Gynostemma pentaphyllum

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Gynostemma pentaphyllum
Jiaogulan.JPG
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
(unranked):
(unranked):
(unranked):
Order:
Family:
Subfamily:
Nhandiroboideae (syn. Zanonioideae)
Tribe:
Zanonieae
Subtribe:
Gomphogyninae
Genus:
Species:
G. pentaphyllum
Binomial name
Gynostemma pentaphyllum
(Thunb.) Makino 1902

Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum) is unusual for a cucurbit in that its fruits have no commercial value and are considered inedible, and instead its leaves are used to brew tea. Gynostemma tea is purported to have a variety of health benefits. Its taste is similar to that of green tea, but with a non-sugar-like sweetness similar to that of Stevia.

Acknowledgements

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Gynostemma pentaphyllum, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.