Green Drink Reviews

Loofah: Health and Beauty Benefits

November 9th, 2008

One thing you’ll find in every Brazilian’s home, whether they are inside or outside of Brazil, is (no, not cake) what’s known as a bucha, or loofah in English (scientific name Luffa Cylindrica). In my grandmother’s house there was a mature loofah plant that supplied our home and those of our friends and neighbors too. I remember when I was a kid, my uncles and aunts were always giving us cucumber (known as pepino in Portuguese) from my grandmother’s garden and I remember asking why they always had those loofahs in their hands. It’s funny how back then, people from the countryside were helping the environment by using those biodegradable loofahs to wash their dishes instead of using synthetic sponges.

Today in Brazil, there is an environmental project called (roughly translated) “The Brazilian Loofah Project,” which is to get more people using this plant.

Loofah comes from the Curcubitaceae family, which includes cucumber, chayote, watermelon, strawberry, squash and other melons. Loofah is somewhat cylindrical, green, and can reach over a meter in length. It grows as a vine and has beautiful yellow flowers. It’s rich in fibers that are soft, flexible and strong.

There are many types of loofah and they come from Asia, Africa, and the Americas and can now be found all over the world. It’s used in popular medicine; its roots and leaves are said to be good for the liver and regulate iron in the blood, thus helping with anemia and menstruation. The seeds are used in homeopathy to help with regularity.

Loofah is also used as a base for skin exfoliation in natural beauty products. It’s wonderful for baths and even crafts. I found a wonderful, large loofah with seeds inside at a Hispanic market here in the United States. I’m hoping the seeds will grow!

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