Health Benefits of Bottle Gourd
Bottle Gourd is mostly available in tropical countries. Best to make soup, light curry, raita, bhaji (stir fry), achar (pickle), or kofta (vegetable balls) using lauki. I have seen people making South East Asian desserts such as halva and khir.
Bottle Gourd has been used in South East Asian countries as a weight loss tonic as well as in skin care regime. A highly prized vegetable in Ayurvedic medicine as it increases ojas (immunity)
It is the best vegetable for all season.It is delicious when cooked with meat. It can keep lung warm and protect from cold. So, Scholars advice to eat bottle gourd for Bronchitis patient to keep their lung warm.
About bottle gourd
This South Asian squash is indeed bottle shaped, light green and long. The flesh inside is spongy and you can also cut it into small pieces and make a curry out of it. Bottle gourd or lauki is over 90% water therefore it is easy to digest. Due to its sodium content it is best to eat before sunset otherwise instead of the beneficial diuretic effect it will promote water retention. Best time to eat Lauki in noon for lunch.
Health Benefits: Jaundice (leaf juice), Diabetes, Obesity, Constipation, Acidity, Skin Condition, Stops Premature Aging, Swelling (if taken at noon), Insect Bites (leaf) and Anemia (Iron). It also combats Parasites or Intestinal Worms, Insomnia, Depression, Improve Memory, Cold/Cough/Sinus, Asthma, Fever, Colic Pain and Ulcer.
Women suffering from reproductive issues such as PMS, PCOS, water retention, Hype or Hyper thyroid, Leukorrhea and Infertility (female egg), can also take this vegetable and the flower of the plant. Again best taken during lunch. Avoid after pregnancy as in pregnancy the chances of water retention is high.
Ayurvedic health benefits of bottle gourd:
- Ayurveda recommends cooked bottle gourd for better digestion. It is cooling, calming, diuretic and anti-bilious (reduces bile and stops indigestion). The B vitamins assist in increasing the body’s metabolic rate to better digest fats, proteins, sugar and carbohydrate.
- Like cranberries, bottle gourd supports the kidneys and the urinary system of our body by reducing burning sensation from high acidic urination. It also reduces the chances of urinary infection because it is alkalizing and has a diuretic effect. Consume if you have high creatine and uric acid.
- A nutritious vegetable for the female reproductive system.
- It is extremely popular for weight loss. Especially the bottle gourd or lauki juice when taken at noon.
- Bottle gourd is extremely popular for reducing high blood pressure and bad cholesterol in some people. However when taking cardiac medications or when the cardiac condition is severe do NOT take lauki as it can create more pressure on the cardiac muscles.
- Lauki or bottle gourd is known to combat excessive thirst in diabetic patients. However do not take if lauki is too bitter or with other bitter herbs.
- The fiber and the minerals in the bottle gourd or lauki supports healthy digestion and combats flatulence (by killing intestinal parasites), constipation, colic pain and ulcer.
- In Ayurveda it is also know to prevent premature greying and improve hair growth. It will NOT change the grey hair to black but will stop more greying as it contain B vitamins and has a cooling effect on the scalp. Grate and apply with yogurt or apply cider vinegar. You can mix my Healthy Hair Mask in yogurt and add lauki in it.
- The Vitamin C and Zinc in lauki prevent pre mature aging and wrinkles as well. Lauki juice can be applied externally for skin care uses such as pimple, acne, dark circle, puffy eyes etc. .
- Bottle gourd is recommended by Ayurvedic doctors for reducing liver inflammation.