Nutritive value of vegetables

Most of the vegetable that we are consuming in our daily life can be of great help to control diabetes.  They have less calorie and it help to fill the stomach due to the presence of high fiber

Vegetables are of different types

• Green leafy vegetables
• Roots and Tubers’
• Others

Tubers contain more starch than other nutrients, hence better to use in moderation.  By adding the green leafy vegetable and other vegetable in our routine diet,will get enough nutrients like vitamins,minerals,fibres etc..,

Tindora (Ivy gourd or Kovakka) – Nutritive value of Tindora (100gm)

• Energy – 18 cal
• Protein -1.2 gm
• Carbohydrate -3.1gm
• Fibre -16 gm
• Fat -0

Tindora (Kovakka) – Ivy gourd and baby watermelon

Tindora (Kovakka) has major importance at our daily vegetables.  It is also known as ivy gourd and baby watermelon.  This medicinal plant comes under the coccina species

It is cultivated widely across India, it is a common vegetable in almost all kitchen garden.  It can be farmed anywhere without much care or space.  It can be germinated by using seeds or by using matured stem.

Normally we use Tindora fruit only for cooking, but how many of us know that,Tindora leaves has the ability to control diabetes. Researches shows that, a specific type of enzyme contained in Tindora control diabetes.  So including Tindora in your daily diet will help you to manage the sugar and cholesterol level in the blood

Moreover, Tindora contains several vitamins, minerals and fibres.  It helps to avoid constipation in diabeteic patients.  Tindora contain plenty of antioxidants which purify the blood by removing the free radicals and thereby it strengthens and immune system

Tindora recipes –  In Kerala tindora used as itself for making “thoran”,’mezhukkupuratti’,’theeyal’ and it is used along with other  vegetables s ‘avial’ and sambar ‘Kovakka kondattam’ and ‘kovaka pickel’ are very tasty.  It can be used in salads and can be used along with curd and pepper powder.  Its sprout leaves also can be used along with Tindora to make thora.  Dried tindora leaf power is used in  making tea and coffee

Cooking recipes of Kovakka /Tindora 

Kovakka Mezhukkupuratti or Ivy gourd fry         Kovakka thoran or Little gourd recipe with grated coconut mixture