How jamu, traditional Indonesian herbal medicine, relieves pain and helps you detox

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The concoctions are made from spices, roots, leaves, bark and fruit, and are used to aid digestion, reduce inflammation, boost immunity and improve overall health.

A stone mural carved at Java’s Borobudur temple depicts the use of a jamu pot (lower left). Photo: Leiden University

Jamu was exclusive to royal courts until the 20th century, when one woman brought it to the masses: Nyonya Meneer.

According to Dewa Ayu Somya Rahayu, a herbalist instructor at The Jamu Bar in Bali, Indonesia, Meneer was of Chinese-Indonesian descent and had knowledge of jamu.

A jamu gendong, or medicine carrier, sells her products from a market stall. Photo: Shutterstock

She was known to brew herbal remedies for her family and friends, and established her eponymous brand in 1919, selling health tonics and elixirs.

Her two great-granddaughters, sisters Vanessa and Claudia Ong, established The Jamu Bar to present jamu to the next generation in the form of teas and oils – and alcoholic cocktails – and provide classes in how to make natural tonics at home.

“Empon empon is what [often] serves as a base for jamu recipes,” Rahayu says. “It’s made up of turmeric, ginger, galangal, lemongrass and cinnamon” – ingredients all known for their healing qualities.
Nynoya Meneer popularised jamu in the early 20th century with her eponymous health brand. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

Galangal – also known as Thai ginger – may aid digestion and help combat infections. Lemongrass and cinnamon, natural diuretics, help cleanse the body of toxins.

Ingredients and utensils for making jamu. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

As well as being mixed in teas and juices, jamu ingredients can be applied to the body via different forms of therapy.

At The Legian Seminyak hotel, in Bali, they are used in the spa in Balinese massage, boreh deep-heat body wraps, and traditional lulur body polish scrubs.

The therapists use an organic, locally sourced blend of sunflower, ginger, lime and ylang-ylang flower for the massage oil, says Hans Joerg Meier, managing director and partner at LHM, the hotel’s parent company.

This oil helps to warm the body and help it to relax, he adds.

Hans Joerg Meier, the managing director of LHM, the parent company of The Legian Seminyak hotel. Photo: The Legian
Spa oil with Jamu ingredients at The Legian Seminyak hotel. Photo: The Legian

The body wrap uses a blend of local cloves and ginger to detoxify the body, while a blend of local red rice, white turmeric and sandalwood helps to remove dead skin cells.

Spa guests are encouraged to try jamu-based remedies. Meier recalls a client who experienced bloating, nausea and constipation. The therapist offered a detox tea made from locally sourced moringa, ginger, mint and lemon, and a relaxation tea that combined lemongrass, pandan leaf, globose amaranth and roses.

Meier says the client’s condition improved after drinking the teas, and that they bought some of the tea in bulk to take home.

Detox tea at The Legian Seminyak hotel. Photo: The Legian
Jamu formulas with turmeric and ginger have also been cited as effective in treating menstrual cramps.

Turmeric contains curcumin, known for its ability to reduce the production of prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that cause pain and inflammation during menstruation. Ginger is also a potent anti-inflammatory and painkiller.

Many women who regularly consume jamu report significant relief from cramps, and favour this natural approach over conventional pain relievers.

Tea for relaxation at The Legian Seminyak hotel. Photo: The Legian
Traditional Indonesian herbal medicine may also relieve headaches. A formula that targets them uses turmeric, ginger and tamarind, the latter also known for its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. It is also rich in magnesium and may help to prevent migraines.

Do-it-yourself jamu

Although word of jamu is spreading, it is not widely available outside Indonesia. To sample its goodness, you can try this traditional recipe at home.

Empon empon is a simple formula that can be made in a saucepan with easy-to-find ingredients:

  • 200 grams ginger, peeled and sliced

  • 150ml water

  • ½ teaspoon turmeric

  • 2 cinnamon sticks

  • 5 tablespoons brown or white sugar, according to taste

  • 100 grams galangal, peeled and sliced

  • 2 lemongrass stalks cut into small pieces

Boil all the ingredients in a saucepan for about 20 minutes, then filter into a container and drink when cooled.

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