Spring Bitter Cucumber :Indigenous Antioxidant Vegetable

Fug Kao

I have tried a new drink with an extract of gac fruit. In some countries, gac fruit has been revered as a fruit from heaven. The fruit is similar to spring bitter cucumber which is indigenous vegetable commonly found in Thailand.

Buds, sprouts and seedlings are usually eaten with chili paste. It tastes bitter sweet and contains high concentration of beta-carotene which helps nourishing eyesight. Seedlings have high nutritional content such as carbohydrate, fiber, protein, calcium phosphorus, iron, vitamin A, B1, B2, C and niacin.

Spring bitter cucumber offers a lot of health benefit and treats illness such as fever, abscess, back pain, ect. Grinded seeds can treat diverticular disease of the colon, pulmonary disease, coughing, restricted gallbladder and TB. Roots can be eaten boiled to reduce phlegm, fever and joint paint. Its extract can also be used as anti-lice shampoo that prevents hair fall.