Nutritional Assessment of Fruits of Luffa acutangula var. amara

Cucurbits are well documented for their food value and medicinal potential. Many cucurbits have been scanned on this basis by researchers throughout the world. Luffa acutangula var. amara popularly known as kadu Dodaka or kadu turai in Marathi, is a member of cucurbitaceae growing along the coastline of Maharashtra and other states throughout India. It is exhaustibly utilized for treating the diseases such as inflammation of joints, catharact, liver complaints etc. in folklore. Present piece of work focuses nutritional assessment of fruits of Luffa acutangula var. amara. The fruits having high moisture (94.6 %), crude fiber (42.94 %), vit. B3 (3.1282mg/100gm) and calcium (99.78 mg/100gm) with other nutrients at remarkable level. The nutritional data is compared with documented values of cultivated Luffa acutangula and Luffa cylindrica. The results revealed that fruits having potent nutrition which can be uttilized for clinical and food supplementary purposes.