A little known aquatic fruit originally consumed in parts of Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, is gaining a lot of attention in recent years for its unusual appearance and old-fashioned uses. Kumudini fruits grow in ponds and water bodies, and the small seeds that villagers harvest are part of the traditional diet.
The fruit is also known in different areas as Berra, Kokabeli, Dhep and Gujhari. The green round fruit has small seeds that can be eaten in different ways. Some villagers eat the seeds raw while others dry them and use them to prepare halwa.
Kumudini’s ancient uses have also been associated with health benefits in many ways, including digestion and energy. But most of these claims stem from local knowledge and local practitioners, not large clinical studies. They should not be considered traditional medical treatments.
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What Is Kumudini fruit?
Kumudini is an aquatic plant found in ponds and other freshwater habitats. In botanical sources, one of the plants that was named Kumudini is Nymphoides hydrophylla, an aquatic herb belonging to the Menyanthaceae family. It has been reported in several parts of India.
In Gonda, the fruit is recognised by the villagers living around ponds and water bodies. The fruit, according to local accounts, is green and round and has several small seeds.
The seeds are considered a traditional food. They can be eaten directly or dried for later use. Local reports also detail halwa preparation with dried Kumudini seeds.
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This type of traditional food knowledge is not unique to Gonda. Ethnomedicinal surveys of communities in the district have shown the use of many local plants by communities and traditional practitioners. A 1996 ethnopharmacological survey of Gonda recorded dozens of plants used as folk remedies and called for scientific investigations of their medicinal merits.
Why do the villagers eat Kumudini seeds?
One of the main reasons for consuming Kumudini seeds is tradition. Local practitioners and villagers have always regarded the seeds as a nutritious food that may even help to give energy and health.
The seeds are useful for people experiencing weakness and are eaten as part of the rural diet, a local account said. They are also crunchy after drying.
Kumudini has also been associated with digestive health. Local practitioners say the fruit and seeds have been used for stomach-related discomfort and are believed to have a cooling effect on the body. Some traditional practices have also involved their use during digestive problems like diarrhoea.
However, these traditional claims should be distinguished from medically proven benefits. The evidence for Kumudini seeds to cure digestive problems or other diseases is not very strong.
Can Kumudini seeds strengthen bones?
Another traditional claim associated with Kumudini seeds is that they can support bone health because of their nutritional content.
The seeds are described by local people as rich in nutrients and minerals, and traditional users eat them as they believe they will strengthen bones.
But consuming a particular traditional food should not be taken as a replacement for proven measures of bone health. Healthy bones are dependent on nutrition, physical activity, and vitamin D and calcium.
In any case, anyone with osteoporosis, repeated joint problems, or other diagnosed bone diseases should follow medical advice rather than resort to a traditional food as treatment.
Not Proven Medicine. Traditional Food.
Kumudini is one example of how traditional food practices can preserve knowledge about locally available plants. For generations, communities living around ponds and rural water bodies have incorporated some aquatic plants and their seeds into their diets.
The seeds are either eaten raw or dried, and preparations such as halwa are another way to eat them.
At the same time, traditional use and scientific evidence are not the same. A food may be nutritious without being a treatment for a particular disease. Claims of sleep, stress relief, digestive improvement, or bone development need to be scientifically evaluated before they can be considered a health benefit.
People should also properly identify any wild or locally collected plant before consuming it. Different plants may have similar local names, and eating an incorrectly identified plant can be dangerous.
And as far as Kumudini seeds are concerned, they should be treated as part of a varied diet and not as medicine. Anyone with existing health problems, allergies, or concerns about eating different plants needs to consult a health professional.
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