Adlai

Adlai seen as an alternative to rice and corn

by Amavel Velasco

In the not-so-far-away land of

Mindanao, with its vast plantations

of pineapple, banana and durian,

hides a plant not known to many

but which is being cultivated in idle

lands in parts of Bukidnon. This

certain plant comes by the name of

Adlai.

The said plant has also been seen in other parts of the Philippines. There are even

claims of it being common throughout the country but not to the same extent as other

crops like rice, corn, coconut, malunggay, etc. with which one can easily identify.

It is considered a weed in some places but is prized as a source of raw materials for

necklace and bracelets in others. In Bukidnon, it is made into kakanin and wine by some

of the local tribes. It may also be cultivated or domesticated in other parts of the

country and may have other uses but these are yet to be documented.

You could have seen it in your own hometown or in the rural areas but didn't think it

significant and considered it just like any other weed growing around your house. Or it

could be that you have seen it or even wore bracelets and necklace made out of it

without knowing that these were made from adlai. Or, your father, who is fond of

fighting cocks, had been feeding his roosters with adlai for years and you weren't aware

of it.

Curious now about adlai, yes? So what is adlai anyway, you would ask. Please read on to

find out.

Description

Adlai, also known as Job's Tears (Coix lacryma-jobi L.), comes from the family Poaceae

or the grasses, the same family to where wheat, corn and rice belong.

Adlai plant growing the wild.

Grains fron Adlai, also known as job's Tears (Coix lacryma-jobi L.)

The grains, which come in white or brown, in some instances, are spherical in shape and

have a groove at one end. It is said to have originated in Southeast Asia. It is a freely

branching upright herb that can grow as tall as 3 feet and propagates through seeds.

According to the Bureau of Plant Industry, the leaves

are 10 to 40 centimeters long, 2.5 to 4 centimeters wide, with the base broad and

cordate. The spikes are 6 to 10 centimeters long, erect and peduncled, while the male

spikelets are about 8 millimeters long.

Grains are usually harvested 4-5 months after sowing. Grains are separated from the

stalks through threshing and, like rice; seeds are first sun dried before milling.

Adlai is said to be at least 50 percent starch, 14 percent protein and 6 percent fat.

Adlai as food and drink

In South Asia, at the time when corn was still not that popular, Adlai was already being

widely cultivated as a cereal. In India, it was pounded, threshed and winnowed as a

cereal. The pounded adlai is sometimes mixed with water like barley when making

barley water; some turn it into a sweet dish by frying and coating it with sugar. It is also

boiled and eaten in the same manner as that of rice.

Grains are also used in soups and broths. In fact, in southern Vietnam, sam bo luong, a

sweet and cold soup has adlai as its main ingredient.

Fermented grains, on the other hand, are also made into beers and wines. Aged vinegar

is also made out of it in Japan.

Yulmu cha, or Job's tears tea, is a thick drink in Korea made from powdered adlai.

Another liquor, which is made from adlai together with rice in Korea, is called okroju.

Folk medicine

Adlai is said to be a folk remedy for a wide range of ailments. It is used as a remedy for

various tumors like the abdominal tumors, esophageal and gastrointestinal, as well as

warts. It also finds use in treating abscess, anodyne, anthrax, appendicitis, arthritis,

beriberi, bronchitis, catarrh, diabetes, dysentery, dysuria, edema, fever, goiter,

halitosis, headache, hydrothorax,

metroxenia, phthisis, pleurisy,

pneumonia, puerperium,

rheumatism, small-pox, splenitis,

strangury, tenesmus and worms.

Some of these claims though still

need to be scientifically verified to

warrant an "approved therapeutic

claim" in labelled containers as

herbal medicine advertisements

are saying these days.

Pharmacological effects

Some studies indicate that adlai

has anti-allergic, anti-mutagenic,

hypolipemic, and anti-diabetic

effects.

It is also said to exhibit anti-cancer activity. In a study by Hung et al in 2003, adlai seeds

were found to exert an antiproliferative effect on human lung cancer cells in vitro and in

vivo and might also prevent the development of tobacco carcinogen-induced tumors.

The anti-cancer activity of adlai was further proven by the study of Lee et al (2008), who

isolated five active compounds from adlai bran that inhibit cancer cells.

In traditional Chinese medicine, adlai hull extract is used to treat dysmenorrhea. It was

proven in a recent study that, indeed, adlai hull is a feasible alternative therapeutic

agent for dysmenorrhea.

Introducing adlai to mainstream agriculture

The Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) together

with NGO-collaborators, Earthkeepers and Masipag, see adlai as a good alternative crop

to rice and corn and would like to explore its potentials more. It is good to know though,

that Masipag, a farmer-led network of people's organizations, has already done research

on adlai.

BAR, together with Earthkeepers and Masipag, is now crafting a training and planning

workshop on adlai production that is tentatively scheduled for September 2010.

BAR Dir. Nicomedes P. Eleazar (2nd from right) attends a preparatory

meeting held at Earthkeepers which is based in Tiaong, Quezon.

