THE IMPORTANCE OF FLUTED PUMPKIN LEAVE (UGU) || 10% campus connect

Telfairia occidentalis commonly known Fluted pumpkin (ugu) a tropical vine grown in West Africa as a leaf vegetable and for its edible seeds. The fluted pumpkin (ugu) grows in many nations of West Africa, but is mainly cultivated in Igboland and Calabarland and it is used primarily in soups and herbal medicines. Common names of the plant are Fluted gourd, Fluted Pumpkin, oysternut, Apiroko, Calabaza, Emeke, Gonugbe, Iroko, Krobonko, Oysternut, Pondokoko, Ubong, Ugu, Umee, ikong-ubong, Umwenkhen and ugwu.

Culinary Uses

1. Seeds

Source

-Seeds can be eaten whole, ground into powder, or made into a fermented porridge.
-Seed oil is used in cooking.
-Seed can be consumed after being cooked.
-It can be boiled and eaten as a nut, or ground into flour for use in soups.
-Immature seeds are cooked or roasted; they can also be fermented for several days and eaten as slurry.
-Mature seeds are not consumed directly because they have a high content of anti-nutrients.
-Raw flour shows better water and fat absorption properties than the oil, hence its useful application in baking products.
-Seed contains up to 30% protein and a high content of non-drying oil.
-Seeds have very high oil content and are used to make cooking oil.

1. Leaves

Source
-Leaves and young shoots are cooked as a potherb.
-Leaves are used alone or together with okra, dika nut or egusi seeds.
-Young shoots, up to 50 cm long, are used in stews and as a side dish.
-Young shoots and leaves of the female plant are the main ingredients of a Nigerian soup, ofe egwusi.
are often cooked with fish, meat and tapioca.
-Young shoots and leaves of female plants of this species are consumed as vegetables

1. Fruit

Source

• pulp with young seeds is occasionally made into marmalade.
• Can be dries and use craft and art
  -Rind and pulp of the fruit of fluted pumpkin are used as fodder for livestock.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF FLUTED PUMPKIN (UGU)

1. Blood purifier: Fluted Pumpkin is supposed to have blood-purifying properties and it has been used as a tonic for the young and old alike. Amazingly though, the roots are poisonous for human consumption.

2. Treats Anemia: Fluted pumpkin leaves are a rich source of iron nutrients and will help in preventing the occurrence of anemia. Also, due to the presence of haematinic properties of the Ugu leaves, it will result in positive effects to treat anemia. Therefore, if you suffer from anemia, consuming fluted pumpkin leaves regularly may help you as an alternative and natural medical treatment.

3. Good for digestive system: Leaves, shoots and seeds of the Fluted Pumpkin are rich in dietary fiber containing an amazing array of Vitamins, which are essential for building our tissues to repair of scars. Apart from this, the gel like substance formed by the water-soluble fiber helps in slowing down the passage of food through the intestines thus helping in proper digestion and bowel movements.

4. Prevents Cancer: Since cancer has been stated as the leading diseases which cause the death in the world, then we should find a way to prevent and treat this kind of chronic diseases. The presence of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in fluted pumpkin leaves will help to prevent cancer. Also, leaves consists of chlorophyll, phenolic compounds, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, glycosides, and phytosterols, which possess chemo-suppressive properties, then the leaves are appreciated to prevent the growth of cancer cells in the body.

5. Treatment of Infertility: Fluted pumpkin seed oil can be used for treating infertility in male by boosting the functionality of the testicles for an increased sperm count. This is as a result of the high level of anti-oxidative properties such as oleic acid, vitamin A, alkaloids, tannins and linoleic acid in the oil that contains the lipid peroxidation activities thus boosting fertility. Moreover, vitamin A is a powerful vitamin for protecting the testis against lipid peroxidation, thus improving spermatogenesis and structural differentiation of epithelial cells of the epididymis.

6. Treats Cardiovascular Diseases: Fluted pumpkin leaves also play an important role in providing the natural treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, if you suffer from cardiovascular diseases, then consuming fluted pumpkin leaves regularly is something that should be taken into account.

7. Treats Malaria: It is known that fluted pumpkin leaves have a role to be anti-malaria properties. As a result, this benefit is related to the presence of anti-plasmodial and schizonticisal properties contained in Ugu leaves. Also, by having these properties, they are capable of treating parasitic malaria infection.

8. Prevents Diabetes: Researchers have shown that by consuming fluted pumpkin leaves, it will help to prevent diabetes. Indeed, the aqueous leaf extract of Ugu acts as anti-diabetic properties which help to reduce and regulate the glucose level of diabetic patients. Additionally, this great benefit is also associated to the presence of ethyl acetate and polysaccharides content which are anti-diabetic properties of the leaves.

9. Prevents Kidney Diseases: Presence of high level of phosphorus in fluted pumpkin leaves will help to prevent the kidney diseases. As the consequence, phosphorus will help to prevent the presence of kidney stone as well as maintaining the work of kidney greatly.

10. Helps Nursing Mother: Other health benefits of fluted pumpkin leaves are the way they offer lactating properties. Therefore, by having lactating properties, it will help nursing mothers to produce more milk for the baby.

11. Reduces Stress: Consuming fluted pumpkin leaves will help to reduce stress and depression as well. This benefit is connected to the presence of antioxidant nutrients such as tocopherol, dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase and ascorbic acid contained in Ugu leaves. Then, if you face some hard days, it is recommended to have fluted pumpkin leaves as your food option.

12. Prevents Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia: Hearing about Alzheimer’s disease may make you worry about having this kind of diseases. However, by consuming fluted pumpkin leaves, then you should not worry again as the leaves consists of certain antioxidant compounds that can prevent the enzymes involved in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

13. Boost Immune System: Fluted pumpkin leaves are rich in vitamin and minerals and have shown the positive result to be immune system booster. Also, as the leaves consist of antioxidant source, it will help to maintain overall body health for sure.

OTHER USES

1. Fluted pumpkin is often grown as a crop in homesteads, where it is inter-cropped with other vegetables and food crops such as cassava, yams and maize, or is planted against fences.
2. Oil from the seeds is reported to be non-drying, and also to be used as drying oil for paints and varnishes.
3. Stems are softened to produce fibers that are used as a sponge.
4. Rind and pulp of the fruit of fluted pumpkin are used as fodder for livestock.

In conclusion, Fluted Pumpkin leave(ugu) as explained above is a very nutritious vegetable and would be nice if my fellow Steemians @solexybaba @gidsbrown @campusconnecting @samuelebuka included in our daily diets.
I hope we've all learnt something today. Thanks for reading through guys.
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