Generally speaking, loofah is not harmful to the human body.

Luffa is native to India and was introduced to my country during the Yuan Dynasty. It is now widely cultivated in the provinces of East, West, South, Central and South China. It is one of the main vegetables in summer.

Luffa is botanically divided into two species, common luffa and ridged luffa (also known as angular luffa). The luffa cultivated in Shanghai and the Yangtze River Basin is the common luffa, while Guangdong, Guangxi, and Fujian cultivate more types of luffa. The former is soft and waxy, while the latter is crispy in texture.

Luffa is rich in nutrients. Among melon vegetables, its protein, starch, calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin A and C contents are relatively high. The calories it provides are second only to pumpkin. . Luffa is eaten as a tender melon. The flesh of the melon is delicate and soft, fragrant and smooth. It can be stir-fried with meat or made into soup. It is delicious and is the main summer seasonal vegetable.

Luffa also has good medicinal effects. Luffa contains saponins, citrulline and other ingredients. It is cold in nature, sweet and flat in taste, and has a heat-clearing effect. It is very good to eat luffa in summer heat. "Southern Yunnan Materia Medica" states that "luffa flowers can clear lung heat, eliminate phlegm, relieve cough, sore throat, laryngitis, eliminate polydipsia, and purge fire."

Luffa is used in traditional Chinese medicine as it forms tendons as it ages. It can unblock the muscles and activate meridians. Luffa seeds can resolve phlegm. The leaf liquid in the luffa vine also has a heat-clearing effect. Luffa is truly a treasure.

(Partial source: Beijing Youth Daily)