I don’t know if you have ever eaten bitter loofah. Luffa is a common food on the dining table of Chinese people, but there were rumors on the Internet that the bitter taste of loofah means it is "poisonous" and cannot be eaten. In fact, loofah has a bitter taste, which is not poisonous but comes from "cucurbitacin". If consumed in excess, it may cause diarrhea. Some nutritionists also recommend: "Don't eat loofah if it becomes bitter."

The bitter taste of luffa comes from "cucurbitacin". If you eat too much, be careful of diarrhea

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The bitter taste of luffa mainly comes from the "cucurbitacin" in it, which will produce " There are two reasons for "cucurbitacin", one is environmental factors and the other is genetics. When cultivating luffa, if you encounter harmful growth conditions such as insufficient sunlight, insect bites, improper application of fertilizers, etc., the luffa will produce trace amounts of "cucurbitacin" to increase resistance. Genetic factors such as hybrids of angular luffa and cylindrical luffa are mostly used as rootstocks because the fruits have a bitter taste.

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But is "cucurbitacin" poisonous? Under normal circumstances, cucurbitaceous crops contain very small amounts of "cucurbitacin", which can easily cause diarrhea if consumed in excess. When the luffa is infested by insects, the cucurbitacin concentration will increase, causing the luffa to become bitter. If eaten at this time, a small number of people may have diarrhea symptoms, but it is not toxic, so it is recommended not to eat it.

The whole body of loofah is a treasure! Hydrating, heart-protecting, anti-inflammatory

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However, loofah is still very nutritious and is also a common vegetable in summer. Among them, loofah has the following five nutritional values:

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1. Low calorie: A 500g loofah has only 69 calories.

2. Replenish moisture: 94.6% of loofah is water. Some people don't drink enough water. In addition to supplementing nutrition, eating loofah in hot summer can also meet the water needs of the human body.

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3. Medium to low dietary fiber content: suitable for people with weak gastrointestinal motility.

4. Low potassium: suitable for chronic kidney patients who need low phosphorus and low potassium.

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5. Protects the heart and resists inflammation: It contains quercetin, myricetin and apigenin, which all help to circulate blood vessels and achieve the effect of protecting the heart. ; And apigenin can help fight inflammation in the body, which is what Chinese medicine calls reducing fire.

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In addition, the whole body of the loofah is full of treasures. The loofah water is the holy moisturizing product of the elders. When the pulp is dry, it can also be used as a natural vegetable cloth. However, it should be noted that if you have a weak constitution and frequent diarrhea, you should not eat more.