Health Benefits of Bottle Gourd (Dudhi)~(Compiled)

Bottle Gourd (Also called Lauki,Dudhi)

The bottle gourd is a common vegetable in India. It is yellowish green, having the shape of a bottle. It has white pulp, with white seeds embedded in spongy flesh.

Bottle gourds are one of the favorite vegetables of Indians and has numerous health benefits. They are especially good for old aged peoples.

Lauki (Dudhi in Gujarati) have lot of medicinal value. Have a juice of lauki,tomato,karela,few pudina leaves and 4 to 5 Tulsi leaves - add pepper also for taste- daily early morning with empty stomach.

This one is best for Diabetes, heart problems, B.P. and so many other ailments. Those who do not have any such problems can also have this Juice as a health tonic)

Low in Calories and FatThe bottle gourd is low in fat and cholesterol yet high in dietary fibre. It contains 96% water and 100gm of it contains around 12 Kcal. It is rich in iron and also has vitamins C and B complex. It has sodium of 1.8mg per 100gm and 87 mg of potassium making it suitable vegetable for hypertensive patients. It is excellent for light, low-cal diets, as well as for small children, people with digestive problems, diabetics and convalescents.

Cooling EffectIts high water content makes it very cooling. The cooked Bottle Gourd is cooling, calming, diuretic and easy to digest. It is also effective against constipation and other digestive disorders.

Urinary disorders

Bottle gourd is very valuable in treating urinary disorders. It serves as an alkaline mixture for treating burning sensation in urinary passage due to high acidity of urine.A glassful of fresh juice prepared by grating the whole fruit should be mixed with teaspoonful of lime juice and included in daily diet.It carries the potential for breaking calculus (stones) in body.

Balancing Liver FunctionThis vegetable is very good for balancing liver function. It is often recommended by ayurvedic physicians when the liver is inflamed and cannot efficiently process food for maximum nutrition and assimilation.

Premature Graying Hair

Ayurveda suggests Bottle gourd juice once daily in the early morning for treating Graying Hair.

Nervous diseases

Mixture of bottle gourd juice a sesame oil acts as an effective medicine for insomnia. It should be massaged over scalp every night. The juice is useful in treating insanity, epilepsy & other nervous diseases.

Blood Pressure and Heart Treatments

Recently, Bottle Gourd has attracted a lot of attention due to its importance in treatment of Blood Pressure and Heart diesease. 

Poisoning

The bitter variety is prescribed as a cardiac tonic, as an antidote to poisoning and for alleviating bronchitis, cough, asthma and biligenic affections.

Natural Benefits and Curative Properties

• The cooked vegetable is cooling, diuretic, sedative and anti­bilious. It gives a feeling of relaxation after eating it.
• Bottle gourd is very valuable in urinary disorders. A glassful of fresh juice prepared by grating the whole fruit should be mixed with teaspoonful of lime juice. It should be given once daily in the treatment of burning sensation in urinary passage due to high acidity of urine. It serves as an alkaline mixture.
• The juice of bottle gourd is a valuable medicine for excessive thirst due to severe diarrhoea, diabetes and excessive use of fatty or fried foods. A glassful of plain juice with a pinch of salt should be taken everyday in this condition. Its use during summer prevents excessive loss of sodium, quenches thirst and helps in preventing fatigue.
• Mixture of bottle gourd juice and sesame oil acts as an effective medicine for insomnia. It should be massaged over scalp every night
• The Gourd fruit juice is used in the treatment of insanity, epilepsy and other nervous diseases.
• The juice of the fruit is used in the treatment of stomach acidity, indigestion and ulcers.
• Bottle Gourd helps in constipation. Bottle gourd is not only rich in essential minerals, iron, protein and trace elements; it is also rich in fibre. Fibre is known to be missing in the modern diet, the absence of which is the cause of not only constipation but other digestive disorders like flatulence and even piles. Hence diet using different preparations made from this vegetable are useful.

Bottle gourd has proven heart benefits.

Heart-Healthy Drink Recipe: A Veggie Drink for a Healthy Heart.

Ingredients:

One small Bottle gourd- peeled and cut into cubes

A piece of cabbage - 1 cup of cubes

5 peppercorns

10 leaves of mint / holybasil leaves

a pinch of salt

1/2 tea spoon olive oil/canola oil

10 drops of lemon juice

coriander leaves (optional)

10 spinach leaves (optional)

5 baby carrots (optional)

1 celery stick (optional) peel the long strands as it may not get blended smoothly with other ingredients.

Cooking steps:

1: Wash Bottle gourd, Cabbage and mint leaves

2: Peel bottle gourd and cut into pieces.

3: Cut cabbage into pieces

4: In a vessel heat 1 cup water.

5: Add all the ingredients except oil to it. Keep the ingredients to boil. Add the optional vegetables as per your liking.

6: Once the vegetables turn translucent or look cooked turn off the heat.

7: Let the liquid cool off , then put everything in a mixer and blend it. Let it cool if needed.

8: Whenever ready to eat heat the soup or drink and add few drops of olive oil and lemon juice

9: Add chopped coriander or parsley leaves for flavor and fresh aroma.