Lose weight, cool your body and keep your reproductive organs healthy with ash gourd

Ash gourd, (white gourd) known as petha in Hindi and kumbalanga in Malayalam has been traditionally used in Ayurveda for treating infertility, obesity  epilepsy, lung diseases, asthama, coughs, urine retention and internal hemorrhage. The rind is used to treat diabetes and the seeds to expel tapeworms. In Chinese medicine,  the rind is used to treat urinary dysfunction and the seeds for vaginal discharge.

This vegetable can be taken in the raw form as juice on empty stomach. Do not remove pulp as it is rich in fiber which is quite handy for our body. The low calories and high water content makes it an ideal vegetable for countering obesity.

Ash gourd assists in curing the urinary tract infections and vaginal infections. It has been proven to reduce symptoms in urinary diseases and prostatic diseases like BPH. So it is useful in men with thick or viscous semen, which fails to liquefy in normal time limits.

The cooling properties of this vegetable is well known and one of the best summer juices can be made out of this. Those individuals who complain of overheating of body does not have to look for expensive solutions and can take this cheap and extensively available veggie to cool down their body. This is also an ideal vegetable for diabetic patients  as it has sugar regulating properties.

Delicious curry can be prepared with ash gourd by adding curry leaves, coconut paste, yogurt, green chilies and turmeric, this makes a savory side dish for rice. Turmeric makes it colourful and acts as a strong antioxidant. Keralites call this dish Kumbalanga Pulisserry and it is a regular in their diet. The lactobacilli in yogurt adds to the benefits of ash gourd and helps in keeping the reproductive organs healthy.

Dr. Anita Mani
Infertility Specialist at Gift IVF Centre
anitadane@gmail.com
www.giftivf.com
bangaloreivf.blogspot.in