Fluted Gourd Nutritional Content and its Uses

Telforia Occidentalis is a dioecious perennial crop that is mostly cultivated in Southern parts of Nigeria and West Africa. It belongs to family Cucurbitaceae.

This topic will deal with a plant named Fluted Gourd which is also called as Fluted Pumpkin. The botanical name of this plant is Telforia Occidentalis. The other common names of this plant are Fluted Pumpkin or Ugu .

• In Southern part of Nigeria and  in some parts of West Africa, Fluted gourd  is found abundantly.
• The origin of this plant is Nigeria.
• Fluted Gourd is a Tropical vine that grows well in West Africa as a leafy vegetable.
• The fruits of this plant is not edible but seeds produced by this plant is edible and rich in protein and fat.

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  The seeds of this plant is rich in Protein and Fat and also contains significant level of Vitamin A and Vitamin C .

Fluted Pumpkin Uses

• The Fluted pumpkin’s leaf is primarily used in soups and herbal medicines Which is high in nutrition.
• The liquid extracts of the leaves are used for the treatment of anemia .
• The presence of anti plasmodia and schizonticidal in the root of the plant helps in treating parasitic malarial infections.
• It useful for treating kidney diseases like kidney stone.
• The presence of anti-oxidative properties like oleic acid, alkaloids, tannins and linoleic acids which is helpful in treating infertility in males by boosting the functionality of testicles for an increased sperm count.