Bottle gourd also known as calabash gourd is said to have originated in Africa and belongs to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae.
The bottle gourd was one of the first cultivated plants in the world, grown not primarily for food, but for use as a water container.
A bottle gourd vine is a quick-growing annual with a hairy stem, long forked tendrils, and a musky odour.
It contains many vitamins and minerals, such as, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, Vitamin A, C and folate.
This fruit has the shape of a bottle with a spongy flesh on the inside a vegetable that is even beneficial for weight loss.
Its juice also offers many health benefits like helping to relive constipation but bitter bottle gourd must not be consumed as it can cause serious health problems such as severe digestive upset, including diarrhoea, abdominal pain and vomiting.
But nevertheless, bottle gourd is commonly consumed in the juice form so that one can enjoy more nutritional benefits as compared to having it as a vegetable.
Bottle gourd juice serves as a good source of vitamin C. Vitamin C’s antioxidant activity shields your cells from damage, preventing the oxidation of DNA that leads to genetic mutations.
It also regulates your blood cholesterol levels, plays a role in brain function and helps you make collagen, a protein important for tissue strength.
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 every day in this condition.
Its use during summer prevents excessive loss of sodium, quenches thirst and helps in preventing fatigue.
Bottle gourd provides good amount of both soluble and insoluble fiber and water. It helps in digestion and helps in digestion related problems like flatulence and acidity.
The insoluble fiber also helps in conditions like piles.
This vegetable is one to try because it is healthy and offers many health benefits not mentioned, vegetables must be an important part of the daily diet.