Why is the loofah a bit bitter?

Luffa is a very common vegetable, and the food cooked with it has a unique taste. Luffa is rich in vitamins, and eating it regularly has antiviral and anti-allergic effects, making it popular among people. When some people eat loofah, there is nothing unusual about its appearance or texture, but it has a slight bitter taste. So, why is loofah a bit bitter? What are the causes?

Normal loofah does not taste bitter and is good for the body after consumption, but there is a risk of poisoning after consumption of bitter loofah. Alkali glycoside bioalkali is a toxic substance, which is as toxic as arsenic and is difficult to destroy and dissolve even at high temperatures. Bitter loofah contains alkaloids such as glycosides.

Alkali glycosides are alkaloids that are difficult to remove even after heating. After consumption, symptoms of poisoning may appear within half an hour to several hours. Mild poisoning may cause dry mouth, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, and drowsiness. Severe poisoning may cause vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, dehydration, bloody stools, and even life-threatening symptoms. Therefore, it can be seen that the bitter loofah is very toxic, so don't be reluctant to throw away this poisonous loofah.

Why is the loofah bitter?

1. The bitter taste of bitter loofah is controlled by genes, and genes are hereditary. If you plant bitter loofah seeds, the loofah that grows will also be bitter.

2. During the process of insect pollination, the non-bitter loofah plants received pollen from bitter loofah plants, or the pollen from bitter melon, causing the loofah to become bitter. That is, when the loofah blooms and pollinates, pollen gets mixed up, causing abnormalities and producing a bitter taste.

3. Continuous high temperature, insufficient light, drought and other factors will affect the normal nutrient absorption of the plant and lead to the formation of bitter loofah.

4. During the growth process of loofah, if too much nitrogen fertilizer is applied, the amount of organic fertilizer and phosphorus and potassium fertilizer is too little, and there is insufficient water, the bitterness will also increase.

What to do if loofah tastes bitter

If you find that the loofah tastes bitter, don't continue to eat it. This is the best way to avoid poisoning from eating bitter loofah. Therefore, before eating loofah, it is best to lick the peeled loofah flesh with your tongue. If it tastes bitter, it cannot be eaten. If the fried loofah tastes bitter, you should throw it away along with other food in the pot and not eat it.

Why do some people have no problem eating bitter loofah?

There is a reason why some people have no problem eating bitter loofah. This is because everyone's tolerance to alkaline glycosides is different. Some people have a lower tolerance, so they will have adverse reactions after eating bitter loofah, and severe cases may even be life-threatening! Some people have a high tolerance, so naturally they have no adverse reactions after eating bitter loofah.