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Fluted pumpkin leaves are greenish leafy vegetables grown in Nigeria and other West African countries. They are edible when boiled or cooked with foods; it can also be taken as a vegetable salad or as juice when mashed as fresh leaves and the juice extracted.
Fluted Pumpkin Leaves is mainly grown in the southern part of Nigeria where it is used in various local cuisines and soup, but it is also grown in other West African countries like Ghana, Sierra Leona, and others.
Its scientific name is Telfairia occidentalis and belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. It is called sokoyokoto in Yoruba, Ugu in the Igbo language, kawa in Hausa, and Ikong-Ubong in Efik. It contains calcium, iron, potassium, and manganese also provides a good amount of vitamin C, A, B2, and E.
They are rich in dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins A, B6, C, phosphorus, protein, riboflavin, thiamine, manganese niacin, folate, magnesium, iron, potassium, antioxidants and vitamins flavonoid, poly-phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, xanthins, and carotene.
Here are some nutritional benefits of fluted pumpkin leaves or vegetables:
Good Source of Dietary Fibre
Fluted pumpkin leaves are a source of dietary fiber that helps in the healthy maintenance of the digestive system.
It plays an important role in improving digestion thereby reducing the chances of health conditions like irritable bowel movement, constipation, and those caused by indigestion problems like ulcers and gastroparesis.
Green leafy vegetables such as fluted pumpkin leaves are rich in dietary fiber and should form a part of our daily meal to gain the benefits of this fiber.
Rich in Antioxidants
They are rich in alkaloids, resins, hydrocyanic acid, tannins, and flavonoids which are powerful antioxidants that offer some immune system and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Foods that are rich in antioxidants are known to be effective in the prevention of cancer and other associated health conditions like ulcer due to its ability to prevent the damages which should have been caused by the oxidative stress in the body.
Oxidative stress and inflammation are some of the underlying causes of cancer and other age-related illnesses and can cause changes in the DNA which could result in cancer formation.
Boost Immune System
Rich in vitamin and minerals, fluted pumpkin leaves has shown the positive result to be immune system booster. Also, as the leaves contain antioxidant source, it will help to maintain overall body health for sure.
Serve as Anti-Diabetic Agent
It has an anti-diabetic effect which means that it can treat diabetes mellitus by reducing the level of glucose in the blood.
This is made possible due to the content of polysaccharides and ethyl acetate which have been effective in lowering the blood sugar level. They are also effective in promoting glucose tolerance as well as the levels of serum insulin.
The extract of Ugu leaves has proved effective in this case, and it has been used as an anti-diabetic agent to regulate the blood glucose level.
Balance the Hormones
The vegetable is known to have high protein content. Ugu contains the amount of protein needed for hormone balancing; tissue repairs and regulates the acidities of body cells and organs.
This is why consuming fluted pumpkin leaves is very essential as its content of protein will also help in improving the body cells as well as replacing broken ones in the body.
Treat Convulsion
Ugu leaves have been found effective in treating convulsion in children. It becomes medicinal in this case when sliced and mixed with coconut water and with a small amount of salt.
Scientifically there might be no proof of this, but it has been used hundreds of years ago in the treatment of high fever and convulsion, and serve as a remedy to many other health conditions.
Treat Cardiovascular Diseases
Fluted pumpkin leaves also play a role in providing the natural treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Thus, if you suffer from cardiovascular diseases, then consuming fluted pumpkin leaves regularly is something that should be taken into account.
Treat Malaria
It is known that fluted pumpkin leaves have a role to be anti-malaria properties. As a result, this benefit is linked to the presence of antiplasmodial and schizonticisal properties contained in Ugu leaves. Also, by having these properties, they are capable of treating parasitic malaria infection. What a great benefit, isn’t it?
Treat Anemia
Fluted pumpkin leaves are rich in iron and therefore help in preventing the occurrence of anemia. Also, due to the presence of haematinic properties of the Ugu leaves, it will result in positive effects to treat anemia. Hence, if you suffer from anemia, consuming fluted pumpkin leaves regularly may help you as an alternative and natural medical treatment.
Promote Fertility
Fluted Pumpkin leaves have been used locally in the treatment of infertility issues in both men and women.
Its content of many vital nutrients and compounds have proven effective in its use to boost/improve sperm count in men and the overall functioning of their testicles.
It boosts fertility in women and improves post-pregnancy health as it helps the nursing mother to adequately feed their babies by increasing breast milk production.
Maintain the Body Tissues
The vitamin contents present in this vegetable helps in maintaining healthy tissues, cells, membrane as well as maintaining the skin and treating of wounds in the case of vitamin C.
