Snake Gourd

Snake Gourd may not be a type of vegetable that is well-known around the world, but certain cultures have been utilizing this unique food variety for hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of years. They are native to Southeast Asia, including Myanmar, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and other neighboring countries, as well as some parts of Australia and Africa. It is a vine plant that climbs up a tree and then unfurls its flowers and fruits to hang down to the ground. Some of the largest specimens can grow up to five feet in length, which is why this gourd is often used to make the traditional Australian musical instrument, the didgeridoo.

The taste is bitter, but this often disappears when cooking, although once the vegetable is ripe, the bitterness is more difficult to eliminate. The leaves, tendrils, and other leafy parts of the plant are often used as vegetable greens, while the fleshy meat often replaces tomatoes in terms of culinary applications. It is strange in appearance, name, and taste, but its health benefits cannot be denied. Let’s take a closer look at what specifically makes snake gourds such an important dietary staple in so many cultures around the world.

Some of the most important health benefits of snake gourd include its ability to improve the strength of the immune system, reduce fevers, detoxify the body, improve the digestive processes of the body, increase hydration in the body, treat diabetes, boost the strength and quality of the hair, and aid in weight loss.