A Concentrated Form of Ivy Gourd Lowered Glucose Once

Ivy Gourd — ตำลึง (tam-lueng) — Coccinia grandis.

This vine grows like a weed across Thailand, and one double-blind trial lowered blood glucose and insulin-resistance markers. The edible part is the leaves. It's rich in vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C, and fiber. Fiber adds bulk to meals, can help with fullness, and can slow carbohydrate absorption as part of a mixed diet. Tom Jued Tam Lueng cooks fresh ivy gourd leaves instantly under boiling pork broth, eaten hot with steamed jasmine rice. Pad Tam Lueng Moo Sab tosses tender ivy gourd leaves and minced pork in a hot wok with oyster sauce, served over rice. Easy to grow ivy gourd at home, this climbing vine is a rapid grower. Cook or eat it with a little fat or oil, which helps your body absorb the beta-carotene it turns into vitamin A.

Kaeng Jued Tam Lueng Moo Sap — แกงจืดตำลึง (kaeng-jued-tam-lueng)
Pad Tam Lueng Moo Sap — ผัดตำลึง (pad-tam-lueng)

Food and nutrients

Rich in: vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C, fiber

Research context

Ivy gourd lowered glucose and improved insulin resistance in a trial — Phytomedicine, 2021

Sources

Source: Wasana KGP et al. (2021). Coccinia grandis in type 2 diabetes: double-blind RCT (n=145). Phytomedicine 81:153431. DOI:10.1016/j.phymed.2020.153431 (PMID 33352495)

Narration transcript

Opening

This vine grows so aggressively, up to four inches a day, that other countries list it as a smothering noxious weed. In Thailand it is a free backyard green climbing every fence. Ivy gourd — ตำลึง, dtum-leung. You eat the tender leaves and shoot tips, dropped into clear soups or stir-fried.

Kaeng Jued Tam Lueng Moo Sap (แกงจืดตำลึง)

Kaeng jued tam lueng is a comforting Thai clear soup that cooks fresh ivy gourd leaves instantly under boiling pork broth, best paired with steamed jasmine rice.

Pad Tam Lueng Moo Sap (ผัดตำลึง)

Pad tam lueng is a savory stir-fry that combines tender ivy gourd leaves and minced pork in oyster sauce, best enjoyed hot with steamed jasmine rice.

Nutrition summary

Among Thai greens, tender ivy gourd leaves stand out for vitamin A, with vitamin C and copper close behind.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A contributes to normal vision and helps maintain healthy skin and surface tissues.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is used to build collagen and helps protect cells from oxidative stress.

Fiber

Fiber adds bulk to meals and can help with fullness.

Closing

Give it a trellis and it will feed you for years, regrowing from deep roots even after a hard cutback. A little oil in the pan helps you absorb the beta-carotene that colors those leaves. Follow Longevity Biome, and LIKE this video for regular updates.

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