Diabetes is a typical health problem that affects over a million people in India. It is identified by high blood glucose levels. In addition, it will probably result in serious health problems similar to heart disease, kidney failure, and obesity if not properly managed. That’s why it is important to hunt medical attention should you notice abnormalities in your blood sugar levels.
Taking all prescribed medications is important, but supplementing your weight-reduction plan with nutritious foods can also be helpful. For example, studies suggested that fiber-rich vegatables and fruits help stabilize blood sugar levels. Bottle gourd is one among the various Indian vegetables that may be used for this purpose.
Lauki, also often called bottle gourd in some parts of the world, is a well-liked vegetable in India. It is low in calories and high in dietary fiber, making it an amazing alternative for a healthy weight-reduction plan. It is commonly boiled and seasoned; people use it in soups and curries. In addition, people also use it to make snacks. Laucca’s versatility makes it a wonderful ingredient for cooking, steaming, or frying. Full of vitamins and minerals, it’s a nutritious and engaging addition to any meal.
Continue reading to learn more concerning the bottle gourd and its usefulness for diabetes patients.
Nutritional value of bottle gourd
Bottle gourd, also often called gourd, is a vegetable from the gourd family with a sweet taste and lots of nutrients. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) states that 100 grams of bottle gourd comprises the next nutrients, making it a healthy alternative for people’s overall well-being.
- Water: 95.5g
- Energy: 14 kcal
- Protein: 0.62g
- Fat: 0.02 g
- Carbohydrates: 3.39g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Calcium: 26mg
- Magnesium: 11mg
- Phosphorus: 13mg
- Potassium: 150mg
- Vitamin C: 10.1mg
Lauki or bottle gourd is a nutritious green vegetable that is available in all sizes and styles. Its impressive nutrient profile is wealthy in vitamins C and K, calcium, fiber and other nutrients with minimal calories. Containing mainly water (92%) and the remaining mainly fibre, bottle gourd is an easily digestible food.
Can diabetics eat bottle gourd?
One test discovered that bottle gourd is good for individuals with diabetes. This is since it comprises a high concentration of antioxidants, is a diuretic and has lipid-lowering properties.
Diabetic patients should aim to eat foods with a glycemic index of 55 or lower. The glycemic index measures how quickly a food increases blood glucose levels. However, this is simply valid when the food is eaten alone, and never together with other foods from a unique category. For example, bottled gourd has a glycemic index of 15, meaning it slowly releases sugar into the bloodstream. As a result, it causes a smaller spike in blood sugar levels.
Studies suggest that the dietary fiber present in vegetables may help reduce the speed at which sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream.
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Methods of consuming bottle gourd for diabetics
The approach to cooking gourd in a bottle is important with regards to managing diabetes. You could make a juice out of it, add it to salads or make a light curry. In general, individuals with diabetes are encouraged to eat vegatables and fruits of their full form. However, since lauki is usually water, juicing could also be wonderful. But you have got to watch out to not strain it as it should take away the fiber.
Here are some ideas for including Lauka in your diabetic weight-reduction plan.
- For a tasty and healthy consumption of bottle gourd, mix it with freshly chopped vegetables and a bit of olive oil for a nutritious salad.
- You may also add a bottle gourd to the legumes and make gourd lentils.
- You may also make raita for a flavorful and digestive-friendly dish.
- If you have got type 2 diabetes, a glass of gourd smoothie a day with breakfast can assist you control your diabetes more quickly.
Remember not to make use of an excessive amount of oil and spices when preparing vegetables.
Bottle Gourd / Lauki Recipes to try
Gourd smoothie in a bottle
Servings: 1
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
- Lauki, dudhi or bottle gourd (chopped): 1 cup
- A handful of mint or pudding
- cumin powder or jeera powder: ½ tsp
- Pepper (crushed): ½ tsp
- Ginger (1 cal
- Himalayan pink salt: ¼ tsp
- Lemon juice: 2 tsp
- Water: ½ cup
method
- Blend the peeled and diced lauki in a blender.
- Add mint, cumin powder, pepper, ginger, salt and lemon juice.
- Blend in water until smooth.
- Pour the liquid into the glass.
- For optimal advantages, devour this bottle gourd smoothie within the morning on an empty stomach.
Some other advantages of bottle gourd
Bottle gourd might not be everyone’s favorite flavor, but it surely has some amazing health advantages. Some health advantages are listed below.
It moisturizes your body
Summer can dehydrate the body by depriving it of water. Migraines, discomfort and life-threatening heatstrokes are brought on by salt deficiency. Lauki, which is 96% water, can also be high in sodium and potassium and replenishes the body with fluids and electrolytes to assist fight the warmth.
Helps fight constipation
Bottle gourd may also help with various digestive problems. For example, it will probably also help prevent indigestion. This is because gourd comprises soluble and insoluble fiber and water, which aid digestion, treat constipation, and reduce acidity and bloating.
Promotes heart health
Due to its high levels of potassium, eating gourd helps control blood pressure, making it ideal for people affected by hypertension. It also has a high concentration of zinc, which protects the guts from oxidative damage and helps prevent coronary artery disease.
According to at least one testThe magnesium in lauki maintains and regulates the heartbeat.
Perfect for weight reduction
Bottle gourd is wealthy in water and has fewer calories and density per gram, plus it’s high in dietary fiber, which helps keep you feeling fuller for longer. For all these reasons, this vegetable may be an amazing addition to a slimming weight-reduction plan. In addition, bottle gourd can boost your metabolism by getting enough sleep.
Application
Consuming bottle gourd is a wonderful strategy to stay healthy with a well-balanced weight-reduction plan. Gourd consumption can reduce the chance of stomach diseases and promote digestion. In addition, drinking gourd juice is more helpful than cooking it because it preserves vitamins and minerals while helping to manage blood sugar levels. Monitoring blood glucose levels is important in stopping disease progression and helps discover fluctuations in glucose levels.
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Supporting references
- Wang PY, Fang JC, Gao ZH, Zhang C, Xie SY. Higher consumption of fruits, vegetables or their fiber reduces the chance of type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis. Diabetes Study J. January 2016;7(1):56-69. doi: 10.1111/jdi.12376. Epub 2015 June 22. PMID: 26816602; PMCID: PMC4718092.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4718092/
- Katare C, Saxena S, Agrawal S, Joseph AZ, Subramani SK, Yadav D, Singh N, Bisen PS, Prasad GB. Lipid-lowering and antioxidant functions of bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) extract in human dyslipidemia. J Complementary alternative medicine based on Evid. 2014 Apr;19(2):112-8. doi: 10.1177/2156587214524229. Epub 2014 Feb 20. PMID: 24647091.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24647091/
- Lattimer JM, Haub MD. The influence of dietary fiber and its components on metabolic health. Nutrients. 2010 Dec;2(12):1266-89. doi: 10.3390/nu2121266. Epub 2010 December 15. PMID: 22254008; PMCID: PMC3257631.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257631/
- DiNicolantonio JJ, Liu J, O’Keefe JH. Magnesium within the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. open heart. Jul 1, 2018;5(2):e000775. doi: 10.1136/openhrt-2018-000775. PMID: 30018772; PMCID: PMC6045762.
