Snake gourd is also known as serpent gourd, and it is a vine that tends to increase. It belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family of gourds and it grows in the areas having a tropical climate. This is the fruit of the vine which comes under vegetables. It bears unisexual white flowers having lacy fringes on the external side of the whirl.
It has many interesting natural uses which will make you try it for at least once. You can use young snake gourd as a block of soap by drying it. The benefits of snake gourd are no less than any other herbal remedy.
Snake gourd grows within the Asian countries and as well as in the areas across Australia and Nigeria. Snake(1) gourd is a favorable veggie which you can easily find in India. The longest Snake gourd till today’s date measures 1.88 meters. A native resident of Oman grew it. It is popular among various regions across the world.
It serves a variety of alternatives for the replacement of other necessities. For example – you can replace tomato by using the pulp of a grown-up snake gourd. One can also consume leaves of snake gourd, as its leaves are also edible.
Snake Gourd: An Overview
A young snake gourd appears with green and white stripes on it, but when it gets mature the color changes to reddish orange. The scientific name of this new vegetable is Trichosanthes cucumerina.
People of the native regions call it by different common names, such as – chichinda and padwal. You can find this incredible vegetable in the various areas including India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia and the southern parts of China.
Other distant native regions to this vegetable are Australia and some parts of Australia. The appearance of snake gourd resembles a snake hanging on the vine. Hence it is known as snake gourd. It has beautiful lacy white flowers that are curly and small in size.
The snake gourd flowers blossom at night. In the daytime, the hair-like structures present around the petals of the flower curl up and close the opening of the flower. The snake gourd changes its color completely to deep red, once it gets fully mature and hangs down the vine. There are numerous benefits of using snake gourd or serpent gourd(2), which you need to know.
[Read: Health Benefits of Cilantro]
10 Incredible Snake Gourd Benefits
The best ten benefits of snake gourd according to the research and studies related to it are
1. Helps in Preventing Respiratory Tract Problems
Snake gourd gives relief from the difficulty in breathing. Since it cleanses the phlegm and puss from the respiratory tract. It keeps track away from the other respiratory problems too.
2. It Gives Relief from the Sensation of Acidity
It does not let the production of different acids in the stomach. This property serves in reducing the chances of getting acidosis or gastric problems.
3. It Supports the Treatment of Liver Issues
Recent studies show that snake gourd is quite beneficial for the ones who suffer from liver-related issues. It fights through the problems and cures the diseases.
4. Removes Harmful Toxins from the Body
It helps eliminate different toxins present in our body. The anti-oxidants tend to assist in purifying the blood and fluid levels in our body.
5. It Helps in Treating Arterial Disorders
Snake gourd helps in removing the bad cholesterol from the arteries. Hence, it reduces the chances of getting a heart attack or other heart-related issues.
6. It Helps in Clearing Out the Scalp
The vegetable helps in cleansing the scalp of an individual. It removes dandruff and other hair problems.
7. It Treats Diabetic Conditions
It has a low amount of od calories, which helps in the treatment of diabetes. The body weight stays in control, and it is also useful in Chinese Herbal Therapy.
8. It Lowers High Fever
If you have a high fever, then consumption of snake gourd is more beneficial.
9. It gives Healthy Skin
Snake gourd promotes the growth of healthy skin and maintains a better hydration level in the body, which is responsible for treating skin issues.
10. Helps in Managing the Weight
Since snake gourd carries a low amount of calories, there is no chance of getting any fear of obesity and other health risks.
[Also Read: Natural Remedies to get rid of Excess Weight]
What are the Traditional Uses of Snake Gourd?
With numerous beneficial properties, snake gourd can prevent the occurrence of some diseases and helps in eradicating them. Here are the different ways in which you can eat or use snake gourd can and how is it consumable across the world –
- Consuming the roots of snake gourd can remove the intestinal worms from your intestines.
- According to Ayurveda, it can treat liver related issues.
- People of China believe in treating diabetes and other skin problems by boiling the roots of snake gourd.
- Snake gourd accompanied by coriander leaves can decrease the effect of jaundice by helping in lowering the levels of bilirubin.
- It can help you out in fighting with a common cold.
- It can remove the amount of puss and phlegm by dissolving it from the respiratory tract.
- Juice of snake gourd can ease the constipation problem and increase more clean bowel movements.
- Application of snake gourd sap on the scalp can reduce the formation of dandruff.
How Can You Eat Snake Gourd?
There are various ways in which snake gourd can be eaten and is considerable across the world. The type of recipes depends on the kinds of regions the method belongs. Here are some of the ways to eat snake gourd –
- You can always add young snake gourds in curries with other vegetables.
- Snake gourd has its place in the Southeast and South Asian cultures and cuisines.
- You can extract oil from the snake gourd seeds.
- Some vegetable stews and traditional Indian soups consist of snake gourds in them.
- You can make pickles out of the Snake Gourd vegetable.
- A South Indian recipe known as thogayal, has cumin seeds, lentils, and sesame as ingredients.
- You can prepare a nutritional salad by using snake gourd, capsicum, and tomato.
- You can give snake gourd a stir fry along with some red chili, black gram lentils, and curry leaves.
DIY Snake Gourd Recipe
You can try out many of the recipes and include them in your diet. Here is a simple DIY snake gourd recipe with ingredients and procedure to prepare –
Ingredients
- Snake gourd
- Turmeric
- Cumin seeds
- Salt, as per taste
Procedure
- Cut the snake squash into thin round slices then cut them again into stick size by taking thickness as per your desire.
- Place a pan over medium-high heat and give the snake gourd and cumin seeds, stir fry with some oil.
- Add some spices including salt and turmeric as per the taste and stir everything well.
- Serve the dish hot and enjoy.
Precautions
Here are some of the precautions, which you need to keep in mind while using snake gourd
- One should not take excess consumption of snake gourd in their regular diet, as it can create many stomach related issues.
- People who are allergic to the Cucurbitaceae family, should not consume any gourds or squashes. These people should avoid eating recipes made up of snake gourd.
- If you’re already suffering from any ailment, consult and talk to your doctor first.
- There is a high risk of the damaging of the fetus if the pregnant woman eats large quantities of snake gourd. Hence, pregnant women should eat it in smaller amounts.
- The overdose of the seeds of the Snake Gourd vegetable can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
Bottom Line
Snake gourd or Serpent gourd has a lot of beneficial uses and high nutritional value in it. There is no doubt in the fact that the benefits of snake gourd are numerous, but one should always take care of the precautions and side effects before proceeding to have snake gourd.
It is still preferable to consult a doctor first if in case you are suffering from a troubling disease. Try out the other recipes and enjoy a healthy diet. We don’t advise eating snake gourd regularly. Take care of the quality of snake gourds, while selecting the perfect snake gourds.
