast milk. The same advantages are also realized in Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon. When lactating women experience issues with reduced breast milk production, it helps to increase breast milk production in those mothers.

Fights Against Cancer

There is vitamin B2 in palm toddy. Vitamin B2 usually referred to as riboflavin, is an antioxidant that supports the body's defense mechanisms against some cancer-causing substances known as free radicals. As a cancer-prevention medicine, palm toddy is also consumed by people in Asia, Africa, Mexico, the Philippines, and Ghana.

Relieves Viral Fevers

The benefits of palm toddy can include some relief from the flu and the common cold. In fact, it stops coughing and sneezing. Also, palm toddy is quite useful for enhancing general health problems.

Side Effects of Palm Toddy:

Palm toddy has some drawbacks in addition to its benefits. The health risks of excessive palm toddy drinking are real. Drinking palm toddy can have certain side effects, including:

Bad effects on the liver

Neera, also known as palm toddy, is an alcoholic beverage that can damage the liver if consumed excessively. Since palm toddy includes ethanol, it could negatively affect a pregnant woman's lipid metabolism. It causes the liver to store fat, disrupting its normal operation.

Causes hypertension

Palm toddy has a strong side effect that raises blood pressure and results in hypertension. It messes with how the body functions in a similar way to alcohol.

Bad for the nerves

Neurological symptoms including increased muscle contraction and rigidity in the body are possible side effects of palm toddy. The neurological system can become weak if palm toddy is used in excess.

Decreases blood clotting

Drinking palm toddy in excess can reduce a person's body’s natural ability to coagulate blood, which can result in uncontrollable bleeding.

Weakens the heart muscles

The cardiac muscles can become weakened from excessive palm toddy drinking and could also make it more difficult to pump blood.