Bottle gourd, Lagenaria siceraria (synonym Lagenaria vulgaris Ser.), is a nutritious vegetable with nutty flavor. Popular as lauki, dudhi in India and Calabash gourd in Central America, it offers numerous health benefits and is cooked mostly in Indian style.
Another benefit of this wonderful vegetable is that you can easily make a juice out of bottle gourd within the matter of minutes. It saves you the time and effort of going through complicated recipes just to enjoy it.
Mentioned below is the nutritional constituents of bottle gourd so that you can get the idea of the vast nutritional value it contains.
Nutrient Fact Sheet of Bottle Gourd
Amount: 58g
Type: Raw
Calories: 8
| Nutrients | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sodium 1mg | 0% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Potassium 87mg | 2% |
| Protein | 0% |
| Calcium | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 10% |
| Magnesium | 1% |
| Iron | 1% |
| Total Carbohydrates 2g | 1% |
| Total Fat | 0 |
*Per cent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
The health benefits of Bottle Gourd Juice are
1. Vital role in brain function
Bottle Gourd is a rich source of Vitamin C. 100 g of raw fruit provides 10 mg or about 17% of Recommended Dietary Allowance(RDA). Usually, a glass of bottle gourd juice contains 26 milligrams of Vitamin C.
Vitamin C or Ascorbate is a vital antioxidant molecule in the brain. The highest concentrations of ascorbate in the body are found in the brain.
Neurodegenerative diseases typically involve high levels of oxidative stress. The antioxidants in Vitamin C thus have potential therapeutic roles against such diseases like
- Ischemic stroke
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- Huntingdon’s disease
2. Keeps your heart healthy
Bottle gourd contains no Cholesterol and is rich in Vitamin C, the essential components for a healthy heart. It helps regulate blood pressure and control blood cholesterol level which further adds to the benefit.
3. Heals Urinary problems
The burning discomfort while urinating can be quite disturbing. This can be eased by adding a glass of bottle gourd to your daily diet.
The Diuretic nature of bottle gourd helps to swill out the excess water present in the body, diluting the acid present in the urine. This unique fruit also contains the cooling property that eases the burn.
It also controls thirstiness common among patients who are diabetic, by reducing the loss of water in their body.
4. Healthy Cell
A glass of bottle gourd contains 1.8 milligrams of zinc.
Zinc is a vital mineral that contributes to healthy cell membranes. It assists in cell communication and adjusts human body hormone intensity. Zinc-including proteins in bottle gourd, normalizes gene actions in cell.
5. Helps in losing weight
Bottle Gourd juice is low in fat and calorie, this helps in reducing extra weight from the body. Furthermore, bottle gourd juice helps control your hunger if you sip it in an empty stomach, especially, in the morning.
6. Reduces stomach problems
Packed with fibers and minerals, bottle gourd juice heals constipation and treats digestive problems. The high amount of fiber present in it, helps to remove the food stuck in food colon, relieving the discomfort.
Besides, the alkaline nature of this juice can also help in curing acidity problems.
7. Cures Sleeping Disorder
The high amount of watery content in bottle gourd helps cool down the brain for better sleep.
Adding bottle Gourd juice mixed with sesame oil to your daily diet, helps cure sleeping disorders.
When not to drink Gourd Juice?
Avoid bitter tasting bottle gourd at any cost. The high level of toxic compound – Tetracyclic Triterpenoid, in such tasting gourd can have adverse effect on health and may even be fatal.
Consuming this bitter juice can be harmful for the digestive system like – you may suffer from diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain and more. In 2010, in New Delhi, a severe case of “Bottle gourd poisoning” was noted when deputy secretary at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sushil Kumar Saxena, 59, passed away after drinking a glass of bottle gourd which was acidic. It started with brutal stomach pain, later he vomited blood and was taken to the hospital.
And also its the experts advice – not to mix the bottle gourd juice with other vegetabels. The probable theory is that the mix up of these juices might turn the mixture toxic.
Be careful while drinking bottle gourd juice and look for instant checkup/attention if you, by chance, suffer from illness or allergies after drinking the juice.