Kundru is a fast-growing, dioecious, perennial climber (trailing vine) with glabrous stems and tuberous roots. It grows well in tropical climates and sometimes as an invasive crop. Well-draining, loose, and porous soil is preferred for ivy gourd cultivation. In India and Sri Lanka, it is grown as a cultivated plant in home gardens.
Its heart to pentagon-shaped, and large leaves are arranged alternately along the stems. The upper surface of the leaf is hairless, whereas the lower is hairy and has simple tendrils. Flowers are star-shaped, large, and white in color.
Fruits appear on stalks after about 3 months; ovoid to elliptical, 25-60 mm long, 15-35 mm in diameter, smooth-surface, hairless. Inside, the flesh is almost transparent, and tiny, tender seeds about 6-7 mm long are arranged along the length of the fruit. Seeds are edible in immature fruits.
In immature fruits, the skin is green with vertical pale patterns on the surface. Ripe fruits appear scarlet red color.
The Ivy gourd fruit is used as a vegetable when green and eaten fresh when ripened into a bright scarlet color. Young leaves and long slender stem tops - cooked and eaten as a potherb or added to soups.
Ivy Gourd or Coccinia grandis is a perennial herbaceous vine of the family Cucurbitaceae.[1] In India, it is commonly known as kundru, kundri, tindora, and tindori in the native language.
Kundru vegetable is one of the most beneficial medicinal herbs in traditional and Ayurvedic medicine. Its medicinal value may be attributed to the presence of secondary metabolites like alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, glycosides, etc.
1. Ivy gourd is a very low-calorie Cucurbitaceae vegetable. 100 grams (3.5 oz) of raw fruit holds 21 calories, almost the same as for Ridge gourd (20 cal). Besides, it carries no saturated fats or cholesterol. Its peel is a good source of dietary fiber.
2. It is a good source of dietary fiber which helps in smooth bowel movements and offers protection against colon cancers by eliminating toxic compounds from the gut.
3. Ivy gourd is a gluten-free vegetable item. It can be a good substitute for gluten-sensitive (celiac disease) people.
4. It is rich in lycopene (5.68 mg / 100 g), and beta-carotene (2.24 mg / 100 g). The other flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants such as alpha-carotenes, lutein, and zeaxanthin.
5. Together with vitamin-A, pigment compounds help scavenge harmful oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) from the body that play a role in aging and various disease processes.
6. Ivy gourd fruit also has less sodium but contains good amounts of potassium, an important intra-cellular electrolyte. Potassium is a heart-friendly electrolyte that helps in decreasing blood pressure and heart rates by countering the pressing effects of sodium.
7. Further, ivy gourd carries modest levels of other B-complex groups of vitamins like pantothenic acid, riboflavin, and minerals like calcium (24 mg/100g), iron (0.9 mg/100 g), manganese, phosphorus, and zinc.
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