The protein in fluted pumpkin leaves also helps in the improvement and maintenance of the body tissues which includes the connective tissues, muscles, and the nervous systems.
Have Healing Properties
Due to the presence of healing properties in Ugu, they will help to alleviate certain diseases and illnesses. For the tips, you can consume fluted pumpkin leaves as a juice to be drunk as an herbal decoction.
Have Antimicrobial Properties
What is even great about fluted pumpkin leaves is the way they have antimicrobial properties. With these, Ugu is responsible for inhibiting the growth of intestinal pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, S. faecalis, Salmonella typhi. As a result, by adding Ugu leaves as your food, your body will be free from the presence of bad pathogens.
Act as Anti-Inflammatory
Another health benefits of fluted pumpkin leaves are the way they act as anti-inflammatory properties. Indeed, by having great nutrients contained in Ugu leaves, they will work well to prevent the bad effects of inflammation. Also, the presence of analgesic properties, Ugu leaves will help to inhibit the neurogenic, non-neurogenic, and narcotic pains affecting the inflamed body part.
Prevent Cancer
As cancer has been reported as the leading of death in the world, then we should find a way to prevent and treat this kind of chronic. The presence of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in fluted pumpkin leaves will help to prevent cancer. Also, as Ugu leaves contain chlorophyll, phenolic compounds, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, glycosides, and phytosterols, which possess chemo-suppressive properties, then the leaves are valuable to prevent the growth of cancer cells in the body.
Effective for Weight Loss
Foods that help in weight loss are recommended for their effectiveness in weight management. Vegetables such a fluted pumpkin leaves contain a high amount of dietary fiber which can help you lose weight as it makes one fuller and lowers your appetite.
Not only that, it contains little or no calories which the chances of storing more calories in the body.
In as much as calories are good for the body which helps provide energy, if they are not utilized can start accumulating in the body thereby leading to weight gain.
Prevent Kidney Diseases
Next, the presence of a high level of phosphorus contained in fluted pumpkin leaves will help to prevent kidney diseases. As the consequence, phosphorus will help to prevent the presence of kidney stones as well as maintaining the work of the kidney greatly.
Improve Blood Production
Fluted pumpkin leaves are always recommended for patients who suffer from a shortage of blood due to the effect of certain illnesses; the presence of iron and other important minerals in it contribute to the boosting of blood in the body system and prevent anemia.
Iron being one of the essential minerals in the red blood cells, can cause adverse reactions such as the one stated above when there is its deficiency. Therefore fluted pumpkin leaves have been used in improving the level of blood in the body.
For the effectiveness of helping boost blood production, it is recommended to be pounded, then strain the mashed vegetable to collect the liquid/juice. Most times milk is also added to the juice before drinking.
Reduce Stress
Consuming fluted pumpkin leaves will help to reduce stress and depression as well. This benefit is linked to the presence of antioxidant nutrients such as tocopherol, dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, and ascorbic acid contained in Ugu leaves. Then, if you face some hard days, it is recommended to have fluted pumpkin leaves as your food option.
Can Improve Memory
Fluted pumpkin leaves just as most green leafy vegetables contain certain compounds that help to improve memory.
It also contains vital nutrients such as vitamins and magnesium which aid in the improvement and normal functioning of the brain and nervous system.
This can help in improving cognitive reasoning, memory loss (Dementia), and other health conditions associated with memory health such as Alzheimer's disease.
Help Nursing Mother
Another health benefits of fluted pumpkin leaves are the way they provide lactating properties. Hence, by having lactating properties, it will help nursing mothers to produce more milk for the baby.
Improve the Bones and Teeth
Fluted pumpkin vegetable contains a good amount of calcium that the body needs for maintaining healthy bones and teeth also keep the skeletal systems in normal functioning conditions.
It also contains magnesium which plays a vital role in making the bone firm and strong, it might be surprising to say that without magnesium, calcium is almost ineffective to bones as it helps the adequate absorption of calcium by the bones.
It also plays the same function on the teeth, as adequate magnesium in the body helps in making the teeth stronger and firm.
Ugu also has potassium as one of the minerals it contains which also helps in maintaining the bone mineral density which means that it helps to make the calcium content in the bones intact avoiding the leaching of the mineral.
This helps to prevent osteoporosis, which affects the bones especially in the aged.
Final Thought
Fluted pumpkin leaves help in protecting the body against disease as well as improving overall health. Therefore it has to form a part of our daily meal to gain these necessary benefits that it offers.
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