LOOFAH PRODUCTS

Loofah seeds (black)

Luffa plant,also called Loofah, or Loofa is a green herb that crawls either on the ground or on tree and other standing objects.If left to creep on ground,it does not flourish well,as when helped to crawl on a tree or any standing object or wood.
The plant yields fruits which come in pods,measuring 10-30cm long with inside of it having numerous seeds.Seeds of loofah come in either black or grey color.But mostly,it produces black seeds.Some pods can have a mixture of of grey and black seeds inside the same  pod.The Nigerian loofah or Luffa,origin of Egyptian Loofah produces 185-220 seeds per pod,which makes it the most productive,compared to what is obtainable in Asian countries,where it produces less quantity of seeds per pod.This is as a result of differences in soil.
Talking of  the specifications of Luffa or Loofah,it belongs to the cucurbitaceae family of plants,plantae kingdom,unranked under Angiosperms,Eudicots.Smooth Loofah belongs to the cucurtoideae sub-family.There are three main species of Luffa(Loofah).They include:(1).the loofah aegyptiaca also called loofah cylindrica.Loofah Cylindrica is commonly known as smooth loofah,Chinese cucumber,dishrag gourd,bitter melon among Asians.(2).Loofah acutangula,or Angled Loofah,commonly known as Ridged loofah,Vegetable gourd loofah,sponge cucumber.(3).Loofah operculata,commonly called wild loofah,sponge cucumber.
USES OF LOOFAH:
A. Food : It is used as food in most Asian countries.It's best used when the pods are still green and small in size.In Vietnam,the Vietnamese gourd known as 'muop hurong' and is a common  food ingredient for soups salads and stir fried dishes.
B. Medicine: Luffa cylindrica is not known as food among Nigerians of Africa.It is only used as herbal medicine.The Igbo-speaking people of Nigeria call it Nsisa ,Ogbe or Asisa,meaning sponge or a scrub. The Edos,call it Ekian.Esans call it Awhorie Oritse.The people use loofah as traditional medicine in curing feverish conditions,malaria,jaundice,swelling and tumor and unknown external growths.Seeds,leaves and pods are all used for these purposes.
C. Fiber: Generally or globally, if Loofah pod is allowed to mature fully and got dried,it will form a good fibrous material.It is used as bath sponge,and scrub.Nearly all over the world,it is used for washing panels of cooking pots,cars and others.Cosmetologists recommend it for exfoliating the skin.Loofah removes stretch marks on the body.Talking more on it's cosmetic and health uses,formulators of natural cosmetics,and those that manufacture natural medicines have discovered how to use Loofah seeds in making various types cosmetic and natural health products,today. Also,in the building and construction industry,where there is need for a fiber  material as tool or input,loofah fiber has been preferred.It is used in furniture making and related works.

                                 

Various shapes of bath sponge made from Loofah fiber