Lauki, dudhi or bottle gourd holds pride of place in the Indian Ayurvedic medical system. Here is why our ancestors included it in their regular diet, and why it still makes sense to do so.

Lauki is 96.1% water, so is light on the stomach and aids digestion. A 100 gm serving of lauki contains just twelve calories and is ideal if you are watching your weight.

Health benefits of lauki

    * Cooked lauki is cooling, calming and acts as diuretic. It makes you relax after eating. But don’t eat the vegetable raw as it can harm the stomach and intestines.

    * It plays a very important role in treating urinary disorders. Prepare a glass of fresh juice by grating lauki and then mixing it with limejuice. Drink it once a day to combat the burning sensation caused by the high acidity of urine. It can be had along with sulpha drugs to treat urinary infection as it acts as an alkaline diuretic.

    * Lauki juice is an excellent remedy for excessive thirst caused by diarrhea, over consumption of fatty or fried foods, and diabetes. Drink a glass of this juice with a little salt added to it to treat this condition.

    * A glass of lauki juice with a little salt added to it prevents excessive loss of sodium, satiating thirst and keeping you refreshed in summer.

If you are on a low calorie diet, suffering from digestive problems, are diabetic or convalescing, then lauki is must for you as it is easily digestible and low in calories.

BDST: 1758 HRS, APR-23, 2016
Edited by:  Sharmina Islam, Lifestyle Editor