Mukombero (or white ginger, Mondia whitei, from the Apocynaceae family) is a perennial, woody and quite vigorous climber with aromatic roots. It is easily grown from seed and is found in humid forests, such as the Kakamega rainforest in western Kenya, and in swampy forests, riverine forests, forested savannas and forest margins, at elevations of up to 1,800 meters. The seeds are collected when the fruit begins to open and are planted at the beginning of the rainy season. The leaves are between 10 and 30 centimeters wide and ovate with a cordate base.
The petioles and veins are usually reddish. The roots are pale yellow or brown on the outside and white or pale yellow on the inside. They have a bitter taste reminiscent of ginger and licorice, and an aroma similar to vanilla. The flowers, which smell unpleasant, have five pale yellow to reddish-purple petals.
The fruit (which is almost woody and contains many seeds) is a pair of large, pale green, cucumber shaped follicles. Mukombero has been used for centuries by communities living next to the Kakamega forest in different ways, from chewing raw roots to mixing root powder with porridge to increase appetite. A magazine, Third World Medicine, reports that treating guinea pigs with mukombero extracts induced a significant increase in testosterone, the main male sex hormone. As a food, mukombero contains a wide range of vitamins (A, D, K and E), minerals (magnesium, iron, zinc and calcium) and proteins. The study suggests that mukombero has sex-stimulating properties, supporting its traditional use as an aphrodisiac.
It is believed that consuming mukombero can help improve sexual performance by increasing libido and stamina. However, it is important to note that consuming mukombero alone will not be enough to achieve these results. A good diet and daily exercise should do the trick that mukombero chewers and those who eat tiger penises are looking for. Harvesting mukombero is done between April and September using a sharp knife, a panga (machete) and a hoe. The leaves and flowers appear mainly in the canopy of the vegetation that supports them and are therefore rarely noticed. Mukombero has been used for centuries as an aphrodisiac due to its sex-stimulating properties.
However, it is important to note that consuming mukombero alone will not be enough to achieve these results; a good diet and daily exercise should do the trick.
