SNAKE GOURD

Snake gourds grow straight and long, sometimes reaching six feet in length. This squash is narrow, green, cylindrical, thin-skinned, and slightly wider at one end. Young snake squash offers a subtle zucchini-like taste, but contains a narrow central core of seeds that must be discarded. As the snake gourd ages, it becomes bitter and is used as a tonic in holistic medicine. A good source of fiber, this nutritious vegetable provides vitamin A, niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, potassium and iron.

SNAKE GOURD