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Last Updated on May 5, 2023 by Shabnam Sengupta
Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) is one of the commonly consumed vegetables in India. It also grows widely outside India, especially in China, South Europe, and Southeast Asia. It grows on a pumpkin-like wine that spreads on the ground and has relatively large leaves.
Bottle gourd is often recommended for those living with illness, as it is easy to digest. Additionally, it has many medicinal uses in various traditional medicines. It is regarded as suitable for both physical and mental health. It is moderately rich in proteins, carbs, and fats. Bottle gourd is also a good source of dietary fibre. It is also rich in calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. In addition, it is moderately rich in vitamins B1, B2, and B5. Bottle gourd is low calorie, moderately rich in micronutrients, but packed with bioactive compounds. There is much appreciation for its medicinal value. It is also suitable for managing metabolic disorders.
Reduces cholesterol
Experimental studies show that bottle gourd can help lower cholesterol significantly. In lab experiments, it could reduce LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, it could also increase levels of HDL-cholesterol (good cholesterol). Researchers think these benefits could be due to flavonoids, sterols, saponins, cucurbitacin, and other bioactive compounds.
Although these are still early findings, it is suggested that bottle gourd could be beneficial in many health conditions. By lowering cholesterol, and due to its content of antioxidants, it could be good for heart health. In addition, it may help prevent stroke. It may also benefit those living with diabetes, as it has a low glycemic index.
Lowers inflammation and helps in painful conditions
Bottle gourd can be suitable for lowering inflammation and may also help reduce pain. Researchers think that many of these effects could be due to its content of flavonoids.
Diuretic property and good for detoxification
The bottle gourd can be especially suitable for those recovering from illness or those living with a weakened body. Studies show that one of the reasons bottle gourd is able to help is that it is able to increase urine volume. Thus, it may help the body get rid of various toxins, help normalise blood pressure, and positively impact renal function.
People these days have started taking interest in various detox drinks in recent years. It appears that bottle-gourd juice can be a part of the detox program. Regular intake of its juice may help prevent high cholesterol, lower the risk of diabetes, and prevent cardiovascular disorders.
Good for brain health and may help manage psychiatric conditions
Bottle gourd is among the few vegetables that contain high amounts of choline. Choline is well known for its nootropic effect. It may help prevent age-related cognitive decline, help in dementia, improve mood, and prevent various neurodegenerative disorders.
In Indian culture, bottle gourd or Lauki has been appreciated for its ability to boost brain health. However, it now appears that many of these benefits could be due to a high amount of choline and antioxidants.
Researchers think it may even have a role in managing severe mental disorders. In one of the clinical experiments, researchers found that it helped reduce symptoms of psychosis in animal models. It is pretty likely that these effects are due to phenolic compounds, flavonoids, saponins, and tannins in bottle gourd.
Protects liver from toxins
The liver is the chemical factory of the body. It plays a central role in the detoxification of the body. However, it is also prone to the accumulation of toxins. Some early experimental studies show that bottle gourd may help prevent damage to liver cells.
Gastrointestinal system
A lot of times doctors and people in general recommend bottle gourd as a part of the diet to those recovering from prolonged illness. This can be because it is easy to digest. Bottle gourd does not cause bloating or any other gastric issues. Additionally, it has mild laxative properties. Thus, it is among the good vegetables to maintain gastrointestinal health. It could also be suitable for those living with irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and food allergies.
Good for respiratory health
Bottle gourd is hypoallergenic, good for immunity, helps fight allergies, and has a role in detoxification. Thus, it could be especially good for managing chronic respiratory conditions like asthma, cough, and so on.
Final thoughts
Bottle gourd has significant culinary value in India and various other parts of the world. This is because it readily grows in different geo-locations. In India, it has been appreciated for its easy digestibility and is often recommended for rehabilitation.
New studies are now supporting many traditional uses of bottle gourd. It appears to be quite good for reducing inflammation, cholesterol and protecting various tissues. In addition, it seems to have excellent detoxification properties.
It is also suitable for mood and brain health. It is among the few vegetables that are pretty rich in choline. There is much research on the use of choline for managing brain disorders and psychiatric conditions.
However, it is worth understanding that bottle gourd still remains relatively neglected by science. Although it has been tested in many lab experiments on animals, there are very few clinical trials regarding its health benefits.
It is pretty likely that it has many other health benefits waiting to be discovered. However, it almost has no known side effects and is quite suitable for regular consumption by various age groups.
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