The amazing benefits of this wonder food are not known to many, yet unknowingly it is consumed in majority of households because of the low price tag it carries in the vegetable market and its wide availability. Here are some reasons for you to never quit eating bottle gourd.

Health Benefits

• Including bottle gourd in your regular diet reduces fatigue and maintains freshness especially in the summer.
• It is rich in, thiamin, vitamin C, zinc, iron and magnesium thus helping in improving overall health.
• Cooked bottle gourd is anti-bilious and it helps one relax after eating.
• Almost 96% of the bottle gourd is water which makes it very light and easy to digest. Bottle gourd is commonly used for treating indigestion, constipation, and diarrhea. Bottle gourd juice with a pinch of salt is also used to treat dehydration caused by diarrhea.
• Very effective in the treatment of acidity and ulcers.
• The water content in bottle gourd along with the high fiber content helps with digestive disorders like constipation, flatulence and piles.
• Bottle gourd is also believed to help the liver function in a balanced fashion.
• The juice from bottle gourd leaves help cure jaundice.
• If consumed with lime juice, gourd juice will effectively treat burning sensations in the urinary passage. It serves as an alkaline mixture.
• The juice of bottle gourd is a valuable medicine for excessive thirst due to severe diarrhea, diabetes and excessive use of fatty or fried foods.
• The gourd fruit juice is used in the treatment of insanity, epilepsy and other nervous diseases.
• It has sodium of 1.8 mg per 100gm and 87mg of potassium making it a suitable vegetable for hypertensive patents.
• A mixture of bottle gourd juice and sesame oil acts as an effective medicine for insomnia, it should be massaged on the scalp every night.
• Bottle gourd juice also helps in the breakdown of kidney stones.
• The bitter variety is prescribed as a cardiac tonic, as an antidote to poisoning and for alleviating bronchitis, cough, asthma and biligenic affections.

Beauty Benefits

• Bottle gourd juice helps reduce the asthma and biligenic affections.
• The juice from the bottle gourd leaf helps in curing baldness and aids in preventing tooth decay.
• Bottle gourd is also considered one of the best weight loss foods since it is 96 percent water and provides just 12 calories per 100 g of serving.
• Having bottle gourd juice every day or every alternate day can bring back the lost glow of the skin and enhance its complexion.

Nutritional Facts

Calories: One cup of bottle gourd contains only 18 calories which is less than 1 percent of the daily suggested intake and is lower than many other types of vegetables, such as red potatoes which contain 150 calories if consumed in the same quantity. Therefore, if you switched from eating 1 cup of cooked red potatoes to 1 cup of cooked bottle gourd daily, you’d save 924 calories in one week, enough to lose more than ¼ of a pound.

Fiber Content: Unlike many other types of vegetables, bottle gourds are low in carbohydrates. Each cup of cooked bottle gourd contains just 4g of carbohydrates. This can make bottle gourds one of the few vegetables suitable for low-carbohydrate dieting. If you’re on such a diet, bottle gourds would be a much better choice than red potatoes, which contain 26g of carbohydrates per cup, or green sweet peas with 24g of carbohydrates per cup.

Protein Content: Bottle gourds are low in protein as each cup contains 1g. Your body needs protein to build and repair cells and tissues, so you should always include protein rich foods in your diet unless otherwise instructed by your doctor.

Interesting Facts

• The bottle gourd was one of the first cultivated plants in the world, grown not for food, but as a container. They primarily used as utensils, such as cups, bowls, and basins, mostly in rural areas. It can be used for carrying items, such as fish, dirt or other foods.
• In some Caribbean countries it is worked, painted, and decorated as shoulder bags or other items by artisans and sold to tourists.
• In Jamaica there is also a reference to the natural lifestyle of Rastafarians using the gourd to make a rattle of sorts for musical festivities.
• In Haiti the plant is called ‘kalbas kouran’ literally meaning “running calabash”, and is used to make the sacred rattle emblematic of the voodoo priesthood.
• The bottle gourd plant is highly respected in many areas, so much so that it is to be the national tree of St.Lucia.

Important Note: The articles presented are provided by third party authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of KhanaPakana.com. They should not be considered as medical advice or diagnosis. Consult with your physician prior to following any suggestions provided.