Short History of Qasil (Ziziphus Jujuba)

Qasil leaf from the gob tree (Ziziphus Jujuba)

This wonderful cleansing ingredient, Qasil the leaf picked from the gob tree in Somalia and harvested by the locals who respect the value of this tree to their community. It is treated as a valuable part of their eco-system and environment and harvesting is done with a considered approach to maintain the sustainability of the trees and helping to support the local economy. Although not historically native to Somalia it has successfully been grown and integrated for over 2000 years, making it a key part of the landscape in Somalia. This ingredient is 100% traceable back to its origin. Traceability helps prevent exploitation and environmental degradation, it allows the community closest to the source to benefit first and control the harvesting of their trees.

The fruit and flowers of this valuable tree also offer health giving properties. The fruit traditionally produces remedies for anxiety, asthma, diarrhoea, fatigue, fever, HBP, inflammation and stress. Its fruit is also a staple part of the nomads diet, it is eaten raw, pickled and used in beverages, rich in vitamin C. The flowers are a source of nectar for honeybees and even the timber and branches are used as frameworks in house construction, with it also being turned into a good source of charcoal. The seeds of the fruit can be used as a sedative and taken to halt nausea, vomiting and abdominal pains in pregnancy. Finally the root bark juice is said to alleviate gout and rheumatism along with the bark paste applied to sores.

As you can see the whole tree has been and is still used from its roots to its fruits to support the health of the local community making it an incredibly versatile and valuable tree with a host of traditional health giving properties.

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