Earthkeepers is a non-government organization headed by Ms. Teresa

Perez-Saniano (3rd from left).

Why eating adlai is good for you?

Rita T. dela Cruz

Standing tall in the wild, adlai (Coix lacryma-jobi L.)

can be easily overlooked due to its grass-like

appearance that blends well with the other wild

plants. But unlike weeds, the stem of adlai could

grow from 1 to 3 meters tall (from 3 to nearly 10

feet). It bears tear-like shape grains which become

the source of (staple) food of many indigenous

people particularly in the highlands.

Adlai belongs to the family Poaceae or the grasses, the same family to which wheat,

corn, and rice belong. It produces good yield in areas where rice and corn hardly grow

like the highlands. Adlai can tolerate low pH, poor soil quality, waterlogging and is

resistant to pests

Just like its counterparts (rice, corn), Adlai is

highly nutritious. It is because of this that the

Deparment of Agriculture (DA) is

promotingAdlai as a staple crop which may

well solve the country’s chronic insufficiency

as far as palay is concerned.

To further promote Adlai as a staple crop, the

Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), as

the focal RDE agency tasked to look into the

potential of this crop, has been conducting 11 adaptability trials (station and on-farm)

of adlai varieties for seed production and commercialization.

Dr. Nicomedes P. Eleazar, director of BAR, explained that “adaptability trials have

been established in different parts of the country basically to assess the performance

of different adlai varieties in different locations and elevations. The results will be

beneficial for the farmers who want to grow this crop in a commercial range as well as

for the agriculture industry given our current challenge for rice sufficiency.”

Adlai is as versatile as rice

Just like rice, farmers grow Adlai as their staple crop for

its good eating quality. Adlaibears tear-shape grains

which when matured are harvested, pounded, threshed,

and winnowed, cooked and served steamed just like

rice.

“It looks and tastes like rice, only the grains are a bit

larger, mas matagal magutom kapag kumakain kami

ng Adlai (it takes time to feel hungry when we

eat Adlai),” said one of the locals from Malaybalay,

Bukidnon when they were invited to try the

cookedAdlai during lunch.

For those who have tried cooking Adlai, they mentioned that “Adlai takes a bit more

time to cook due to the size of the grains.” Testimonies of those who have tried cooked

adlai during a taste-test conducted by BAR also showed that, “Compared to white corn

grits, the cooked Adlai grains is softer in texture and more compact.”

As food source, Adlai is as versatile as rice. It can be cooked and processed as main

ingredient for the all-time rice-based kakanin such as maja blanca, sinukmani,

champorado, polvoron, and turones de adlai to name a few.

It has a pleasant mild flavor making it a good ingredient in soups and broths. The grain

can be ground into flour and used to make breads, pastas, and porridge. The pounded

kernel is also made into a sweet dish by frying and coating with sugar. It can also be

husked and eaten as it is just like peanuts.

A tea can be made from the parched seeds while beers and wines are made from its

fermented grains. Coffee or tea is made from the roasted seed.

Nutritive value of Adlai

Eating 100 grams per serving of adlai, one is less likely to feel hungry after awhile

compared to eating rice or corn. This is because adlai has the highest food energy

content (356 kcal) compared to corn, white rice or brown rice. Hence, a person who

ate a cup of steamed adlai for lunch is build to last a whole day’s work compared to

those who ate rice.

Adlai is also superior to its staple counterparts when it comes to carbohydrate content

(73.9 g), protein (12.8 g), and fat (1.0 g).

Nutritive Value Adlai**

White

Corn

Grits*

Brown

Rice***

White

Rice***

Energy (kcal) 356 135 129 110

Carbohydrates

(g)73.9 24.6 27.9 22.9

Protein (g) 12.8 2.6 2.7 2.6

Fat (g) 1.0 0.7 0.3 0.9

Dietary Fiber (g) 0.3 0.7 0.4 1.8

* Nutrition facts of White Corn Grits (IPB

Var 6) released by Crop Science Cluster-

Institute of Plant Breeding, UPLB

** Nutrition facts of Adlai Grits released by

Food and Nutrition Research Institute

(FNRI) chemical analysis, 2011

***Nutrition facts of White and Brown Rice

released by FatSecret All Things Food and

Diet (www.fatsecret.com)

According to the International

Office of Cocoa Chocolate and Confectionery (IOCC), the primary nutritional role of

carbohydrates (whether sugars or starches) is to provide energy. This energy is

constantly needed by the body to maintain life.

For developing countries like the Philippines, 70-80 percent of a person’s calorie

intake should be in the form of carbohydrates. The kind of carbohydrate consumed

could affect the quality of health of the person. And considering the amount of

carbohydrate content in every 100 gram serving of cooked adlai, this could help in

feeding the increasing population of the country, evern more, lessen the need for rice

importation.

Adlai is also packed with other minerals including calcium (25 mg), phosphorus (43.5

mg), iron (5 mg), niacin (4.3 mg), thiamine (0.28 mg), and riboflavin (0.19 mg). #

I am quite fascinated with this grass. I never knew its name before.  The fruits look like

a mini shell with colors brown, black and usually grey. Every hard grain has a hole for

inserting a thin piece of nylon string. We collect it for the purpose of making bracelets and

necklaces.

