gourds

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gourds Vegetables of the family Cucurbitaceae, including calabash or bottle gourd (Lagenaria vulgaris), ash gourd (Benincasa hispida), snake gourd (Trichosanthes anguina), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), vegetable marrow (Cucurbita pepo), pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata), squash (Cucurbita maxima), coocha or chayote (Sechium edule), cantaloup melon (Cucumis melo), water melon (Citrullus vulgaris); hedged gourd is kiwano. All contain more than 90% water and have little food value apart from vitamin C at 10 mg per 100 g. In addition, yellow pumpkin contains 900 μg carotene per 100 g. Melons are sometimes grown for their seeds, which contain 20–40% oil and 20% protein.

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