Snake Gourd, Club Gourd, Chichinda

• Snake gourd (Trichosanthes cucumerina) is extremely long fruit and only distantly related to the common cucumber.
• It is cultivated in Southeast Asia, China, Japan, West Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and tropical Australia.
• The fruit is white cylindrical, slender, tapering with a waxy surface. It is orange in color when ripe and pulpy red at maturity. The fruit can reach 150 cm long. Its soft, bland, somewhat mucilaginous flesh is similar to that of the luffa (sponge gourd) and calabash (bottle gourd).
• Common names include snake gourd, serpent gourd, chichinda, and padwal.
• The snake gourd is rich in minerals like magnesium, calcium and phosphorous.
• The fruit is rich in dietary fiber and contains many medicinal compounds.
• The snake gourd consists of substantial amount of moisture and little protein, fat, fibre and carbohydrate. It creates a cooling effect in the body.
• Its mineral and vitamin contents are calcium, phosphorus, iron, substantial amount of carotene, little thiamine, riboflavin and niacin.
• It is a low-calorie food; diabetics can safely include it to reduce weight while getting enough nutrition.