Bountiful Bottle Gourd!

Winter is the time for vegetables in the GULF and many places which have temperate climates really grow most of their produce during the September to April time frame. In the Gulf regions, this is the time to grow most vegetables and herbs as the temperatures are pleasant and the sun is nourishing rather than burning.

The Bottle Gourd is a vegetable used extensively in South Asian cooking and has multiple health benefits while being comparatively easy to grow. It is used as a vegetable that is heavy in fiber and has loads of water. It is grown in spring and early summer in South Asia and the summer table has loads of recipes using this versatile vegetable. However, in the GULF, it is grown in Autumn and harvested in late winter, and you can plant again in late winter and harvest in early summer. Both the Bottle Gourd and its cousin the Bitter gourd are used as nutritional supplements in the treatment of diabetes and to help lose weight. It takes about 120 days from seed to harvest. It is planted from seeds, which are available in most plant nurseries in August -September. Plant in mid-September in flat trays or small seedling pots and it germinates within 10 days. Let the seedling grow to at least 18 inches before transplanting to its actual place. I grow it on my Northeast wall; however, friends have grown them in pots with trellises. Try to position it in the southeast as that will give it more sun and increase the size of the vegetable. Bottle gourd vines are susceptible to aphids and spider mites as well as leaf miners. I use an organic spray to keep the bugs off or you can use a neem oil spray regularly.

It also needs regular fertilizing. I use a mix of my bio enzyme and fruit ferment as a foliar spray every week and also add crushed eggshells and Epsom salts to the soil. It does need a fair amount of calcium and magnesium as blossom rot happens frequently. In the months of December and January, it is also susceptible to Powdery Mildew so keep an eye out for that. Watering should also be consistent and at the same time every day so that the vegetable does not develop cracks. Also, make sure you do some top dressing mid-way in the growth cycle so about 6 weeks after you plant the seedling. Give it a mix of cow and goat manure with some vermicompost.

Now for the health benefits: This has been taken from the website

https://www.practo.com/healthfeed/health-benefits-of-lauki-3556/post

Health Benefits of Including Bottle Gourd(Lauki) in Your Diet

 Bottle gourd has multiple health benefits, some of which are:

1. Being rich in dietary fibre (both soluble and insoluble), it helps in preventing constipation, flatulence, and even piles. It is also easy to digest.
2. It promotes weight loss. The vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre in lauki keep the body well-nourished and curb unnecessary appetite, especially if you drink its juice in the morning on an empty stomach.
3. It also contains sodium, potassium, essential minerals and trace elements, which regulate blood pressure and prevent the risk of heart ailments such as hypertension.
4. It consists of approximately 96% of water and is, therefore, a great thirst quencher. It also prevents fatigue and keeps the body cool and refreshed during summers.
5. Apart from the iron content, it is also rich in vitamin B and C and helps in anti-oxidative actions.
6. It is a suitable vegetable for light, low-calorie diets as well as for children, people with digestive problems, diabetics, and those recovering from an illness or injury.
7. Bottle gourd is recommended by Ayurveda physicians for balancing the liver function when the liver is inflamed and unable to process food efficiently for nutrition and assimilation.

Health Benefits of Bottle Gourd Juice

Bottle gourd juice has numerous health benefits such as:

1. Drinking a glass of this juice in the morning helps in treating grey hair.
2. Mixing the juice with sesame oil provides an effective medicine for insomnia. 
3. It is very helpful in managing epilepsy, indigestion, ulcers, and other neurological diseases.
4. The bitter variety of calabash gourd is considered a cardiac tonic and a tonic for alleviating bronchitis, cough, and asthma.
5. A glass of bottle gourd juice, mixed with a little salt, helps in preventing excessive loss of sodium from the body.
6. It acts as an alkaline mixture that relieves the burning sensation in the urinary passage.
7. The juice extracted from the leaves of bottle gourd is beneficial in jaundice.

How to Prepare Lauki /Bottlegourd Juice

Step 1: Cut off a piece from the end and taste it to make sure that it’s not bitter. 

Step 2: Peel off the entire skin from the lauki and cut it into pieces. Blend those pieces in a blender/mixer.

Step 3: Add black pepper and salt according to taste. Adding mint leaves can also enhance the taste.

Step 4: You may also add some pieces of lemon to make the lauki juice taste better and rich in antioxidants. 

Bottle gourd juice should be taken on its own and not mixed with other vegetables.

Please remember this is not a substitute for medical advice but can be used only as a dietary supplement.

Recipes: Coming Soon!