Petai is one of those food you either love or hate. If you love it, that’s fantastic. If not, an article by Dr Aminuddin AHK of the Medical Faculty of UKM Kuala Lumpur (Dept of Physiology) may convince you to give it a try again. Like yoga, petai has many health benefits:
Energy Boost
Petai contains the natural sugars sucrose, fructose and glucose and provides a natural an sustained boost in energy level. According to the article, just 2 servings of petai provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. Also snacking on petai between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
Constipation
Petai is high in fiber and can help restore normal bowel movement without the need to use laxatives.
Depression
According to a survey of people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating petai. This could be because petai contains tryptophan, a protein which the body converts into serotonin. Serotonin is believed to help you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS)
Vitamin B6 in petai helps to regulate blood glucose levels and improve your mood.
Anemia
Petai is high in iron and can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in your blood.
Blood Pressure
Petai is high in potassium and low in salt. Even the US Food and Drug Administration has allowed the petai industry to make official claims on petai’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke. According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating petai as part of a regular diet can reduce the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%.
Hangovers
A quick way of getting over a hangover is to make a petai milkshake and sweeten it with honey. Petai calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels. The milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Brain Power
Research indicates that petai can aid learning by making pupils more alert. 200 students at a school in Twickenham (Middlesex) received help through their exams by eating petai at breakfast, break, and lunch.
Heartburn
Petai has a natural antacid effect on the body and provides soothing relief to heartburn.
Nerves
Petai is high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
Mosquito bites
Next time you are bitten by a mosquito, try rubbing the bite area with the inside of a petai skin. Many people find it effective at reducing swelling and irritation.
Ulcers
Petai is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It neutralizes over-acidity by coating the lining of the stomach.
Temperature control
Petai has a “cooling†effect and can lower both physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. Pregnant women are known to eat petai to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
Smoking
Petai can also help people who are trying to quit smoking. The Vitamin B, potassium and magnesium helps the body recover from nicotine withdrawal.
Stress
When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. Potassium in petai helps to normalize heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates water balance in your body.
Warts
Some people say that to kill off a wart, take a piece of petai and rub it on the wart. Then hold the another thin slice of petai on the wart with a plaster or surgical tape.
Petai v Apple
Petai has:
4x the protein
2x the carbohydrates
3x the phosphorus
5x the vitamin A and iron
“A Petai a day keeps the doctor away” 
Note:
- Before cooking petai, make sure to split the bean into two to remove any worms inside
- After eating petai everything you may find that your excretion has a pungent odor.