Job’s tear (Coix lachrymal-jobi L. and C. lachrymal-jobi L. var ma-yuen (Roman.) Staph. (Family Gramineae) is commonly used as a food and a medicine in China. It is one of the most popular food herbs used in diet therapy of painful and stiff joints, either singly or in soup mixes. From all traditional accounts, it seems to work.
If you suffer from stiff and painful joints, try this: Cook 1-2 ounces of Job’s tear as you would regularly cook barley and drink the soup (or eat the whole thing if you like). Give this a week or two to work.
Many of the traditional uses of Job’s tear may have a scientific basis. Based on experimental animal studies, Japanese scientists have isolated numerous active chemical components from Job’s tear, including coixol (anti-inflammatory, antihistaminic, muscle relaxant, fever reducing, etc) and coixans (sugar lowering properties). Job’s tear also contains the more common nutrients, known for their more subtle effects.
Dr. Albert Leung’s book, Better Health with (mostly) Chinese Herbs and Food discusses the use of 60 different herbs as healing foods, including Job’s tear on pages 49-50.
For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit www.earthpower.com.
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