Indian cucumber - its many names and health benefits

Many of us remember that not so long ago oranges or bananas were scarce. We saw fruits that do not grow in our latitudes, and marvels were given, and it was only possible to have them on their table on holidays. Well, of course, we are talking about the average people. Now these are just memories, because not only for us the borders of distant countries have become more transparent, from which one can bring something unique, but simple shops abound in everything. And since we started talking about the gifts of the tropics, we will talk about them, namely, we will understand today what an Indian cucumber is.

There is such an unusual cucumber from India or Momordica

Many names of one vegetable

Many names have this fruit, perhaps you've heard one of them - Indian garnet, melon bitter, curly nara, lagenariya, momordika, and a hump. It is worth noting that often we are talking about tropical fruits, how good they taste, fragrant, but our today's fruit is a vegetable, and a relative, you know, to whom? It's amazing, but pumpkin. Many, by the way, compare momordiku with zucchini. This plant is part of the family, where in addition there are about 20 lianas, both perennial and annual. Most of all, you can meet momordica in the tropical regions of Asia, Australia. Some varieties of lianas grow in the Crimea.

The plant is called everywhere differently

If to describe in more detail the plant that gives such a plant, so rich in names, and on the composition, the fruits, it is the liana. It can grow more than five meters in length, covered with carved leaves from 4 to 13 cm. It blooms with yellow flowers that smell like jasmine flowers, attracting different insects, giving people a good mood.



At the same time the fetus itself looks very unremarkable externally, you can not call it appetizing, if you compare, for example, with the same oranges. Momordica has a slightly ridiculous appearance, impressive size. It's like a warty, wrinkled zucchini, the flesh inside is thin, in the phase of full ripeness it is rich orange. In this case, the fruits are torn and look even more amazing.

If you talk about taste, the fruit is bitter, most often it is used for therapy. At the same time, he can help his health well enough. Indian cucumber is used in Asian countries for many centuries, they appreciate the vegetable. In this case, he has a good return. Just imagine that on one meter you can plant only three vines, and harvest the fruit for 200 kg. Many summer residents, especially in the southern regions, try to grow a liana and quite successfully. It serves as a hedge, it dissolves at sunset, thinning its delicate fragrance. There are reports that some people grow momordika in a greenhouse, creating certain conditions for it.

That's interesting! This kind of plain fruit was used in antiquity only by representatives of high society. For example, in China, the fruits of Momordica were only for the imperial family. And in original India it was the food of the gods.

How is an Indian cucumber used?

Of course, the most used for food and prepare medicines from the fruit where they grow - this is Asia, Indonesia. But there are recipes for making an Indian cucumber momordica in Turkey. Ripe fruits acquire a pronounced bitterness, so many of them are cooked exactly when the vegetable is still not ripe. This uses pulp and seeds. The fruit is slightly watery, produces a crunch, which is similar to a cucumber or pepper. It is noteworthy that when seeds begin to ripen strongly in the phase of full ripeness, the seeds inside, on the contrary, become sweeter, they are extracted and eaten raw, but can also be processed with temperature, then the seeds become tender and even more tasty.

Vegetables from the tropics can be bought from us

Indian cucumber can be preserved. At the same time, people who tried the dish say that it is very refreshing, tones, pleasant to the taste. To the canned vegetables that are habitual for us, it does not look like anything. Both seeds and flesh in Asia are cooked very differently - this is a component for vegetable dishes, and for desserts such as yogurt, and for soups and meat is an excellent addition. Also do with coconut milk, which is often seen in Indonesia. Turkish chefs make dishes with honey, add olive oil.

And a little more about the different cooking methods - in China they prepare not only soups with momordica, but also certain tea and even make alcohol. Bitterness of the fruit is used to create an interesting variety of beer, excluding hops from it. Speaking of Japan, the Indian cucumber here is, in general, part of the Okinawan diet and cuisine. Nepalese also make brine, and in beautiful and distinctive India, mommordika is a part of dishes with potatoes, nuts, desserts, different snacks, soups, salads, and is also made in a deep fryer.