The plant looks like a miniature version of corn. I usually see it near watery areas like rice

field and near rivers. We regarded it as weed until I read the “Facts About Adlai” – a

magazine published by the Department of Agriculture Region 4A (CALABARZON). The

featured image is very similar to what we regarded as weed.

Adlai Products

The plant is commonly known as adlai, adlay, job’s tears or Coix lacryma-jobi L.  The

plant grain can be eaten the same manner as rice. Can be fried and coated with sugar. Use

for soups and broths. For beers and wine making. For vinegar manufacture. For Job’s Tear

tea – a thick drink made from adlai powder. For okroju – a liquor made of adlai and rice.

Grains are usually harvested after four to five months of sowing. Separated from stalks

through threshing and , like rice, seeds are first sun dried before milling. It has at least 50%

starch, 14 percent protein and six percent fat.

It is used as remedy for various tumors like the abdominal tumors, esophageal and

gastrointestinal, as well as warts.

Use is treating abscess, anodyne, anthrax, appendicitis, arthritis, beri

beri, bronchitis, catarrh, diabetes, dysentery, dysuria, edema, fever,

goiter, halitosis, headache,hydrothorax, metroxenia, phthisis,

pleurisy, pneumonia, puerperium, rheumatism,small-pox, splenitis, strangury, ten

esmus, and worms. Claims still needs scientific evidences.

Some studies indicated that adlai has anti-allergic, anti-mutagenic, hypolipemic and anti-

diabetic effects.

It is also said to exhibit anti-cancer activity. In a study by Hung et al 2003, Adlai seeds were

found to exert and antiproliferative effect on human lung cancer in vitro and in vivo and

might also prevent the development of tobacco carcinogen-induced tumors. Its anti-cancer

activity was further proven by the study of Lee et al 2008 who isolated five active

compounds from adlai bran which inhibit cancer cells.

In traditional Chinese medicine, adlai hull extract is used to treat dysmenorrhea and was

proven in a recent study that, indeed, it is a feasible alternative therapeutic agent.

benefits courtesy of BAR Chronicles via Kabalikat Magazine of CALABARZON.

image courtesy of kabalikat.

—————–

update as of may 26, 2011

Mom brought home adlai seedling. I was expecting a handful of grains. Sadly, all adlai

plants are already dead. New plants are beginning to sprout.

Adlai instead of rice, anyone?By Bong S. Sarmiento on March 4 2012 8:16 am

KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews/03 March) — Besides the traditional food staple like rice, corn and camote, the

Department of Agriculture in Southwestern Mindanao is now advocating the propagation of Adlai as an alternative

food crop.

Amalia Datukan, DA-Southwestern Mindanao director, said the regional office has started promoting Adlai in line with

the directive issued by DA Secretary Proceso Alcala to make the country self-sufficient in food.

Adlai (Coixlacryma-jobi L.) is a freely branching upright herb that grows as tall as three feet and propagates through

seeds.

Known also as Job’s tears due to the tear-like shape of its grains, which come as white or brown, Adlai belongs to the

family Poaceae or the grass family, the same family to which wheat, corn and rice belong.

Adlai is used to make body accessories like beads and bracelets, according to a statement from the DA regional

office.

Aside from food source, Adlai is also utilized as an alternative remedy against various diseases like tumor,

appendicitis, arthritis, beriberi, bronchitis, diabetes, dysentery, fever, headache and manyother ailments, it added.

Datukan said the regional office’s research stations have started planting this type of grass and are conducting

studies to further discover the other potentials of Adlai.

“We can complete Adlai’s potentials through the integrated cooperation of non-government organizations, private

sectors and theDA,” she said.

“Through this, we will obtain essential results to develop additional mechanics on Adlai production, market projection

and conventional and organic crop management system,” she added.

Recently, an Adlai farm technology demonstration in Barangay Carpenter Hill here was recorded to harvest more

than three tons per hectare, the DA regional office said.

Adlai is usually harvested four or five months after planting. Its grains are separated from its stalks through a

thresher, then dried before milled.

Promoting Adlai as an alternative staple food in Southwestern Mindanao came even as the region is one of the

country’s top five rice-producing areas.

Also known as Region 12 or SocCSKSarGen, it is also the “rice basket” of Mindanao, the National Statistical

Coordination Board (NSCB) said.

In a fact sheet, Herlita Caraan, NSCB Region 12 chief, said Southwestern Mindanao yielded 1.244 million metric tons

of palay last year.

The volume was five percent higher than the 1.185 million MT palay production in 2010, which compared to 2009 was

3.6 percent lower due to the dry spell that hit the area in the first semester of 2010, she said.

“The region maintained its position as the 5th largest palay-producing region of the country and Mindanao’s top palay

producer,” Caraan said, citing data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics. (Bong Sarmiento/MindaNews)