Opo squash, also known as Bottle Gourd (Doodhi, Lauki) is a lengthy and cylindrical-shaped vegetable which is harvested on the climbers. The veggie is cultivated in the humid weather conditions of India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, China, tropical Africa and South America. It has a light green smooth skinwith a creamy white flesh and petite seeds. In this article we are going to tell you Health Benefits Of Opo Squash, so read this article carefully to get the complete information. Opo squash offers a mild flavor and is always known to be a dietitian’s favorite. This versatile vegetable has a number of health benefits ranging from liver disease, diabetes, weight loss, healthy kidneys, pregnancy and many others. It has 90% of water content with a few calories, almost no fat and high fiber loaded with nutrients. It comes in a variety of shapes including small and bottle shaped, huge and round and slim and serpentine.
Undoubtedly, Opo squash is a goldmine amongst the vegetable category.
Other names of Opo squash –
It is known by different names like:
- Scientific name: Lagenariasiceraria (Molina) Standl.
- Calabash gourd
- White-flowered gourd
- New Guinea bean
- Tasmania bean
- Long melon
- Bottle gourd
- Doodhi
- Lauki
Selection and storage of Opo squash –
Bottle gourds can be available around all the seasons. Always look for fresh features that are uniform, medium size and light green. Avoid lauki with mature cuts, oversize, yellow-discoloration and bruises on its surface. Store opo squash in the refrigerator where they stay fresh for a week.
Health Benefits of Opo squash / Bottle Gourd / Doodhi –
- Cools your body – Opo squashjuice has a cooling effect on your body and keeps your body hydrated. Also, it helps reduce body heatand keepyour stomach cool.
- Benefits the heart – Lauki is extremely beneficial for the heart. If you consume its juice at least thrice every week then it will help you in maintaining a healthy heart and will also keep a check on your blood pressure.
- Check diabetes –The major health benefits of lauki is its strong impact on diabetics. It releases sugar into the blood at a slower rate therefore, helps check diabetes.
- Weight loss – Drink lauki juice as it is filled with iron, potassium and vitamins.Being low in calories and fat, bottle gourd fills your stomach, digests slowly and aids in weight loss.
- Helps in digestion – Being rich in fiber and alkali content, this vegetable helps in digestion and treating acidity. It is a common medicine for stomach gas, acidity and digestion.
- Helps in treating sleeping disorders–Opo squash is well known in treating sleep disorders and insomnia. Mix sesame oil with the lauki juice and it will help you sleep better.
- Prevents premature greying of hair – Drinking a glass of lauki juice regularly can help you get the color and texture of hair.
- Benefits the skin – Lauki juice acts as a natural cleanser and removes toxins from the body. It will help in making the skin smooth and moisturized.
- Rich in nutrients and antioxidants –Include opo squash in your diet to load your body with essential fibres, nutrients and antioxidants. This veggie is low in saturated fats and cholesterol but contains a high amount of Vitamin B and C, riboflavin, iron, zinc and magnesium.
- Reduces stress – The water content present in opo squash has a cooling impact on the body. Also, it has sedative properties and relaxes the body. Loaded with a high amount of choline, vitamins, amino acids and minerals, opo squash helps in the synthesis of neurotransmitters that keep the proper functioning of the brain cells. In turn, it also prevents mental disorders like stress and depression.
Safety profile –
Some bottle gourds develop cucurbitacins in excess amounts under environmental conditions and may accumulate toxic compounds such as cucurbitacin B, D, G, H, etc.Symptoms of Opo squash poisoning may include stomachache,vomiting, diarrhea, gut bleeding and suddendeath.
Follow the given guidelines for bottle gourd consumption:
- Taste a small piece of opo squash to ensure that it is not bitter. In case of bitter fruit, discard it.
- Avoid mixing bottle gourd juice with any other one.
- When anyone faces discomfort after consumption, he/she should be taken to a nearby hospital immediately.
Final Words –
The benefits of Opo squash(popularly referred to as bottle gourd, lauki or kaddu)need no retelling. Known by different names, this vegetable has plenty of benefits. It has a cooling effect in our body and is also beneficial for the heart and reduces sleeping disorders as well. Extremely low in calories, lauki provides small amounts of vitamin C, calcium, folate, iron and zinc. In India, lauki juice is popularly consumed as a health beverage. It is suggested to avoid consuming lauki juice that has developed a bitter flavor as it may contain toxins that are extremely harmful and fatal to the digestive tract and even cause ulcers. In last, I hope this article is sufficient enough to provide the information about Health Benefits Of Opo Squash, and thanks for reading this article.