That's interesting! About the Momordica Charantia( another name) was mentioned BC, so, there is information in the writings of Theophrastus, who lived in the third century BC.e. Afanasy Nikitin made a discovery of a vegetable from the tropics in our country. The traveler told about the fruits, mentioning their unusual taste.

As you can see, an unremarkable, long, pimply fetus has great popularity and importance in many countries. We can also find it in stores, of course, not everywhere, but there are still. You can also order everything in the modern world via the Internet. But, having told about what kind of fruit taste, aroma, how and with what it is eaten in distant Asia, we said not all. The main thing in our article is still the benefit of the Indian cucumber, which we wanted to tell you about. This information will be interesting for everyone who wants to lead a healthy lifestyle, already does it, wants to make themselves more energetic, get rid of some diseases. So, let's move on to the main thing.

Bitter cucumber. What is its usefulness or harm to us?

Pros of using for health

Of course, like all vegetable products, Momordica owes its medicinal properties to the composition, and it is very rich and useful. Vegetable is famous for its nutritional properties, they are higher than that of traditional eggplants and peppers. It is a storehouse of vitamins, macro- and microelements. There are many calcium in the composition for our bones, teeth, hair. There are useful proteins, carbohydrates, folic acid, sugars, flavonoids, alkaloids and amino acids. There is phosphorus, iron, sodium, manganese, magnesium, potassium, which is more than in your favorite bananas, and the content of beta-carotene cucumber will overtake broccoli. Of course, these are vitamins - group B, C, E, K.

Indian cucumber gives much to our health

How will the Indian cucumber help us?

• Saturates vitamins, other useful substances that our health and immune system need. Strong natural protection struggles with the pathogenic environment, we get sick less, look beautiful, feel energy.
• Stimulates appetite, normalizes digestion.
• Fibers in plant fruits always have a beneficial effect on our digestive tract, help to remove excess food, toxins, slags, and they make us inactive, spoil the skin, provoke disease.
• Folic acid helps the bone marrow.
• Served as prevention of cancer.
• Seeds and the flesh itself excrete excess cholesterol, saving from plaques.
  
  
  
• Beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke.
• Excellent Indian cucumber helps those who suffer from joint diseases, arthritis, arthrosis.
• Beneficial effect on wound healing, skin, helps those who suffer from psoriasis, other skin defects.
• Fruits help to restore morale after stress, depression.
• Used in food to increase visual acuity, for the prevention of eye disease.
• In folk medicine are made different broths and infusions. Their range of applications is extensive - for cleaning the body, to treat pressure, from the pathogenic environment, hemorrhoids, sclerosis, kidney diseases.
• Help the fruits regain male power.
• Promotes the burning of fatty deposits, the normalization of metabolism.
• Extract momordiki harantia used to kill streptococci, staphylococcus. Also used to treat HIV-infected people.

In general, a healthy diet is always useful and has an unsurpassed effect. It is the guarantee of human health. Our body changes, it becomes slender, flexible, the skin acquires a shine and elasticity. All this has a positive effect on the nervous system, we feel a surge of energy, we are motivated. Vegetables, especially such useful ones as momordica, help us in this. But, attention, there are contraindications, about them further.

Who should not eat Indian cucumber?

It is better not to eat fruits of pregnant and lactating women. A tropical fruit contains substances that can cause involuntary abortion. It is impossible for everyone who can have allergic reactions to components in the composition that is known to all of us. It is better not to give fruits to children, and also not to overeat them.

For information! Momordika, if you translate this word into our language, means "bite" or "bite."This is due to the fact that the leaves after they have touched the skin, can leave an unpleasant sensation, like a burn from the nettle.

Here is an unusual outwardly and useful inside the plant. You can take a note, try an Indian cucumber. Perhaps, this fruit will become a regular guest of your table.